Results 11,861-11,880 of 16,057 for speaker:Mary Coughlan
- Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (18 May 2006)
Mary Coughlan: The person named successfully applied for consideration in respect of the Inheritance measure of the Single Payment Scheme. Single Payment amounting to â¬9157.19 will issue shortly.
- Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (18 May 2006)
Mary Coughlan: The person concerned submitted an application for aid under the Installation Aid Scheme on 27 June 2005. On 19 September 2005, further information in respect of the land transferred was requested from the applicant. As no reply was received to this letter, the application was rejected on 24 November 2005. It is open to the person concerned to submit another application together with the...
- Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (18 May 2006)
Mary Coughlan: An application under the 2005 Single Payment Scheme was received from the person named on 12 May 2005. Following processing of the application, it was found that the Single Payment entitlements under the above number quoted were established in the name of the person named and his brother. An official from my Department has been in contact with the applicant and has provided him with the...
- Written Answers — Pension Provisions: Pension Provisions (18 May 2006)
Mary Coughlan: On 12 May, 2006 my Department wrote to the Department of Social and Family Affairs seeking confirmation of the rate and type of payment the person named is receiving from that Department. On receipt of a reply from the Department of Social and Family Affairs adjustments, as appropriate, will be made to the Early Retirement pension payable to the spouse of the person named.
- Dairy Sector. (18 May 2006)
Mary Coughlan: Following a number of successful years for the Irish dairy industry on international and EU markets, 2006 is proving to be more challenging for the industry. The butter market, in particular, is under severe pressure on both the EU and international markets. Exports of dairy products, except cheese, are considerably lower than in 2005, with EU butter exports 35% less than the volumes exported...
- Dairy Sector. (18 May 2006)
Mary Coughlan: No, I did not.
- Dairy Sector. (18 May 2006)
Mary Coughlan: The accusation that the changes I am promoting in the policy framework in any way had a detrimental effect on the price of milk is totally erroneous. Moreover, the Commissioner did not say that she had no knowledge of the implications of the 2003 Luxembourg agreement on dairy prices. That is factually incorrect.
- Dairy Sector. (18 May 2006)
Mary Coughlan: To be exact, she stated the product mix in Ireland was causing us difficulties, which is true. This concerns the issue of butter, a fact the Deputy, as a dairy farmer, understands. The price of milk is not an issue for me as Minister. It is an issue between the farmers, who are professionals, and the co-ops to which they send their milk. I am acutely aware of the issues that arise and the...
- Dairy Sector. (18 May 2006)
Mary Coughlan: A number of initiatives have been made available through my Department and Enterprise Ireland. We will continue to work with the sector to enhance and increase the research and development capability. That will be an absolute priority for me.
- Dairy Sector. (18 May 2006)
Mary Coughlan: It is vital that certain issues in the dairy sector are dealt with. The issue of cost and how it is to be removed from the sector is one on which I have worked continuously and will continue to work. We will achieve delivery on that. Other issues arise such as that of the world trade talks and their impact on the dairy sector, which is serious. I will work to the best of my ability to ensure...
- Sugar Beet Industry. (18 May 2006)
Mary Coughlan: The decision by Greencore to discontinue sugar production and close the Irish Sugar plant at Mallow was a commercial decision by the company, having regard to market forces and the agreement on reform of the EU sugar regime. Throughout the negotiations on reform of the EU sugar regime, my primary objective was to seek to modify the Commission's proposals to ensure the continuation of an...
- Sugar Beet Industry. (18 May 2006)
Mary Coughlan: The golden share only comes into play if a certain percentage of the company's sugar assets are sold. It does not allow me to interfere with the day-to-day management of the company or to influence decisions on severance pay. However, a number of my colleagues expressed their concerns to me about the Labour Court agreement. The Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Deputy Martin, and...
- Sugar Beet Industry. (18 May 2006)
Mary Coughlan: The Minister, Deputy Martin, and I have publicly expressed the opinion that the company should agree to the Labour Court recommendations. The process will be completed shortly and I will meet union representatives again on this matter.
- Food Safety. (18 May 2006)
Mary Coughlan: That is not our office. It is the European office to which the Deputy refers.
- Food Safety. (18 May 2006)
Mary Coughlan: The next time the Deputy travels, we will have him arrested.
- Noxious Weeds. (18 May 2006)
Mary Coughlan: What was the Deputy doing on the side of the road?
- Farm Retirement Scheme. (18 May 2006)
Mary Coughlan: The report of the joint committee covered a range of issues and I responded to it in detail. A number of the committee's recommendations are precluded by the EU regulations under which the current scheme and its predecessor operate. I saw some merit in certain other aspects of the committee's report, specifically those relating to income limits and the maximum age of transferees in the...
- Farm Retirement Scheme. (18 May 2006)
Mary Coughlan: As I indicated, the issue of indexation is a principle that is not accepted by the Commission. However, a new scheme will be introduced. The decision on the scheme's emphasis will be based on the outcome of the partnership negotiations and overall funding for the rural development package. There are concerns about the issue of the clawback. There were cases where some farmers may not have...
- Farm Retirement Scheme. (18 May 2006)
Mary Coughlan: Under the EU regulation, there is a ceiling at which a payment is allowed to be made. That ceiling will be considered for the new rural development package. The Commission does not believe in indexation. I agree the anomaly can cause some serious issues. The other issue of concern is that once the Commission's auditors and the Comptroller and Auditor General examine the schemes, they put...
- Export Subsidies. (18 May 2006)
Mary Coughlan: The framework agreement for the current WTO round which was concluded in Geneva in August 2004 commits member countries, including the EU, to negotiate detailed rules, including an end-date for the parallel elimination of all forms of export subsidies and for the introduction of disciplines on export measures with equivalent effect. The framework agreement covers export refunds, export...