Results 12,801-12,820 of 18,593 for speaker:Michael Creed

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agrifood Sector (13 Jul 2016)

Michael Creed: I have been working very closely with the farming organisations and with all the relevant stakeholders in the agrifood sector in order to ensure that we deal effectively with the challenges facing the sector. The most immediate of these are, of course, the need to deal with the ongoing market difficulties that have affected the dairy and pigmeat markets in particular, and the new challenges...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: UK Referendum on EU Membership (13 Jul 2016)

Michael Creed: The decision of the UK to leave the EU is one that creates considerable challenges for the agrifood sector. The UK is by far our largest trading partner. Last year we exported almost €5.1 billion worth of agricultural products. This included more than €1.1 billion in beef products and almost €970 million in dairy products. Ireland is also the UK’s largest...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Farm Household Incomes (13 Jul 2016)

Michael Creed: The new Programme for Government commits to the introduction of a scheme for sheep farmers under the Rural Development Programme, with a budget of €25 million to be provided in Budget 2017. This will have a positive impact on all sheep farmers including those farming on the hills, where sheep farming is the most common farm enterprise. This commitment recognises the contribution the...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Climate Change Policy (13 Jul 2016)

Michael Creed: Coillte is the national state forestry company, which was established in 1989, pursuant to the Forestry Act 1988, at which time the bulk of the State’s forest properties were vested in the company. Coillte has developed significantly in the intervening period and currently owns and manages 7% of the country’s land, some 440,000 hectares, the bulk of which is under forest, and...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Welfare (13 Jul 2016)

Michael Creed: Neither I nor my officials have had meetings or contacts with counterparts from other European Union Member States in this matter. I understand that this trade has ceased and I am confident that the advice being offered by Bord na gCon to owners involved in the export of greyhounds to only export to destinations with high animal welfare standards is now being acceded to and the imposition...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Credit Availability (13 Jul 2016)

Michael Creed: I am fully aware of the pressures on farmers right now, and I have committed to working with all the stakeholders, both at national and EU level, to address these issues and ensure that we continue to have a sustainable and resilient sector. One of my priorities is to support the provision of lower-cost, more flexible finance. The EU Commission has announced some limited flexibility on...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Fishing Industry (13 Jul 2016)

Michael Creed: Immediately following the publication of claims of possible exploitation of undocumented migrant workers on Irish fishing trawlers in the Guardian newspaper, an interdepartmental task force was established by the Government to examine the specific issues identified in the newspaper report and to make recommendations on appropriate actions. Reflecting the complexities of the issues raised and...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Livestock Issues (13 Jul 2016)

Michael Creed: My Department oversees the implementation of Ireland’s National Residue Control Programme. This is an extensive surveillance programme aimed at detecting and preventing entry into the food chain for human consumption of food products containing banned substances, such as growth-promoting hormones and residues of authorised veterinary medicines, approved animal feed additives and...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Farm Household Incomes (13 Jul 2016)

Michael Creed: I have indicated on a number of occasions since the UK referendum that one of the areas in which issues are raised from an agriculture perspective is the effect on the EU budget. The UK decision to leave the EU will result in a loss of the UK contribution to the EU budget of between 5 and 10%. This could have implications for future spending decisions in what is already a very tight...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Fishing Industry (13 Jul 2016)

Michael Creed: Immediately following the publication of claims of possible exploitation of undocumented migrant workers on Irish fishing trawlers in The Guardian newspaper, an interdepartmental task force was established by the Government to examine the specific issues identified in the newspaper report and to make recommendations on appropriate actions. Reflecting the complexities of the issues raised and...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Beef Exports (13 Jul 2016)

Michael Creed: I was delighted to announce last week the decision of the US authorities to extend their approval for Irish beef to include manufacturing beef/beef intended for grinding (BIFG). This marks the culmination of over a year of intensive work between my Department and its US counterparts on a range of technical matters. The new US decision paves the way for industry to undertake the steps...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Live Exports (13 Jul 2016)

Michael Creed: On 13th June 2016 Ireland was added to the list of Countries approved to export live cattle to Turkey. The market was opened following a period of detailed engagement by DAFM with the Turkish authorities, which culminated in a visit to Ireland by a Turkish Veterinary team in May 2016. A Veterinary Certificate allowing live exports of cattle from Ireland to Turkey is now in place in relation...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Rural Development Programme Projects (13 Jul 2016)

Michael Creed: The new Programme for Government commits to the introduction of a scheme for sheep farmers under the Rural Development Programme with a budget of €25 million to be provided in Budget 2017. Any such scheme must comply with the Rural Development Regulation. The scheme proposed will be additional to existing supports available to sheep farmers under the BPS, GLAS, ANC and TAMS, will...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Welfare (13 Jul 2016)

Michael Creed: The Animal Health and Welfare Act 2013, which came into operation on 6 March 2014, is a legal instrument with wide application and potential use by a range of authorised officers in a wide variety of settings. Local authorities, An Garda Síochána and officials of my Department are empowered to take prosecutions under the Act. To date, over fifty prosecutions have been initiated...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Beef Exports (13 Jul 2016)

Michael Creed: There is a strong demand for beef globally and my role as Minister is to facilitate market access and to enable Irish exporters to take advantage of the opportunities that arise. In 2015 Ireland exported an estimated €2.2 billion, or approximately 500,000 tonnes of beef, to almost 80 countries around the globe. Food Wise 2025 acknowledged that there is a rising global population...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Aquaculture Development (13 Jul 2016)

Michael Creed: Our seafood industry has been on a sustained growth path in recent years, with sales growing to €890 million in 2015. Current FAO estimates are that growth in world consumption of fish will require an extra 40 million tonnes of seafood by 2030. Ireland can capture a significant share of this global seafood opportunity with the right strategy and supporting investment. Food Wise...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agri-Environment Options Scheme Applications (13 Jul 2016)

Michael Creed: The person named commenced their AEOS 1 contract on 1 September 2010 and was paid in full for the 2010 – 2014 Scheme years. Under the EU Regulations governing the Scheme and other area-based payment schemes, a comprehensive administrative check, including cross-checks with the Land Parcel Identification System, must be completed before any payment can issue. The application of the...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Basic Payment Scheme Applications (13 Jul 2016)

Michael Creed: The person named submitted a Private Contract Clause application to my Department seeking the transfer of land and entitlements by lease as transferee. The 2015 Basic Payment Scheme application was submitted under the herd number shown prior to the herd number being changed into the name of the person named. For this reason my Department has been unable to fully process this application to...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Basic Payment Scheme Applications (13 Jul 2016)

Michael Creed: The person named is an applicant under the ‘Scottish Derogation’ measure of the 2015 Basic Payment Scheme. Under EU Regulations governing the Basic Payment Scheme, processing of applications involves administrative and on-farm checks and verification of land details submitted. The person named had submitted a late Single Payment Scheme application in 2013 which deemed him...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Single Payment Scheme Applications (13 Jul 2016)

Michael Creed: The person named submitted a 2015 Basic Payment Scheme application on 1 May 2015. EU Regulations governing the administration of these schemes require that full and comprehensive administrative checks, including in some cases on-farm inspections, be completed before any payments issue. The application of the person named was selected for a Ground Eligibility inspection. The inspection...