Results 14,101-14,120 of 16,057 for speaker:Mary Coughlan
- Written Answers — Direct Payment Schemes: Direct Payment Schemes (14 Jun 2005)
Mary Coughlan: As the Deputy is aware, Ireland implemented the single payment scheme in January 2005. The special beef premium scheme and 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 special beef...
- Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (14 Jun 2005)
Mary Coughlan: The person concerned applied for grant aid from my Department under the dairy hygiene scheme in December 2004. However, as the installation of the equipment concerned had been completed in June 2003, the application was deemed ineligible for aid. As it is a strict condition of the scheme that grant aid will not be paid for works commenced before written approval has been conveyed to the...
- Written Answers — Forestry Sector: Forestry Sector (14 Jun 2005)
Mary Coughlan: I am in agreement with many of the proposals outlined in the strategy and welcome this valuable contribution to the forestry debate at this time. A planting level of 20,000 hectares per annum is one of the targets set out in the programme for Government 2002 and is also in the 1996 programme, Growing for the Future. I will review the current forestry strategy following the conclusion of the...
- Written Answers — Farm Retirement Scheme: Farm Retirement Scheme (14 Jun 2005)
Mary Coughlan: The person named entered the scheme of early retirement from farming on 27 October 1994 and his participation ceased on 26 October 2004 when he had completed the maximum period of ten years in the scheme. Therefore, no further payments are due to him.
- Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (14 Jun 2005)
Mary Coughlan: The records held by my Department indicate that the herd owner applied for area aid in 2000. There is no record of payment to him under the special beef premium scheme in 2000 or 2001. Ewe premium was paid to the herd owner in 2002. The herd owner concerned was issued with a provisional entitlement notice for the single payment taking account of the information set out above on 10 September...
- Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (14 Jun 2005)
Mary Coughlan: The person named applied for premium on 37 and 36 animals, respectively, under the 2002 and 2003 suckler cow premium schemes. He received payment in respect of 34 animals for both years, as this is the number of quota rights on record for him. However, it was found at an inspection on 8 August 2002 that five animals were non-compliant with CMMS identification and registration requirements. As...
- Written Answers — EU Audits: EU Audits (14 Jun 2005)
Mary Coughlan: I am not aware of an impending EU audit visit to County Galway. However, a European Commission audit of agri-environment measures took place in Galway and Dublin in May 2005. As is normal practice, my Department received advance notification from the Commission of its visit and of files its team wished to examine during their audit. My officials examined these files to ensure that the...
- Written Answers — Farm Retirement Scheme: Farm Retirement Scheme (14 Jun 2005)
Mary Coughlan: The application by the person named for the early retirement scheme was incomplete at the time of application and remains incomplete. Evidence that his farming transferee and the transferee's father were farming as separate enterprises with separate herd numbers and handling facilities was never furnished. This deficiency in the application was communicated to the application on several...
- Written Answers — Suckler Cow Quota: Suckler Cow Quota (14 Jun 2005)
Mary Coughlan: Following the mid-term review of Agenda 2000 all livestock premia and arable aid schemes, including the suckler cow premium scheme, were abolished with effect from 1 January 2005 and replaced by the single payment scheme. There is, therefore, no suckler cow quota national reserve in operation for 2005. Under EU regulations a single payment scheme national reserve was set up to provide for the...
- Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (14 Jun 2005)
Mary Coughlan: The person named submitted an application on 16 March 2005 for consideration of his circumstances under the second tranche of the force majeure-exceptional circumstances measure of the single payment scheme. Ill health was cited on the application form as giving rise to the circumstances outlined and the person named was requested to furnish medical evidence in support of this claim. However,...
- Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (14 Jun 2005)
Mary Coughlan: The person named applied for premium on 30 animals under the 2004 suckler cow premium scheme. Payment of her 60% advance instalment amounting to â¬4,034.70 issued on 11 November 2004. When processing for balancing payment it was found that the herdowner had sold ten animals inside the six months retention period and did not have suitable replacements as required under the terms and...
- Written Answers — Milk Quota: Milk Quota (14 Jun 2005)
Mary Coughlan: Milk quota regulations provide that where a producer delivers less than 70% of his or her quota in a quota year, the undelivered portion of the milk quota may be added to the national reserve. However, in view of the range of circumstances that can temporarily affect production, the addition of part of a producer's quota to the reserve is only actively considered by my Department if...
- Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (14 Jun 2005)
Mary Coughlan: The person named declared a forage area of 41.16 hectares on his 2004 area aid application form. His stocking density for 2004, based on this area and the number livestock units on his holding throughout the year as determined from his ewe premium application in the case of sheep and five census in the case of cattle, was 1.4431. Since this stocking density is not less than 1.4 LUs per...
- Written Answers — Direct Payment Schemes: Direct Payment Schemes (14 Jun 2005)
Mary Coughlan: There has been ongoing contact between my Department and the Commission on this issue. A detailed written submission has also been made to the Commission on the issue. A meeting between my officials and officials of the agriculture directorate general of the European Commission is scheduled to take place later this week. At that meeting my officials will present strong arguments to support...
- Written Answers — Direct Payment Schemes: Direct Payment Schemes (14 Jun 2005)
Mary Coughlan: As the Deputy is aware, Ireland implemented the single payment scheme in January 2005. The special beef premium scheme and 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 special beef...
- Written Answers — EU Directives: EU Directives (14 Jun 2005)
Mary Coughlan: The Deputy will be aware of the consultations in progress with the European Commission regarding the implementation in Ireland of the nitrates directive. He will also be aware of the substantial increases in grants under the farm waste management scheme introduced last year. By virtue of the Sustaining Progress agreement 2003, it was agreed that improvements would be made to the grants...
- Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (14 Jun 2005)
Mary Coughlan: In 2004 Ireland exceeded its national ceiling for special beef premium animals eligible for the first tranche of premium. This necessitated a cutback in the numbers of animals eligible for premium in herds with more than 25 eligible animals. The exact extent of the cutback necessary is not yet known but interim payments for special beef premium and extensification premium have been made. The...
- Written Answers — Organic Farming: Organic Farming (14 Jun 2005)
Mary Coughlan: In its report, which was completed in April 2002, the organic development committee concluded that a target of 3% of land area in organic farming by 2006 was achievable. Despite substantial funding from my Department and the efforts of the various stakeholders, however, the size of the organic sector remains more or less static. As a result, it now appears unlikely that the target can be...
- Written Answers — Organic Farming: Organic Farming (14 Jun 2005)
Mary Coughlan: I understand the national steering group for the organic sector has decided to recommend that the development of a single national organic label should not be proceeded with in the foreseeable future. I will consider this recommendation in the context of a report from the chairman of the steering group, which I expect to receive shortly.
- Written Answers — Organic Farming: Organic Farming (14 Jun 2005)
Mary Coughlan: In 2003 the value of the Irish organic food market as a whole was estimated at â¬38 million. This represents less than 1% of the total food market. Imported produce represents approximately 70% of all organic produce sold in Ireland, although this includes foods which are out of season in this country or could not be produced here. Full details giving a breakdown of the organic food market...