Results 13,281-13,300 of 18,593 for speaker:Michael Creed

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Mortgage Book Sales (8 Jun 2016)

Michael Creed: I thank Deputy Kenny for his good wishes and look forward to working with him during my time as Minister. As I said in my response, I have arranged a meeting on 29 June with the new CEO of the bank in question, Mr. Mallon. I will raise all of the issues that affect farmers, including credit and the sale of loans. It is not a question of the bank selling land; rather, it is selling...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Agriculture Industry (8 Jun 2016)

Michael Creed: Since my appointment I have been actively engaged in meeting all stakeholders in agriculture, primarily those inside the farm gate. I have met with the Irish Farmers' Association, IFA, the Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers' Association, ICMSA, and the Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers' Association, ICSA, and I propose to meet soon with the Irish Natura and Hill Farmers' Association, INHFA. I am...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Mortgage Book Sales (8 Jun 2016)

Michael Creed: Primary responsibility for banking policy lies with the Department of Finance. Officials from that Department have been in contact with the bank in question with regard to the details of the loan sale. The Minister for Finance has stated that the sale of a loan from one entity to another does not change the terms of the contract or the borrower's rights and obligations under the original...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Agriculture Industry (8 Jun 2016)

Michael Creed: I thank Deputy McConalogue for his kind remarks. I look forward to working with him and his colleagues during my tenure as Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine. The Deputy referred to the recent Teagasc farm survey, which is a useful barometer but is somewhat behind the curve in so far as it deals with farm incomes for 2015. We are all aware that incomes in 2016 will be...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Agriculture Industry (8 Jun 2016)

Michael Creed: As a small open economy which exports the vast bulk of its main agricultural commodities, Ireland will always feel the effects of volatility on world markets. However, there are some measures in place to help Irish farmers through these periods. Indeed, one of my highest priorities under the programme for Government is to develop an effective response to price volatility, including through...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Greyhound Industry (8 Jun 2016)

Michael Creed: All exporters of dogs are required to provide the following animal health and welfare certification in relation to (i) compliance with identification requirements (ii) fitness for the intended journey (iii) health status (iv) rabies vaccination requirements. Once these animal certification requirements are met, dogs, including greyhounds, may be exported internationally. Exporters are also...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (8 Jun 2016)

Michael Creed: The short answer to this question is no. There is no intention on the part of the negotiators in the European Commission to in any way endanger or undermine the comprehensive food safety and public health standards that are implemented in the EU in the context of negotiating the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership. A number of key issues in this regard arise in relation to food...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Food Wise 2025 Strategy (8 Jun 2016)

Michael Creed: International obligations on carbon emissions clearly recognise the fundamental priority of safeguarding food production. The Paris Agreement, which seeks to limit global temperature increases to less than 2 degrees Celsius, and to pursue 1.5 degrees, addresses this specific point in Article 2 of that Agreement. There is a clear link with what was agreed in Paris and the UN Sustainable...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Food Wise 2025 Strategy (8 Jun 2016)

Michael Creed: Food Wise 2025 is an enabling strategy for the sustainable growth of the agrifood sector over the next decade. Food Wise includes more than 400 specific recommendations, spread across the cross-cutting themes of sustainability, innovation, human capital, market development and competitiveness; as well as specific sectoral recommendations. Food security is defined by the UN Food and...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Trade Agreements (8 Jun 2016)

Michael Creed: The prospect of a UK vote to leave the EU presents potentially very significant challenges from a trade perspective, and that is especially true for the Irish agrifood sector. I mentioned earlier that the UK is by far our largest trading partner, with CSO figures indicating that exports of agricultural products in 2015 were worth €5.1 billion and imports €3.8 billion. ESRI and...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Legislative Measures (8 Jun 2016)

Michael Creed: Lawful hunting of an animal is permitted under the Animal Health and Welfare Act 2013. However, the Act prohibits the hunting of animals which have been released in an injured, mutilated or exhausted condition. In addition, Section 25 of the Act provides for the establishment of codes of practice and for the adoption of codes published by other persons for the purposes of providing practical...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (8 Jun 2016)

Michael Creed: There is no intention on the part of the negotiators in the European Commission to abandon the precautionary principle or in any way endanger or undermine the comprehensive food safety and public health standards that are implemented in the EU in the context of negotiating the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership. A number of key issues in this regard arise in relation to food...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Milk Quota (8 Jun 2016)

Michael Creed: I am fully aware of the pressures on dairy farmers right now and I am committed to working with all players in the sector to address these issues and ensure that we have a sustainable dairy sector going forward. With respect to superlevy repayments, the rules governing the EU milk quota regime, including the super levy system for production above quota, were set at EU level. It is not...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Ministerial Meetings (8 Jun 2016)

Michael Creed: I met with the Chief Executive Officer of Coillte, Mr. Fergal Leamy, on 24 May 2016. At this meeting he provided me with an overview of the company. Coillte Teoranta was established as a private commercial company under the Forestry Act, 1988 and , while day-to-day operational matters are the responsibility of the company, the meeting was an opportunity for the CEO to brief me about its...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Rural Development Programme Funding (8 Jun 2016)

Michael Creed: The total expenditure on agri-environment schemes under the Rural Development Programme (RDP) in 2015 was €131.73 million. This includes the Rural Environmental Protection Scheme (REPS4), the Agri-Environment Options Scheme (AEOS1, AEOS2 and AEOS3), Organic Farming Scheme (OFS) and the Green Low Carbon Agri-Environment Scheme (GLAS). The corresponding figure for spending on...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Appointments to State Boards (8 Jun 2016)

Michael Creed: Coillte Teoranta was established as a private company under the Forestry Act, 1988 and day-to-day operational matters, such as the recruitment of staff, are the responsibility of the company. The recruitment process, including engagement of a recruitment agency, preparation of the job specification and the ultimate selection of the successful candidate for the position, was accordingly a...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Food Wise 2025 Strategy (8 Jun 2016)

Michael Creed: Food Wise 2025, the new ten year strategy for the agrifood sector published in July last year identifies the opportunities and challenges facing the sector and provides an enabling strategy that will allow the sector to grow and prosper. Food Wise includes more than 400 specific recommendations, spread across the cross-cutting themes of sustainability, innovation, human capital, market...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Fishing Industry (8 Jun 2016)

Michael Creed: I have not yet had the opportunity to see the film referred to by the Deputy and therefore cannot comment one way or another on its conclusions. My understanding is that this is a documentary about the use of different natural resources, including fish stocks, in three different Atlantic Communities in Ireland, Norway and Canada. With regard to fish stocks and their use as a natural...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Beef Genomics Scheme (8 Jun 2016)

Michael Creed: Firstly it is important to say that I am satisfied with the Beef Data and Genomics Programme (BDGP) participation rates. The BDGP was launched on 5 May 2015 and forms a part of Ireland’s Rural Development Programme that runs from 2014 to 2020. The programme has funding of €300 million euro over its lifespan and builds on previous investment in suckler farming through schemes...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Trade Agreements (8 Jun 2016)

Michael Creed: My Department engages in ongoing consultation with all stakeholders and in a range of formats on issues facing the agrifood sector. This applies also to the development and representation of Ireland’s negotiating position in relation to free trade agreements between the EU and other trading blocs, including the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership and the Comprehensive...