Results 14,061-14,080 of 16,057 for speaker:Mary Coughlan

Written Answers — Milk Prices: Milk Prices (21 Jun 2005)

Mary Coughlan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 444 and 452 together. The price of milk paid to dairy farmers is a commercial matter between milk producers and milk purchasers and I have no direct role in this area. Milk prices are influenced by a number of factors, both internal and external. These include the structure of our domestic dairy operations, the prices paid in international markets for dairy...

Written Answers — Direct Payment Schemes: Direct Payment Schemes (21 Jun 2005)

Mary Coughlan: As the Deputy is aware, Ireland implemented the single payment scheme in January 2005. The special beef premium scheme, along with the slaughter premium scheme, were the only schemes where the deadline for receipt of applications was 31 December 2004. This meant that as many farmers as possible submitted their applications in late December 2004 in order that they could benefit from the...

Written Answers — Milk Quota: Milk Quota (21 Jun 2005)

Mary Coughlan: The person concerned applied to my Department to renew a lease of land and milk quota with his existing lessee. Outstanding issues have now been resolved and confirmation of the lease renewal will issue shortly.

Written Answers — Animal Transport: Animal Transport (21 Jun 2005)

Mary Coughlan: My Department is still considering the detailed arrangements and requirements for application of the new EU regulations for the transport of animals. To date, a series of meetings have taken place with the representative organisations for farmers, livestock marts and exporters of live animals to inform them of the principal changes arising from the new legislation. This process of information...

Written Answers — Direct Payment Schemes: Direct Payment Schemes (21 Jun 2005)

Mary Coughlan: As the Deputy is aware, there has been ongoing contact between my Department and the Commission on the overshoot of the special beef premium national quota. A detailed written submission has also been made to the Commission on the issue. A meeting between my officials and officials of DG Agri of the European Commission took place last week. At that meeting my officials presented very strong...

Written Answers — Disadvantaged Areas Scheme: Disadvantaged Areas Scheme (21 Jun 2005)

Mary Coughlan: The Council of Agriculture Ministers agreed, at its meeting in Luxembourg on 20 June 2005, a new framework for rural development for the period 2007-13. The agreement provides for the maintenance of the existing arrangements for the less favoured areas until 2010. In the meantime, the Commission will present a report and proposals to the Council concerning the future payment system and...

Written Answers — Farm Retirement Scheme: Farm Retirement Scheme (21 Jun 2005)

Mary Coughlan: My Department has been aware, from an early stage in the negotiations leading to the introduction of the single payment scheme, of the possible implications for retired farmers who had leased their holdings. In so far as it has proved possible in the context of the EU regulations governing the single payment scheme, and following lengthy discussions with the European Commission, provision has...

Written Answers — Dairy Industry: Dairy Industry (21 Jun 2005)

Mary Coughlan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 451 and 456 together. The EU preliminary draft budget for 2006 in respect of milk and milk products is currently under negotiation and I have signalled my disquiet on the level of funding proposed for the sector. I am anxious the dairy sector is provided with sufficient resources to ensure adequate support in meeting both internal and external market...

Written Answers — Dairy Industry: Dairy Industry (21 Jun 2005)

Mary Coughlan: Agreement was reached in August 2004 on a framework which sets out the overall outline and structure of the next World Trade Organisation agreement. The detailed implementation of the framework agreement is the subject of on-going negotiation at technical and political level with the aim of concluding an agreement at the WTO ministerial conference in December 2005. I am satisfied that the...

Written Answers — Livestock Industry: Livestock Industry (21 Jun 2005)

Mary Coughlan: Commission Regulation 1215/2003 sets down the EU requirements with regard to mechanical classification. In addition, national legislation was adopted in Ireland in 2004 which further details the requirements for its operation, including the type and level of penalty for any infringements. In Ireland, two levels of inspection concerning the operation of the mechanical classification system are...

Written Answers — Livestock Industry: Livestock Industry (21 Jun 2005)

Mary Coughlan: Automated beef carcass classification machines were approved for use in Ireland on the basis of a certification test conducted in 2003 in accordance with the provisions of EU Regulation 1215/2003 that set out the technical standards required of the machines. Prior to its official use in any member state, a classification machine, which effectively carries out various measurements of the...

Written Answers — Departmental Funding: Departmental Funding (16 Jun 2005)

Mary Coughlan: The following is the information requested. Financial Year Estimates Provision Savings â'¬m. â'¬m. 1997 973 4.7 1998 967 5.6 1999 1,032.3 26.8 2000 1,145.9 95.9 2001 1,512.5 83.3 2002 1,348.7 0.5 2003 1,245.7 19.6 2004 1,405.2 146.2 A detailed breakdown of the savings under each Vote subhead together with an explanation of any...

Written Answers — Farm Retirement Scheme: Farm Retirement Scheme (16 Jun 2005)

Mary Coughlan: The Joint Committee on Agriculture and Food has produced a report on a broad range of issues relating to the early retirement scheme, not all of which are within my remit. I expect to be in a position shortly to respond to the report. In responding, it will be necessary to take account of the EU regulations governing the early retirement scheme. I intend to have regard also to an expenditure...

Written Answers — Farm Retirement Scheme: Farm Retirement Scheme (16 Jun 2005)

Mary Coughlan: The Joint Committee on Agriculture and Food produced a report on a broad range of issues relating to the early retirement scheme, not all of which are within my remit. I expect to be in a position shortly to respond to the report. In responding, it will be necessary to take account of the EU regulations governing the early retirement scheme and I intend to have regard also to an expenditure...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (16 Jun 2005)

Mary Coughlan: The person named submitted an application for an allocation of entitlements from the single payment scheme national reserve under categories A and B. Category A caters for farmers who inherited, leased or otherwise received free of charge or for a nominal consideration, from a farmer who retired or died, as the case may be, before the closing date for receipt of single payment scheme...

Written Answers — Appointments to State Boards: Appointments to State Boards (15 Jun 2005)

Mary Coughlan: I am satisfied that no current member of any State board under the auspices of my Department is disqualified from holding a directorship of a private company.

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (15 Jun 2005)

Mary Coughlan: The person who incurred the overpayment, which happened because his early retirement pension was not reduced to take account of his national retirement pension, is deceased and the debt has fallen on his estate. The early retirement scheme is co-funded by the European Union and, as an accredited paying agency, my Department is obliged to recover such overpayments. However, the Department will...

Written Answers — Milk Quota: Milk Quota (15 Jun 2005)

Mary Coughlan: The persons concerned are not partners in a new entrant parent milk production partnership and in previous years quota has been allocated to the father — the quota holder — on the normal basis. No application has yet been made by the son to this year's restructuring scheme in the new entrant farming in partnership priority category. If such an application were made and the son satisfies...

Written Answers — Milk Quota: Milk Quota (15 Jun 2005)

Mary Coughlan: Each year I set down criteria for the allocation of flexi milk by milk purchasers to their suppliers. The person in question applied for additional quota from the national reserve on the grounds of animal disease in the 2004-05 quota year. The milk quota appeals tribunal examined his application in December 2004 but did not recommend an allocation on that occasion. The applicant appealed the...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (15 Jun 2005)

Mary Coughlan: An application for consideration under the force majeure exceptional circumstances measure of the single payment regulations was submitted by the person named on 29 October 2004. Following consideration by my Department and the independent single payment appeals committee of the circumstances outlined, including additional information submitted, the Department is satisfied that force majeure...