Results 13,341-13,360 of 18,593 for speaker:Michael Creed

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Basic Payment Scheme Applications (8 Jun 2016)

Michael Creed: My Department introduced the online application facility under the Single Payment Scheme in 2007. All farmers have the option of lodging their applications online themselves or through an authorised agent. Online application involves a range of advantages for farmers, which help to ensure the continued efficient and effective delivery of these vital payments. Additional advantages for...

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

Michael Creed: The application by the person named under the Afforestation Scheme was refused on 21 December 2015 on the grounds that the land is not suitable for planting and is, therefore, outside the scope of Scheme. An appeal on this decision was received on 5 May 2016 and has been sent to a Forestry Inspector for review. A decision on the appeal will be issued by the Forestry Appeals Committee to the...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Fishery Harbour Centres (8 Jun 2016)

Michael Creed: Greencastle Harbour is owned by Donegal County Council and responsibility for its development, repair and maintenance rests with that Local Authority in the first instance and its parent Department, the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government. My Department, however, provides funding for the development and repair of Local Authority-owned piers, harbours and slipways under the...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Basic Payment Scheme Administration (8 Jun 2016)

Michael Creed: My Department seeks to ensure full access to documents such as the Basic Payment Scheme Terms and Conditions, both in order to ensure no applicant is impeded in accessing a scheme and to meet its commitments under legislation such as the Disability Act, 2005.   I can confirm that in 2012 my Department did, in response to a specific request, provide an oral version of the 2012 Single...

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

Michael Creed: Approvals have commenced for applications received in Tranche 1 under the Young Farmers Capital Investment Scheme of TAMS II and approvals are being issued on an ongoing basis.

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: UK Referendum on EU Membership (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 agri-food sector. The UK is by far our largest single trading partner, with CSO figures indicating that exports of agricultural products in 2015 were worth €5.1 billion and imports worth €3.8 billion. Recent reports by...

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

Michael Creed: I propose to take Questions Nos. 569 and 579 together. My colleague, the Minister for Health, has overall responsibility for general food labelling legislation and new EU food information regulations which were adopted by the Council of Health Ministers in December 2011. However, my Department plays a vital role in the enforcement and oversight of this legislation under service contract to...

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

Michael Creed: The latest data from the CSO’s Quarterly National Household Survey (Q1 2016) show that 53,000 people are employed in the Food and Beverage processing sector. The QNHS shows that employment in the agri-food sector overall, and in its component parts, stood at 165,700. Based on this data, the sector represents circa 8.4% of national employment. The CSO figures are based on sample...

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

Michael Creed: The food industry is very important to the Irish economy. Last year alone, the value of Irish food and drink exports reached €10.8 billion. I am cognisant therefore of the need to continue to support the development of the industry, based on an international reputation for producing high-quality food to excellent safety standards. Food Wise 2025 provides the framework for the...

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

Michael Creed: Issues related to animal health continue to be a priority both for my Department and for the European Union. In this context, it is worthwhile to note that a major revamp of the European Union Animal Health Law (AHL) was agreed by the Council and the European Parliament earlier this year. The new AHL provides for the adoption of a single and simplified regulatory framework for animal health...

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

Michael Creed: The seafood sector provides employment for approximately 11,000 people in peripheral coastal communities. Following its adoption in December, Ireland’s new €240 million European Maritime and Fisheries Fund Operational Programme was launched in January 2016. This new Programme will be the principal source of public investment in our seafood sector up to at least 2020. ...

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

Michael Creed: I propose to take Questions Nos. 574, 575 and 578 together. Food Wise 2025, the new ten-year strategy for the agri-food sector as published in July of 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...

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

Michael Creed: Food Wise 2025, the new ten-year strategy for the agri-food sector as published in July of 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 over 400 specific recommendations, spread across the cross-cutting themes of sustainability, innovation, human capital, market...

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

Michael Creed: Ireland’s reputation as one of the leading racing and breeding nations in the world has been hard-won and during the economic downturn of recent years, the bloodstock industry has shown its resilience and capacity to come through challenging times and, with continued investment, I am confident will flourish in the long-term. Horse Racing Ireland (HRI) is the statutory body...

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

Michael Creed: The artisan and speciality food sector in Ireland was valued at c €632 million in 2014 including €462 million in this jurisdiction, with over 350 producers employing more than 3,000 people. Evidence suggests that the sector can have a significant impact on local economies as businesses are typically owner managed and may be closely linked to local farms. The FoodWise 2025...

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

Michael Creed: The need to protect the viability of the family farm is an imperative that informs all discussions with my counterparts at European level, and I am fully satisfied that farm families in Ireland will continue to benefit in a fair and equitable manner from the ongoing reform of the Common Agricultural Policy. These twin imperatives informed Ireland’s approach to the negotiations in 2012...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Basic Payment Scheme Applications (8 Jun 2016)

Michael Creed: An application under the 2013 Single Farm Payment Scheme was received from the person named on 13 May 2013. During processing of this application dual claim errors arose involving 3 of the parcels declared, which are the subject of legal proceedings. An official from my Department will be in direct contact with the person named to clarify the current position. The processing of the 2015...

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

Michael Creed: My Department has provided funding to organisations involved in animal welfare since 1995 in order to enable these organisations provide a valuable service in the area of animal welfare. Applications for funding from animal welfare organisations are assessed by my Department and awards made on the basis of certain criteria, including the level and type of assistance provided by the...

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

Michael Creed: Written Reps Received January 201571 February 2015 82 March 2015110 April 201577 May 201586 June 201558 July 201581 August 201550 September 201583 October 201571 November 2015118 December 201587 January 201657 February 201675 March 201698 April 201661 Total1265. Of the above total, there are currently 92 representations outstanding. In response to the significant increase in queries received...

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

Michael Creed: The applicant in question has applied under the Animal Welfare, Safety and Nutrient Storage Scheme of TAMS II. The application has passed the administrative checks and has been ranked and selected. Subject to final checks on the technical aspects of the application approval should be issuing in a matter of days.