Results 11,441-11,460 of 16,057 for speaker:Mary Coughlan

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (4 Jul 2006)

Mary Coughlan: Although livestock marts provide a valuable service to farmers around the country, it is the responsibility of individual marts to comply with the conditions of the licences issued under the Livestock Marts Act 1967 and other statutory requirements in relation to provision and maintenance of mart structures and facilities. The capital investment measure under the National Development Plan...

Written Answers — Farm Retirement Scheme: Farm Retirement Scheme (4 Jul 2006)

Mary Coughlan: The exemption from income tax of certain farm land leasing income is confined to individuals who are aged 40 years or more (or regardless of age if permanently incapacitated by mental or physical infirmity from carrying on a trade of farming). I am informed by the Revenue Commissioners that the number of farmers availing of the leased land relief scheme is tentatively estimated at...

Written Answers — School Milk Scheme: School Milk Scheme (4 Jul 2006)

Mary Coughlan: My Department estimates that around 78,000 children benefited under the School Milk Scheme during the school year 2004/05. Total expenditure under the Scheme during this period amounted to €985,587.29; of which €978,051.19 related to milk with the balance spent on cheese.

Written Answers — Afforestation Programme: Afforestation Programme (4 Jul 2006)

Mary Coughlan: The Minister for Finance announced in his Budget 2005 statement that the Department of Finance and the Revenue Commissioners would undertake a detailed review of certain tax incentive schemes and tax exemptions in 2005, including tax relief for gains arising from the occupation of woodlands on a commercial basis. The Review of Tax Schemes was published by the Department of Finance in February...

Written Answers — Rural Environment Protection Scheme: Rural Environment Protection Scheme (4 Jul 2006)

Mary Coughlan: Currently farmers in REPS may draw down payment on two supplementary measures if one is either Traditional Orchards, LINNET Habitats or Riparian Zones and the other is either Conservation of Animal Genetic Resources (Rare Breeds), Organic Farming or Corncrake Habitats. The scheme seeks to achieve a balance between agricultural, environmental, budgetary and socio-economic priorities and I...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (4 Jul 2006)

Mary Coughlan: It is the policy of my Department to fully comply with the terms of the Prompt Payment of Accounts Act 1997 and with the Regulations on combating late payment in commercial transactions. However, this legislation only refers to payments for the provision of goods or services to the Department and its terms, including the payment of interest, and is not applicable to applications made under...

Written Answers — Afforestation Programme: Afforestation Programme (4 Jul 2006)

Mary Coughlan: All afforestation approvals in respect of the current planting season have issued. Some delays in processing afforestation grant applications were encountered in the early part of the season, while a new computer system was being rolled-out, but steps were taken to minimise the impact of this. Applications took an average of twelve weeks to process. In accordance with the provisions of...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (4 Jul 2006)

Mary Coughlan: The person named submitted three applications under the 2004 Special Beef Premium Scheme, in respect of a total of thirty-three animals. Based on the Area Aid application submitted, the person named had an entitlement to payment in respect of 48.63 livestock units under the 2004 Livestock Schemes. However, as the milk quota held by the person named accounted for 43.73 livestock units (quota...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (29 Jun 2006)

Mary Coughlan: Further to Parliamentary Question No. 295 of 9 May 2006 an official of my Department on 10 May 2006 contacted the person named. The person named was informed that no request for a review of his entitlements had been received in my Department. To date, this position remains unchanged. If the person now submits a written application for review to my Department, his case will be examined.

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (29 Jun 2006)

Mary Coughlan: This application was received in my Department on 23rd May 2006 and is being processed. Once processed, payment will issue within the timeframes agreed for the Scheme.

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (29 Jun 2006)

Mary Coughlan: An application under the Single Payment Scheme was received from the person named on 5 May 2005. Under the EU regulations, an applicant must declare an eligible hectare to accompany each entitlement in order to draw down the full Single Payment. The person named had established 27.76 entitlements, to which a further 18.93 entitlements were added following the acceptance of his Private...

Written Answers — Honey Production: Honey Production (29 Jun 2006)

Mary Coughlan: Last year 1,775 tonnes of honey was imported into Ireland, compared to an estimated 250 tonnes produced by Irish beekeepers. The scheme for capital investment in the commercial horticulture sector, which is operated by my Department and funded under the National Development Plan, is intended to assist in the development of the horticulture sector, including beekeeping, by grant aiding capital...

Written Answers — Honey Production: Honey Production (29 Jun 2006)

Mary Coughlan: When Varroa was first identified in Ireland in 1998, infected stocks and those in surrounding areas were destroyed in an effort to contain and eradicate the disease. In 1998 and 1999 a total of €30,000 was paid in compensation to affected beekeepers by my Department. However, Varroa has become widespread throughout the country since then and a policy of continuous monitoring, control and...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (29 Jun 2006)

Mary Coughlan: The Single Payment of each individual farmer consists on the average number of animals on which Livestock Premia and, where appropriate Arable Aid and Dairy Premium, payments were made in the 2000 to 2002 reference years. However, as the person named received no livestock premia during that period, he established no entitlements under the Single Payment Scheme. The person named submitted an...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (28 Jun 2006)

Mary Coughlan: The current Installation Aid Scheme was established under the National Development Plan 2000-2006 and provides a once-off grant of €9,523 to farmers under the age of 35 who have been set up in farming for the first time on or after 1 January 2000. In order to apply for Installation Aid a farmer must, inter alia, be set up on a holding of at least 5 hectares of eligible land and be between...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (28 Jun 2006)

Mary Coughlan: Following direct contact between an official of my Department and the person named, medical evidence is awaited from the person named, following receipt of which an immediate decision will be made regarding the 2005 Single Payment Scheme application of the person named.

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (28 Jun 2006)

Mary Coughlan: The delay in payment in this case was related to the change of ownership of the plantation. In addition there was a problem relating to the actual area claimed. These issues have now been resolved and I expect payment to be made within the next three weeks.

Written Answers — Bovine Disease Controls: Bovine Disease Controls (27 Jun 2006)

Mary Coughlan: There is no TB-vaccine licensed anywhere in the world for use in a food producing animal and therefore there is no possibility of introducing a bovine vaccination programme for TB. Indeed, the position is that vaccine trials in the past demonstrated that vaccination did not prevent disease. Apart from the foregoing, cattle vaccinated against TB could not be traded because they would be unable...

Written Answers — Animal Welfare: Animal Welfare (27 Jun 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 and to the...

Written Answers — Animal Remedies Regulations: Animal Remedies Regulations (27 Jun 2006)

Mary Coughlan: As the Deputy is aware, the EU Directive 2004/28, which was transposed into law through the 2005 Animal Remedies Regulations, provided that veterinary medicines for food producing animals may only be supplied on the basis of a veterinary prescription, unless exempted from this requirement under criteria to be drawn up at EU level before 1 January 2007. However, I decided to avail of another...