Results 13,981-14,000 of 16,057 for speaker:Mary Coughlan

Written Answers — Direct Payment Schemes: Direct Payment Schemes (29 Jun 2005)

Mary Coughlan: It is not envisaged that, in the short term, there will be any significant change in the number of personnel employed at inspector level in DLOs as the change will demand the introduction of a new inspection system, with more integrated inspections. The regulations require that 5% of all applicants must to be inspected in respect of the eligibility of the land declaration under the single...

Written Answers — Tuberculosis Incidence: Tuberculosis Incidence (29 Jun 2005)

Mary Coughlan: The attached table sets out the number of herds under restriction on a county by county basis for bovine tuberculosis and bovine brucellosis for the period requested. The figures show a considerable improvement in the national situation for both of these diseases since the beginning of 2000. The substantial improvement in the disease situation is due to a number of factors, including improved...

Written Answers — Direct Payment Schemes: Direct Payment Schemes (29 Jun 2005)

Mary Coughlan: The person named submitted an application for consideration of his circumstances under the second tranche of the force majeure-exceptional circumstances measure of the single payment scheme. Ill health of his son was cited on the application form as giving rise to the circumstances outlined. However, additional medical evidence was requested in support of the application. This was received on...

Written Answers — EU Regulations: EU Regulations (29 Jun 2005)

Mary Coughlan: The parliamentary question refers to the decision of the High Court on 6 March 2002 and the Supreme Court decision of 16 July 2003, and while the name of the case was not included in the parliamentary question it would appear that the question refers to the decision in Vincent Browne v. the Attorney General. The Supreme Court in this case decided that an EU regulation can only be transposed...

Written Answers — Animal Welfare: Animal Welfare (29 Jun 2005)

Mary Coughlan: I have not received a copy of the video in question, which my Department requested from the journalist concerned on 17 June. As soon as it has been furnished, it will be viewed and immediate consideration will be given to what action if any might be taken in relation to its content. As I explained in my reply to Question No. 162 on 23 June, this event occurred during July 2002, almost three...

Written Answers — Direct Payment Schemes: Direct Payment Schemes (29 Jun 2005)

Mary Coughlan: Work is ongoing on the processing of applications lodged under the 2004 special beef premium scheme, with a view to establishing definitively the extent of the quota overshoot at an early date. This involves computer processing and, where errors or inconsistencies are highlighted in such validation, those cases require individual attention. Given the volumes of applications involved, it will,...

Written Answers — Direct Payment Schemes: Direct Payment Schemes (29 Jun 2005)

Mary Coughlan: The herd owner applied for four animals under the special beef premium scheme on 4 November 2004. On 8 December 2004, he received a letter with his cards, informing him that there was no record of these animals on the CMMS database. On 15 April 2005 a letter issued to the herd owner stating that the animals in question were being rejected because they were not updated to the CMMS database at...

Written Answers — Sugar Beet Industry: Sugar Beet Industry (29 Jun 2005)

Mary Coughlan: Arrangements for the transport of sugar beet to the Mallow factory is a commercial matter for Irish Sugar Limited. I remain confident that the company will be able to work out satisfactory transport arrangements to cope with the one-factory situation in Mallow.

Written Answers — Direct Payment Schemes: Direct Payment Schemes (29 Jun 2005)

Mary Coughlan: In excess of 17,300 applications have been received under the national reserve at my Department's office in Castlebar. A breakdown of these applications under each category is shown in the attached table. I should point out that since some farmers applied under more than one category some 23,000 files have to be examined. All applications are being processed at present with a view to...

Written Answers — Farm Safety: Farm Safety (29 Jun 2005)

Mary Coughlan: Farm safety awareness campaigns are not funded by my Department. Funding for the Health and Safety Authority, HSA — the State agency with responsibility for the administration and enforcement of health and safety at work — is from the Department of Enterprise Trade and Employment, the parent Department of that authority. My Department is a member of the farm safety partnership committee...

Written Answers — Afforestation Programme: Afforestation Programme (28 Jun 2005)

Mary Coughlan: It is my understanding that section 40 of the Wildlife Act 1976, as amended, does not cover the clear-felling of trees. All clear-felling of afforested areas, whether undertaken by private individuals, local authorities or by Coillte Teoranta, are subject to the licensing conditions as laid down under the Forestry Act 1946. Licences are issued following consultation with the various...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (28 Jun 2005)

Mary Coughlan: The person named applied for consideration in respect of both the new entrant and inheritance measures of the single payment scheme. Following processing of his application, I am pleased to advise that the person named has been notified that the new entrant measure is more financially beneficial to him than the inheritance measure. Therefore the year 2000 will be excluded from his single...

Written Answers — EU Directives: EU Directives (28 Jun 2005)

Mary Coughlan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 535 and 547 together. The directive referred to by the Deputy, directive 2004/28, entered into force with its publication on 30 April 2004. Member states are obliged to transpose this directive into national law by 30 October 2005. My Department is drafting legislation to transpose this directive and it is my intention to meet the 30 October deadline for the...

Written Answers — Cattle Identification Scheme: Cattle Identification Scheme (28 Jun 2005)

Mary Coughlan: The position in this case is that the cow declared as the dam of this animal did not have a calf registered to it in the preceding two years. As part of the cross-checking processes for the registration of calf births, where there is an unusual calving interval it is normal practice for the Department to ask the keeper to double check whether the tag number of the dam declared is correct....

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (28 Jun 2005)

Mary Coughlan: The person named applied for consideration of force majeure-exceptional circumstances on 8 February 2005. Having fully examined the circumstances outlined by the person named, my Department was satisfied that force majeure circumstances should apply in this case. Following a careful consideration of both reference periods 1997 to 1999 and 2000 to 2002 it was apparent that the most beneficial...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (28 Jun 2005)

Mary Coughlan: My Department has not engaged the services of models for use in departmental promotional activities. As far as the State agencies which come under the aegis of my Department are concerned, any such arrangements are day to day operational matters which are the responsibility of the agencies concerned.

Written Answers — Farm Waste Management: Farm Waste Management (28 Jun 2005)

Mary Coughlan: The disposal of waste materials generally is covered by the Litter Pollution Act 1997, which applies to all farmers and is a matter for the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government. With regard to the disposal of farm plastics, farmers must also comply with their local authority waste management plan. The Waste Management (Farm Plastics) Regulations 1997 relate specifically...

Written Answers — EU Funding: EU Funding (28 Jun 2005)

Mary Coughlan: I can confirm that the European Commission has approved €1.2 million in funding for a promotion programme aimed at increasing consumption of fruit and vegetables in up to 150 Irish primary schools over the next three years. The programme based on a concept known as Food Dude and was prepared by An Bord Bia and recommended by my Department is being implemented under Council Regulation...

Written Answers — Departmental Offices: Departmental Offices (28 Jun 2005)

Mary Coughlan: My Department has no plans to centralise the offices of Tuam and Loughrea into Dock Road, Galway city. However the deployment and location of staff resources is kept under constant review by my Department with the aim of maximising efficiency in the use of all resources.

Written Answers — Land Bill 2004: Land Bill 2004 (28 Jun 2005)

Mary Coughlan: The Land Bill 2004 which has passed all Stages in Seanad Éireann and is at present on Second Stage (adjourned) in Dáil Éireann, makes provision in section 2 for the writing off of all annuities, including arrears, where the annuity payable is not more than €200 per annum. As the person named has annuity payments of less than this figure his annuity and arrears will be discharged if...