Results 13,061-13,080 of 16,057 for speaker:Mary Coughlan

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (13 Dec 2005)

Mary Coughlan: Under EU regulations, extensification premium for 2004 may only be paid where the stocking density of a holding does not exceed 1.8 livestock units per hectare. The stocking density of the holding was determined by dividing the average number of bovine livestock units at five census dates, plus the total number of sheep livestock units, by the declared forage area. The person named declared a...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (13 Dec 2005)

Mary Coughlan: The person named did not submit an application under the herd number listed. However, an SPS application signed by the person named was received under herd No. Z225095X but no land was declared. The person named submitted an application under the private contract clause provision and the transfer of 12.08 entitlements to her was processed. Under EU legislation, an applicant, in order to draw...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (13 Dec 2005)

Mary Coughlan: The person named established 19.51 standard entitlements under the single payment scheme. A single payment scheme application was received from the person named on 16 of May 2005, declaring a total of 9.05 hectares of forage lands. Under EU legislation, an applicant, in order to draw down his or her full single payment, must declare an eligible hectare to accompany each entitlement. This...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (13 Dec 2005)

Mary Coughlan: The person named, having been notified that the circumstances outlined by him did not satisfy the criteria for force majeure-exceptional circumstances under Article 40 of Council Regulation (EC) No. 1782/2003 submitted an appeal to the single payment appeals committee. Following a full examination of the circumstances outlined in the appeal, the single payment appeals committee made a...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (13 Dec 2005)

Mary Coughlan: The person named submitted an application for an allocation of entitlements from the single payments scheme national reserve under category B. Category B caters for farmers who, between 1 January 2000 and 19 October 2003, made an investment in production capacity in a farming sector for which a direct payment under livestock premia and/or arable aid schemes would have been payable during the...

Written Answers — Food Safety Standards: Food Safety Standards (8 Dec 2005)

Mary Coughlan: Detailed EU legislation lays down the conditions that member states must apply to the production of and trade in products of animal origin, including meat and meat extracts, as well as to imports of these products from third countries. Under harmonised legislation a series of health and supervisory requirements are applied in the member states to ensure that animal products are produced to...

Written Answers — Genetically Modified Organisms: Genetically Modified Organisms (8 Dec 2005)

Mary Coughlan: The level of interest by Irish farmers in growing genetically modified crops would be determined by, among other factors, the range of GM crops available for sowing and their suitability for Irish conditions. Currently, the only genetically modified crops which are on the EU common catalogue of plant varieties and thereby authorised for cultivation on an EU-wide basis are a series of GM maize...

Written Answers — National Reserve Applications: National Reserve Applications (8 Dec 2005)

Mary Coughlan: The position is that, over the past year, meetings of the single payment advisory committee, comprising representatives of my Department, the farming organisations and Teagasc, were held on a number of occasions to discuss the rules governing the allocation of entitlements from the national reserve. At more recent meetings, the committee assessed progress on processing the national reserve...

Written Answers — Food Industry: Food Industry (8 Dec 2005)

Mary Coughlan: The Fourth Annual World Food Technology and Innovation Forum was held in Dublin by Access Events International in partnership with Enterprise Ireland on 9-10 November 2005. The event provided an excellent opportunity for food manufacturers to discuss the changing dynamics of the industry and to cover the themes of consumer trends and developments in new product development; approaches to...

Written Answers — Gardening Initiatives: Gardening Initiatives (8 Dec 2005)

Mary Coughlan: Public interest in all aspects of gardening is widening all the time and the annual value of the Irish amenity and gardening market is estimated to be worth as much as €450 million. Any initiatives to encourage greater gardening activity and increased consumption of fruit and vegetables are welcome, on the basis of their contribution to good physical and mental health as well as on the...

Written Answers — Sugar Beet Industry: Sugar Beet Industry (8 Dec 2005)

Mary Coughlan: The compensation package in question has a potential value for Ireland of over €300 million. I am satisfied that this represents the best possible deal that could have been for Irish stakeholders in the circumstances. The increased rate of compensation for beet growers of up to 64% of the price reduction, to be paid in the form of direct payments, is worth approximately €121 million to...

Written Answers — Live Exports: Live Exports (8 Dec 2005)

Mary Coughlan: I am always prepared to facilitate trade in live sheep, which is subject to EU rules governing intra-Community trade. Trade in sheep between member states of the European Union is subject to the provisions of Council Directive 91/68/EEC, as amended, as regards reinforced controls on the movement of sheep and goats. These controls as they currently stand provide, as a minimum requirement, that...

Written Answers — Beef Exports: Beef Exports (8 Dec 2005)

Mary Coughlan: Beef production is extremely valuable to the Irish economy with a €1.4 billion export value representing almost 25% of total Irish agri-food exports. Most of our beef exports to date this year have been to EU markets. EU consumption is predicted to again outstrip production in 2005 with a resulting import gap of an estimated 370,000 tonnes for the year. This will provide opportunities for...

Written Answers — Food Labelling: Food Labelling (8 Dec 2005)

Mary Coughlan: Consumers are entitled to and should be provided with full information on foodstuffs. In this context, my Department continues to give considerable attention to food labelling. Given the complexities involved, with account having to be taken of EU legislation and the Single Market, a food labelling group was established in 2002 to examine the matter in detail. Since then, my Department has...

Written Answers — Alternative Farm Enterprises: Alternative Farm Enterprises (8 Dec 2005)

Mary Coughlan: The Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources has overall responsibility for energy policy and is primarily responsible for the promotion and development of renewable energy, including biofuels. The development of the biofuels industry is a cross-sectoral issue impinging on several policy areas, for example, environmental and fiscal policy as well as energy policy, and...

Written Answers — Genetically Modified Organisms: Genetically Modified Organisms (8 Dec 2005)

Mary Coughlan: The legislation surrounding GM foods is a matter for the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children, Deputy Harney, while that of the deliberate release of genetically modified organisms into the environment comes within the remit of the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Deputy Roche. EU legislation on the cultivation of GM crops, which was adopted by the...

Written Answers — Veterinary Inspection Service: Veterinary Inspection Service (8 Dec 2005)

Mary Coughlan: I have outlined in detail to the House on a number of occasions the circumstances surrounding this unusual case. I wish to restate the key aspects. First, the actions by my Department at the time were designed to protect public health by ensuring that animals treated with a prohibited substance did not enter the food chain. Second, my Department obviously wanted to see the animals disposed of...

Written Answers — World Trade Negotiations: World Trade Negotiations (8 Dec 2005)

Mary Coughlan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 24, 26, 30, 37, 48, 59, 88, 90, 101, 181 and 182 together. The Government is committed to achieving a balanced outcome between the various elements of the WTO negotiations. In so far as agriculture is concerned, the outcome of the negotiations will determine the levels of protection and support which the EU may provide for the duration of the next agreement....

Written Answers — Dairy Industry: Dairy Industry (8 Dec 2005)

Mary Coughlan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 25 and 74 together. The Irish dairy industry continues to contribute very substantially to the national economy, with an output value of some €2.3 billion and exports of €1.86 billion last year. This year exports are again performing very well despite adjustments to market management supports brought about by the implementation of the Luxembourg Agreement...

Written Answers — Afforestation Programme: Afforestation Programme (8 Dec 2005)

Mary Coughlan: The forest service of my Department has issued approvals for some 40,000 hectares of new forestry over the last two years. The vast majority of these approvals have issued to farmers and, to date, many have chosen not to act upon them. At this point in time, therefore, I have no firm information on which to base a projection of planting levels for next year but it would be reasonable to...