Results 14,541-14,560 of 16,057 for speaker:Mary Coughlan

Land Prices. (4 May 2005)

Mary Coughlan: No more than in Donegal. I was told when we started with conacre that there would be so much land available that prices would be a disaster and we would not get any money. However, prices have gone through the roof. If we look for 20 or 30 hectares now to activate an entitlement, it cannot be got. Where do we go from here? Deputy Boyle knows that on an issue people do not want to know about,...

Land Prices. (4 May 2005)

Mary Coughlan: The price of land in north Dublin and south county Meath is much more expensive than land where the Deputies are from or land in Aranmore.

Grant Payments. (4 May 2005)

Mary Coughlan: I am keenly aware of the need to make available appropriate supports for small farmers. In this regard, small farmers benefit from all of the supports, within the legal framework of the European Union, administered by my Department. One of the areas where this is possible is the rural environment protection scheme. The latest version of the scheme was introduced in June 2004. In addition to...

Grant Payments. (4 May 2005)

Mary Coughlan: People in my county used to be envious of Deputy Crawford's county when it came to intensive farming. I agree there are serious issues in the pig and poultry sectors. We have met everyone involved, including local authority officials, public representatives and the farming organisations, and we are working together on a partnership basis to address these issues. The Minister of State, Deputy...

Grant Payments. (4 May 2005)

Mary Coughlan: We are all listening. Mushroom producers have been through a difficult time in recent years. While the number of producers has reduced, the output is still good. We are anxious to maintain and develop the industry. We have provided support and investment and Bord Bia has done a great deal of work to promote the industry. Deputy Naughten wants commercial farmers to be looked after while Deputy...

Grant Payments. (4 May 2005)

Mary Coughlan: Teagasc has plenty of money. A more modern approach to farming must be taken and this can be reflected in many ways. The smaller farmer could be as adept as the larger farmer at adopting the new approach. The Department's role in providing support will be examined. We will also examine the way in which the role of Teagasc will change because farming has changed. The three Ministers will...

EU Directives. (4 May 2005)

Mary Coughlan: Additional aid to farmers to enable them to complete investment work required to comply with the provisions of the EU nitrates directive has been provided for under the farm waste management scheme. Under Sustaining Progress in 2003, it was agreed that improvements would be made to the grants available under the scheme and this commitment was achieved by the introduction of a revised scheme...

EU Directives. (4 May 2005)

Mary Coughlan: I meet representatives of the farming organisations ad infinitum. I was seriously considering building a flat for a number of them because I see them two or three times a week. Negotiations are ongoing. I instructed my Department and Teagasc to evaluate the current needs and to examine new earthen banks, wintering pads and so on. That work has been done and we have engaged in a great deal of...

EU Directives. (4 May 2005)

Mary Coughlan: Deputy Crawford is correct and this issue has been raised by the cross-Border group and pig farmers. Another practical issue is that there are many part-time farmers and it is easier for them to spread artificial manure on a Saturday as opposed to meeting another farmer to acquire organic manure. Teagasc and farmers state that organic manure is better than bags of bought fertiliser. We have...

EU Directives. (4 May 2005)

Mary Coughlan: We are examining that issue and other measures such as reducing water content, change of feed and methodologies of farming. The bottom line is that we sent our people abroad to investigate and learn as much as possible from what is happening in other countries to address this matter. In Denmark, there are spread lands, but there are still difficulties.

Alternative Farm Enterprises. (4 May 2005)

Mary Coughlan: We do not have much support.

Farm Household Incomes. (4 May 2005)

Mary Coughlan: In February 2005 the Central Statistics Office reported a 3% increase in aggregate farm income for 2004. It calculated that the value of the cattle, sheep and pig sectors increased by approximately 8.3%, 6.1% and6.2%, respectively. From an income perspective, the livestock sector had a reasonably positive year, with the dairy sector experiencing steady milk output and prices. These...

Farm Household Incomes. (4 May 2005)

Mary Coughlan: I agree with Deputy Upton. As she is aware, the review carried out by former Deputy Alan Dukes indicates the number of farmers involved. That number is detailed in the reply to another parliamentary question, but I cannot locate it. There is a change in profile of farmers. Many of them are involved in part-time farming and it is difficult to get young people to enter farming on a full-time...

Farm Household Incomes. (4 May 2005)

Mary Coughlan: I will toss back that low ball to the Deputy and also send him a curved one. The reason many people have left farming is that there are better opportunities available due to the good economic climate that has been supported and progressed by this side of the House.

Farm Household Incomes. (4 May 2005)

Mary Coughlan: They could do three jobs if they could get away with it. It is a little like ourselves, except we get the same salary. On the other available initiatives, Teagasc has provided me with the results of some work on earthen banks. It is now preparing guidelines for me. In the next fortnight it will complete some more work with regard to alternative ways of wintering out cattle. That will be made...

Farm Household Incomes. (4 May 2005)

Mary Coughlan: Ballinamore is closed. It is for sale. The cattle have been slaughtered and I would rather not hear any more about Ballinamore. I say to people in the local communities and the county councils that Teagasc is favourably disposed to facilitating any community initiative people wish to progress. Much of the work that took place in Ballinamore has been transferred to Ballyhaise, which is just...

Written Answers — Farm Retirement Scheme: Farm Retirement Scheme (28 Apr 2005)

Mary Coughlan: It is a requirement of the EU regulations under which both the current and previous early retirement schemes are implemented that the early retirement pension can only be paid as a supplement to any national retirement pension that the participant and his or her spouse or partner in a joint management arrangement receive. Consequently, the value of any such national retirement pension, which...

Written Answers — Farm Retirement Scheme: Farm Retirement Scheme (28 Apr 2005)

Mary Coughlan: It is a requirement of the EU regulations under which both the current and previous early retirement schemes are implemented that the early retirement pension can only be paid as a supplement to any national retirement pension that the participant and his or her spouse or partner in a joint management arrangement receive. Consequently, the value of any such national retirement pension, which...

Written Answers — Farm Retirement Scheme: Farm Retirement Scheme (28 Apr 2005)

Mary Coughlan: It is a requirement of the EU regulations under which both the current and previous early retirement schemes are implemented that the early retirement pension can only be paid as a supplement to any national retirement pension that the participant and his or her spouse or partner in a joint management arrangement receive. This means the value of any such national retirement pension must be...

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

Mary Coughlan: The operation of the single payment scheme is governed by the provisions of Council Regulation (EC) No. 1782/2003. In general, Article 28 of that regulation provides for the issue of payment under the scheme once a year within the period from 1 December of the scheme year to 30 June of the following calendar year. My Department is currently in the final stages of implementing the single...