Results 11,081-11,100 of 16,057 for speaker:Mary Coughlan

Written Answers — Veterinary Practitioners: Veterinary Practitioners (18 Oct 2006)

Mary Coughlan: Under the Veterinary Practice Act 2005, it is the statutory responsibility of the Veterinary Council of Ireland to specify and keep under review the programmes of education required for the practice of veterinary medicine in Ireland. The Council is also charged with the responsibility of ensuring that the Irish veterinary practitioner qualification meets the standard required in order to...

Written Answers — Live Exports: Live Exports (18 Oct 2006)

Mary Coughlan: Live exports continue to be an important outlet for our cattle, providing an essential element of competition with the beef trade. Total exports amounted to 185,267 in 2005, which represented an increase of over 40% on the preceding year. 2006 has seen a continuation of this strong performance. Exports for the first nine months of 2006, at 198,344, were over 45% ahead of the same period last...

Written Answers — Sport Horse Industry: Sport Horse Industry (18 Oct 2006)

Mary Coughlan: The development of the sport horse industry has been largely the responsibility of the Irish Horse Board since its inception in 1993. In co-operation with the Board my Department provides a wide range of horse breeding improvement grants from NDP funds, which are focused on quality, to encourage farmers to breed marketable non-thoroughbreds including Irish Draughts, Irish Sport Horses,...

Written Answers — Organic Farming: Organic Farming (18 Oct 2006)

Mary Coughlan: I am strongly committed to the development of the organic sector in Ireland. The Department of Agriculture and Food already provides substantial financial supports for organic producers, through the Rural Environment Protection Scheme (REPS) and the Scheme of Grant Aid for the development of the organic sector. Since REPS began in 1994, it has delivered some €37 million to the sector....

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (18 Oct 2006)

Mary Coughlan: The person named submitted an application for an allocation of entitlements from the 2005 Single Payment Scheme National Reserve under Category B, which caters for farmers who, between 1 January, 2000 and 19 October, 2003 made an investment in production capacity in a farming sector for which a direct payment under Livestock Premia and/or Arable Aid schemes would have been payable during the...

Written Answers — Freedom of Information: Freedom of Information (17 Oct 2006)

Mary Coughlan: The number of applications received under the Freedom of Information legislation is as follows: 2003 317 2004 278 2005 210 2006 (to 16/10/06) 172

Written Answers — Genetically Modified Organisms: Genetically Modified Organisms (17 Oct 2006)

Mary Coughlan: I wish to inform the Deputy that I have had no contacts with the EPA in respect of any GM event. With regard to the application from BASF to the EPA earlier this year to trial a GM blight free potato at a farm in Co Meath my Department responded to the consultation process undertaken by the EPA. I am pleased to note that many of the issues raised by my Department were taken on board in the...

Written Answers — Land Purchase: Land Purchase (17 Oct 2006)

Mary Coughlan: I am aware that the Irish Timber Council has expressed concerns in relation to the proposed purchase. My colleague, Mary Wallace TD, Minister of State at my Department with responsibility for forestry, met with representatives of the Council recently to discuss these concerns. My Department's position on this matter is that the plant in question is of strategic significance to the forestry...

Written Answers — Milk Quota: Milk Quota (17 Oct 2006)

Mary Coughlan: I recently announced the establishment of a new Milk Quota Trading System to supersede the current Milk Quota Restructuring Scheme. The new system was agreed following extensive consultation with the farm organisations and ICOS and will release larger quantities of quota to active and committed dairy farmers through the combined operation of a market Exchange and a maximum price Priority...

Written Answers — National Herd: National Herd (17 Oct 2006)

Mary Coughlan: The Irish beef industry is worth €1.3 billion in foreign earnings to the national economy annually. Ireland produces over 500,000 tonnes of beef a year and exports over 90% of our production. The sector is very important and its viability is dependent on the quality of production which in turn depends very much on the status of our suckler herd. I am keenly aware of the challenges facing...

Written Answers — Rural Environment Protection Scheme: Rural Environment Protection Scheme (17 Oct 2006)

Mary Coughlan: REPS 4 will form an integral part of Ireland's Rural Development Plan (RDP) 2007 – 2013. A draft of the RDP will issue for public consultation shortly and it is my objective to secure EU Commission approval for the RDP and to roll out REPS 4 at the earliest possible date in 2007.

Written Answers — National Herd: National Herd (17 Oct 2006)

Mary Coughlan: There are a range of diseases which impact on animal health, animal welfare and productivity while a number of them have the potential to affect public health. Many of our competitors have programmes in place to reduce and eradicate some of these diseases and increasingly, authorities in some importing countries are demanding certification that products are derived from animals or herds that...

Written Answers — Animal Welfare Bodies: Animal Welfare Bodies (17 Oct 2006)

Mary Coughlan: My Department has certain statutory responsibility for the welfare and protection of farmed animals. The legislation governing this is the Protection of Animals Kept for Farming Purposes Act 1984 and the European Communities (Protection of Animals Kept for Farming Purposes) Regulations, 2000. In addition there is specific legislation in relation to pigs, calves and laying hens. Welfare...

Written Answers — Food Safety Standards: Food Safety Standards (17 Oct 2006)

Mary Coughlan: Regulations governing the provision of country of origin information on beef sold at the catering stage of the food chain were introduced by the Minister for Health and Children earlier this year. Responsibility for enforcement of the Health (Country of Origin of Beef) Regulations 2006 (S.I. 307 of 2006) is with the Food Safety Authority of Ireland. There are over 44,000 food businesses in...

Written Answers — Forestry Industry: Forestry Industry (17 Oct 2006)

Mary Coughlan: In terms of incentives, the current forestry grant and premium package is without doubt the most attractive that has ever been available. Farmers and land-owners can avail of an establishment grant of 100% of costs, a tax free premium of up to €500 per hectare per annum for 20 years, at present, and under the Single Payment Scheme, farmers can plant up to 50% of their eligible claimed area,...

Written Answers — Farm Waste Management: Farm Waste Management (17 Oct 2006)

Mary Coughlan: A revised Farm Waste Management Scheme was launched by my Department on 24 March 2006 as part of the arrangements to enable farmers meet the additional requirements of the Nitrates Directive. The principal changes to the Scheme include— (a) an increase in the standard grant-rate from 40% to 60%, with 70% being available in the four Zone C counties; (b) an extension of the Scheme for the...

Written Answers — Food Safety Standards: Food Safety Standards (17 Oct 2006)

Mary Coughlan: The Food Safety Authority represents Ireland on this issue at the relevant EU meetings. The information requested contains technical details and I am arranging with the FSAI to have it forwarded to the Deputy.

Written Answers — Farm Retirement Scheme: Farm Retirement Scheme (17 Oct 2006)

Mary Coughlan: The Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture published its report on the Early Retirement Schemes in February 2005. The report dealt with a range of issues and I responded to it in detail in September 2005. As I explained in this response, certain of the Committee's recommendations are precluded by the EU Regulations under which the current Scheme and its predecessor are operated. I saw...

Written Answers — Genetically Modified Organisms: Genetically Modified Organisms (17 Oct 2006)

Mary Coughlan: Ireland's national policy on GMO's was officially set out in the October 2000 Report of the Interdepartmental Group on Modern Biotechnology which was endorsed by the Government. The overall conclusion of this report was summarised as 'a positive acceptance of the potential benefits of biotechnology tempered by a precautionary approach to the potential risks — and to ensure that as far as is...

Written Answers — Dairy Industry: Dairy Industry (17 Oct 2006)

Mary Coughlan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 130 and 151 together. Dairy farmers' incomes are made up of the market price paid for milk and direct income support from the EU. The price paid to milk producers is determined by a number of factors including the international market for dairy products, the product mix and the efficiency of the processor as well as the overall operation of the EU price...