Results 11,481-11,500 of 18,593 for speaker:Michael Creed

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Young Farmers Scheme Eligibility (7 Dec 2016)

Michael Creed: The persons named submitted an application under the ‘young farmer’ category of the 2015 National Reserve and the Young Farmers Scheme with the last named person as the young farmer. The Young Farmers Scheme application was successful and payment has since issued. The National Reserve application was not successful as the applicants were deemed to have exceeded the off-farm...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Basic Payment Scheme Payments (7 Dec 2016)

Michael Creed: The person named submitted a 2016 basic payment/ Areas of Natural Constraint scheme's application on 24 April 2016. EU Regulations governing the administration of these schemes require that full and comprehensive administrative checks, including in some cases remote sensing (i.e. satellite) inspections, be completed before any payments issue. The application of the person...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Basic Payment Scheme Payments (7 Dec 2016)

Michael Creed: An application in respect of the 2016 Basic Payment scheme was received from the person named on 9 May 2016.  Advance and balancing  payments have issued to the nominated bank account of the person named.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Horse and Greyhound Racing Fund Regulations 2016: Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine (6 Dec 2016)

Michael Creed: The most recent estimates available suggest that the horse and greyhound racing industries combined underpin in excess of 24,000 jobs and stimulate €1.6 billion in economic output. These industries receive financial support from the State through the Horse and Greyhound Racing Fund, under section 12 of the Horse and Greyhound Racing Act 2001. My Department makes payments from the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Horse and Greyhound Racing Fund Regulations 2016: Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine (6 Dec 2016)

Michael Creed: I thank the three Deputies for their questions. Deputy Cahill asked about the broadening of the tax base in the context of developments in online betting. By the end of this month, we will have witnessed the impact of the first full calendar year of the new system which was introduced in mid-2015. If I am not mistaken, the Department of Finance has indicated that it intends to observe the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Horse and Greyhound Racing Fund Regulations 2016: Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine (6 Dec 2016)

Michael Creed: I am sure the Deputy did not lose it all.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Horse and Greyhound Racing Fund Regulations 2016: Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine (6 Dec 2016)

Michael Creed: To be fair, the law on stallion tax has been changed for a number of years.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Horse and Greyhound Racing Fund Regulations 2016: Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine (6 Dec 2016)

Michael Creed: I thank Deputies Penrose, Ferris and McConalogue for their questions. I will deal with whether the industry should be self-financing. I acknowledge that €80 million is a great deal of money. I think we forget the circular economy. The income from the 1% betting levy to October 2016, a period of ten months, is €50 million. This is a lot of money to be handing over. With...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Horse and Greyhound Racing Fund Regulations 2016: Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine (6 Dec 2016)

Michael Creed: If mistakes were made in the past, as long as collectively we all learn from them, including those in the room and those outside it, it is a good thing. I do not want to say any more about it. We now have a situation where they have access to a track and let us see what comes out of the Indecon report. Deputy McConalogue referenced the €80 million, which is certainly a lot of...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Horse and Greyhound Racing Fund Regulations 2016: Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine (6 Dec 2016)

Michael Creed: Deputy Kenny observed that currently there is a lot of focus in all forms of media on high-profile victims of gambling addiction, the ease of online gambling and so on. It is a societal issue which needs to be reflected on at Government level. It does not fall specifically within the remit of my Department but is something we all wish to tackle. The online industry has a role to play,...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Sea-Fisheries Sustainability Impact Assessment: Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine (6 Dec 2016)

Michael Creed: I welcome the opportunity to discuss the sea-fisheries sustainability impact assessment with the committee. As in previous years, a rigorous assessment has been undertaken to examine the implications for Ireland of the Commission's proposals for the fixing of total allowable catches, TACs, for the coming year. The EU Commission proposal was issued on 27 October and a number of so-called...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Sea-Fisheries Sustainability Impact Assessment: Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine (6 Dec 2016)

Michael Creed: I am glad to report that there is again this year a higher number of sustainably fished stocks – 28 compared with 26 last year – and a higher percentage – 38% in 2016 compared with 36% in 2015. I should note, however, that while the percentage and number of stocks overfished has declined in 2016, the number and percentage of stocks with unknown status are similar to last...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Sea-Fisheries Sustainability Impact Assessment: Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine (6 Dec 2016)

Michael Creed: Deputy McConalogue's question about whether I can mitigate this and come home with a good news story shades into the other question. In truth, I do not know. This is my first voyage. The advice of officials in the Department and engagement with colleagues paints a grim picture. Looking at previous impact assessments I do not think anything was quite as severe as this in terms of the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Sea-Fisheries Sustainability Impact Assessment: Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine (6 Dec 2016)

Michael Creed: On Deputy McConalogue's other point about Area 6A haddock, this species is the subject of a bilateral agreement between the EU and Norway. I am not at the table for those negotiations, although Ireland is represented. It is a fait accompliat this stage. We have raised maximum sustainable yield, MSY, with the Commission. Where we feel the consequences of moving to MSY too early would have a...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Sea-Fisheries Sustainability Impact Assessment: Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine (6 Dec 2016)

Michael Creed: I will speak about some of the other issues. Hake preferences and prawns are not applicable because when the hake preferences were negotiated in the 1980s prawns were not considered an important enough fishery to be covered by it and it would be impossible at this stage to have the scope of hake preferences extended to other species. There is huge resistance, even though it is one of the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Sea-Fisheries Sustainability Impact Assessment: Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine (6 Dec 2016)

Michael Creed: Since last year we have had a level playing pitch because the science indicates that the stocks are just not there.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Sea-Fisheries Sustainability Impact Assessment: Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine (6 Dec 2016)

Michael Creed: It is nonetheless a significant angling resource. The Deputy and I both see people fishing for it. There is a catch restriction of two per day. That angling product has been protected in the context of what is otherwise a closed fishery.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Sea-Fisheries Sustainability Impact Assessment: Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine (6 Dec 2016)

Michael Creed: No.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Sea-Fisheries Sustainability Impact Assessment: Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine (6 Dec 2016)

Michael Creed: The figures I have outlined are not inclusive of that. However, in respect of the various species we are doing some calculations as to what we would consider an appropriate uplift.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Sea-Fisheries Sustainability Impact Assessment: Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine (6 Dec 2016)

Michael Creed: I thank the members for their engagement on the issues. They will appreciate that it is a very technical area. I welcome the input from members and all the stakeholders. Last Friday in Clonakilty, I had a very useful engagement with all the producer organisations, POs, and the environmental pillar. That was an important voice also. Ultimately all stakeholders have a fundamental interest...