Results 12,341-12,360 of 16,057 for speaker:Mary Coughlan

Written Answers — Ministerial Appointments: Ministerial Appointments (22 Mar 2006)

Mary Coughlan: The Kilconnell cow park trust has six trustees, five of whom were appointed in 2002. The additional trustees were appointed with a view to devolving the trust property back to the community for general community purposes, its use as a cow park having effectively come to an end. The trustees have recently submitted a proposal to transfer the land for community purposes to Kilconnell Community...

Written Answers — Farm Retirement Scheme: Farm Retirement Scheme (22 Mar 2006)

Mary Coughlan: The current early retirement scheme sets an off-farm income limit for transferees. In the report on the scheme which it published last year, the Joint Committee on Agriculture and Food recommended that this limit be removed. I am still considering this recommendation, along with a number of others that the committee made, and I hope to announce my decision in due course.

Written Answers — Departmental Correspondence: Departmental Correspondence (22 Mar 2006)

Mary Coughlan: I have not received representations from or had any meetings with the Open Republic Institute.

Written Answers — Milk Quota: Milk Quota (22 Mar 2006)

Mary Coughlan: Allocations of milk quota may be made from the national reserve according to objective criteria but the provision of financial assistance for the sale or purchase of quota is not permitted under EU regulations. Generally, the volume available from the national reserve for permanent allocation each year is limited by the amount of quota that is returned to the reserve that year from certain...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (22 Mar 2006)

Mary Coughlan: The person named submitted an application under the single payment scheme on 12 May 2005. The ownership details of the herd number changed in December 2002. A request to transfer these entitlements to the person named was received in January 2006 and this has now been fully processed. The person named also applied to have his entitlements consolidated under the consolidation measure of the...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (22 Mar 2006)

Mary Coughlan: The supplied table sets out the number of farmers in each county whose payments under the 2005 single payment scheme had issued by 21 March 2006. The number of applications with outstanding problems, which must be solved prior to payment, is also set out. Payments are continuing to issue to farmers as their applications are processed to completion, in accordance with the EU legislation...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (22 Mar 2006)

Mary Coughlan: The person concerned is an applicant for grant aid under the installation aid scheme and submitted a preliminary application, IAS 1 form, to my Department on 3 March 2006. As the application was received outside the six-month period laid down in the scheme for its submission, the applicant has requested that the principles of force majeure be applied in this case. The matter is being examined...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (22 Mar 2006)

Mary Coughlan: An application under the 2005 single payment scheme was received from the person named on 10 May 2005. Under EU legislation, in order to draw down his or her full single payment, an applicant must declare an eligible hectare to accompany each entitlement. This requirement was set out clearly in the documentation supplied to farmers on a number of occasions. However, as the person named...

Written Answers — Agricultural Buildings: Agricultural Buildings (22 Mar 2006)

Mary Coughlan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 211 and 212 together. In order to construct an anaerobic digester, planning permission from a local authority and approval from the Environmental Protection Agency is required. No approval from my Department is required. However, if on completion of the premises, it is proposed to use animal by-products as a feedstock in the digester, the approval of my...

Written Answers — Sugar Beet Industry: Sugar Beet Industry (22 Mar 2006)

Mary Coughlan: The agreement on reform of the EU sugar regime provides for compensation by way of a restructuring scheme in the event of a decision to cease sugar production. Under this scheme, a restructuring fund becomes available for the economic, social and environmental costs of restructuring of the sugar industry, including factory closure and renunciation of quota. In Ireland's case, this would be...

Written Answers — Animal Welfare: Animal Welfare (22 Mar 2006)

Mary Coughlan: I understand that the Animal Welfare Bill currently being discussed in the United Kingdom provides for a ban on using certain wild animals in travelling circuses. My Department's responsibilities relating to circus animals are confined solely to ensuring animals imported for use in a circus are imported in accordance with animal health certification requirements. The Protection of Animals...

Written Answers — Farm Retirement Scheme: Farm Retirement Scheme (21 Mar 2006)

Mary Coughlan: This relates to income tax. My Department has only recently received a notice of tax credits for the person named; up to then, it was obliged to deduct tax from his pension at the emergency rate. The appropriate adjustments will be made at the end of March 2006 and if too much tax has been deducted it will be refunded to him.

Written Answers — Sugar Beet Industry: Sugar Beet Industry (21 Mar 2006)

Mary Coughlan: The recent decision by Greencore to discontinue sugar production was a commercial decision by the company having regard to the current situation on the sugar market and the agreement on reform of the EU sugar regime. The agreement on reform of the EU sugar regime provides for compensation to beet growers of up to 64% of the reduction in the minimum price for beet. This compensation, which...

Written Answers — Water Quality: Water Quality (21 Mar 2006)

Mary Coughlan: Matters relating to water quality are in the first instance the responsibility of the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government. When water quality issues arise that relate to agriculture, my Department co-operates fully with the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government in addressing them.

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (21 Mar 2006)

Mary Coughlan: The person named established 4.80 entitlements under the single payment scheme, with a net value of €885.74. A single payment application was received on 16 May 2005. The person named did not declare any hectares on his application form. Under the relevant EU legislation, in order to draw down payment in respect of single payment entitlements, an applicant must declare an eligible hectare...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (21 Mar 2006)

Mary Coughlan: An official of my Department has been in direct contact with the person named, following which the documentation necessary to allow transfer of entitlements has been received. Payment under the single payment scheme will issue shortly, following processing of this documentation. While the entitlements established by the person named were established under the old herd number, the 2005 SPS...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (21 Mar 2006)

Mary Coughlan: The new IFORIS system for the processing of forestry grant and premium applications will incorporate many on-line features such as the submission of digital maps and the automatic calculation of areas which will help streamline and simplify the application process. Form 2 and form 3, which are the application forms for first and second instalments of grants respectively, will be issued...

Written Answers — Genetically Modified Organisms: Genetically Modified Organisms (21 Mar 2006)

Mary Coughlan: The test programme referred to is the subject of an application to the Environmental Protection Agency in accordance with Part B of EU Directive 2001/18/EC on the deliberate release of GMOs into the environment as transposed into Irish legislation by the Genetically Modified Organisms (Deliberate Release) Regulations 2003. The EPA is designated by the Minister for the Environment, Heritage...

Written Answers — Appointments to State Boards: Appointments to State Boards (21 Mar 2006)

Mary Coughlan: In relation to the membership of the State boards which come under the aegis of my Department, all representatives of the farming organisations, whether nominated or elected, are male.

Written Answers — Departmental Services: Departmental Services (21 Mar 2006)

Mary Coughlan: E-services is the electronic service of the Department of Agriculture and Food. There are a number of e-services available to clients at present which can be accessed via the Department website at www.agriculture.gov.ie. IMap/SPS provides access, from 2001 onwards, once the applications are fully processed, to the single payment scheme or area aid scheme information, including: summary...