Results 14,281-14,300 of 16,057 for speaker:Mary Coughlan

Disability Bill 2004: Report Stage (Resumed). (25 May 2005)

Mary Coughlan: The amendment proposes to provide examples of personal social services for the purposes of Part 2 of the Bill. I understand from the Department of Health and Children that some personal social services, such as residential care, are covered in existing health legislation. Any further expansion of the scope of such provisions by defining "personal social services" would be more appropriately...

Disability Bill 2004: Report Stage (Resumed). (25 May 2005)

Mary Coughlan: We are in the same Government.

Disability Bill 2004: Report Stage (Resumed). (25 May 2005)

Mary Coughlan: I am unaccustomed to retorting to a Second Stage speech on Report Stage. I do not know how Deputy McGrath got away with that. The sectoral plans were a matter of discussion. A number of strategic Departments will be involved in sectoral plans. The Department of Education and Science will have a separate one. It would be ludicrous if my Department had a sectoral plan. It would not be...

Grant Payments. (25 May 2005)

Mary Coughlan: Farmers receiving direct aid are required under the single payment scheme to respect the various statutory management requirements set down in EU legislation on the environment, food safety, animal health and welfare, and plant health, and to maintain the farm in good agricultural and environmental condition. Member states are obliged to ensure that there is no significant reduction in the...

Grant Payments. (25 May 2005)

Mary Coughlan: Under cross-compliance the rate of inspections is 1% but overall the inspection rate on animal identification and registration is 5%. We are trying to reduce the number of on-farm inspections to ensure there is only one farm visit and reduce the many difficulties that have arisen. With my officials I have had talks with the farming organisations for a considerable period on cross-compliance....

Grant Payments. (25 May 2005)

Mary Coughlan: ——given the headlines people speak about in regard to dreaded inspections and so on. The bottom line is that the farming fraternity has been accustomed to inspections all its life and the majority of farmers have no problem with inspections. That will continue to be the case because they are working under the good farming practice which is almost equivalent to the new requirements. The...

Grocery Industry. (25 May 2005)

Mary Coughlan: The Deputy will be aware that the consumer strategy group in its report, Make Consumers Count, which was published last week, has recommended that the groceries order be revoked in its entirety. Arguments for and against retaining the order are dealt with in detail in the report. The Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment has announced a public consultation process and interested...

Grocery Industry. (25 May 2005)

Mary Coughlan: I am glad to see the spirit on the other side of the House. The Department of Agriculture and Food is acutely aware of the issues surrounding the groceries order and, as I am sure the Deputy knows, many of the complaints of those involved in agriculture relate to products outside the ambit of the groceries order, fresh meat, fruit and vegetables in particular. Those involved in horticulture...

Grocery Industry. (25 May 2005)

Mary Coughlan: In the main those associated with my Department are vehemently opposed to the removal of the groceries order. The farming organisations have not come to a particular decision on the issue and I will be interested to hear their opinions in due course in consultation with the Minister. The Deputy is right in saying that much food goes to the processing industry and many of our food companies...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (24 May 2005)

Mary Coughlan: The person named submitted an application for consideration in respect of the inheritance measure of the single payment scheme as a result of his parents' deaths and his subsequent inheritances. Following examination and processing of both applications, I am pleased to advise that his applications have been successful and all single payment entitlements established by his parents will be...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (24 May 2005)

Mary Coughlan: In excess of 17,200 applications have been received under the national reserve in my Departments' Castlebar office. It should be noted that the number of actual files which have to be examined is in excess of 22,500 due to the fact that many farmers applied under more than one of the four categories in the reserve. The rules governing the single payment scheme stipulate that an applicant who...

Written Answers — EU Directives: EU Directives (24 May 2005)

Mary Coughlan: The implementation of the nitrates directive is a matter in the first instance for the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government. The nitrates action programme may have implications for the intensive farming sector, particularly in terms of the utilisation of the manure produced by intensive pig and poultry units. Accordingly I have asked my officials to examine various...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (24 May 2005)

Mary Coughlan: The person named, having been notified that the circumstances outlined by him did not satisfy the criteria for force majeure-exceptional circumstances under Article 40 of Council Regulation (EC) No. 1782/2003, submitted an appeal to the independent single payment appeals committee. Following a full examination of the circumstances outlined in the appeal, the independent single payment appeals...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (24 May 2005)

Mary Coughlan: There were 156 applications received by my Department this year under the 2000-2006 NDP scheme of investment aid for the development of the commercial horticulture sector. The application for grant aid in this case is being finalised alongside all the other applications, the outcome of which will be conveyed to him very shortly.

Written Answers — Afforestation Programme: Afforestation Programme (24 May 2005)

Mary Coughlan: The issues raised by the Deputy relate to the forestry elements contained in the draft rural development regulation 2007-2013, first published by the European Commission in July 2004 and which is the subject of ongoing negotiations in the Council of Ministers. From the outset, the Irish position on the draft regulation in general, including the specific aspects related to forestry, has been...

Written Answers — Accident Statistics: Accident Statistics (24 May 2005)

Mary Coughlan: Statistics supplied by the Health and Safety Authority, HSA, indicate that the numbers of persons killed and seriously injured by bulls since 2003 were as follows: Killed Seriously Injured 2003 1 Nil 2004 3 Nil 2005 (to date) 1 Nil Extensive advice in the handling of bulls and livestock is made available to farmers by the HSA and Teagasc in their publications and on their...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (24 May 2005)

Mary Coughlan: My Department is processing the application of the above-named person. If it is established that the finished works meet all the requirements of the relevant Department's specifications and that all other conditions of the scheme have been met, the application will then be progressed for payment. An officer from my Department's local agricultural, environment and structures office will be in...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (24 May 2005)

Mary Coughlan: The person named, having been notified that the circumstances outlined by him did not satisfy the criteria for force majeure-exceptional circumstances under Article 40 of Council Regulation (EC) No. 1782/2003, submitted an appeal to the independent single payment appeals committee. Following a full examination of the circumstances outlined in the appeal, the committee made a recommendation...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (24 May 2005)

Mary Coughlan: The person named, having been notified that the circumstances outlined by him did not satisfy the criteria for force majeure-exceptional circumstances under Article 40 of Council Regulation (EC) No. 1782/2003, submitted an appeal to the independent single payment appeals committee. Following a full examination of the circumstances outlined in the appeal, the committee made a recommendation...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (24 May 2005)

Mary Coughlan: The person named has submitted an application for consideration in respect of the new entrant measure of the single payment scheme. Following processing of his application, it was noted that two herd numbers were assigned to the person named and as no direct premiums were established in respect of either herd number until 2002, he was notified that his application was successful and that the...