Results 15,281-15,300 of 16,057 for speaker:Mary Coughlan

National Aquatic Centre. (27 Jan 2005)

Mary Coughlan: Before I address the specific issue raised by Deputy Burton with regard to the damage to the National Aquatic Centre, I want to set this matter in its proper context. In 2000 the Government agreed to provide Exchequer finance to fund the provision of an aquatic and leisure centre at Abbotstown. Provision of the facility was by means of a design, build and operate procedure. A contract was...

Written Answers — Pricing Agreement: Pricing Agreement (27 Jan 2005)

Mary Coughlan: My Department was not involved in the setting up or the implementation of any agreement between large retailers and farmers to provide a minimum percentage of the retail price to the growers. The prices received by producers and obtained in retail establishments are determined by the marketplace. The level of supply of a certain product, competition within a sector at both producer and...

Written Answers — Departmental Representations: Departmental Representations (27 Jan 2005)

Mary Coughlan: The representations referred to in the question relate to civil litigation undertaken by the person named in the 1980s and specifically to two judgments of the High Court and Supreme Court, delivered in 1985 and 1988 respectively. My Department was not a defendant in this litigation. Despite the resolution of this litigation in 1988 in favour of the person named, he has continued to pursue...

Written Answers — Single Payment Scheme: Single Payment Scheme (27 Jan 2005)

Mary Coughlan: The agreement on the mid-term review of Agenda 2000 reached at the Council of Agricultural Ministers on 26 June 2003 provided a financial envelope to each member state. This envelope represented the average value of livestock and arable aid premia paid in the member state during the three-year reference period 2000-02 calculated at 2002 rates of payment. The outcome of the agreement, which...

Written Answers — Farm Waste Management: Farm Waste Management (27 Jan 2005)

Mary Coughlan: Total expenditure under the farm waste management schemes in the past ten years amounted to €264 million, while total expenditure under the dairy hygiene schemes amounted to €56 million. I will provide the Deputy separately with a breakdown of these amounts on an annual basis. Almost €39 million has been allocated in 2005 for the farm waste management scheme. I am confident that such...

Written Answers — Genetically Modified Organisms: Genetically Modified Organisms (27 Jan 2005)

Mary Coughlan: An interdepartmental inter-agency working group was established within my Department in October 2003 to develop proposals for a national strategy and best practices to ensure the co-existence of GM crops with conventional and organic farming. Part of the group's work programme has been to examine the economic implications of such farming practices. Preliminary research completed by Teagasc...

Written Answers — Official Languages Act: Official Languages Act (27 Jan 2005)

Mary Coughlan: To date I have arranged for the translation and printing, at an estimated cost of €28,000, of four documents published or to be published by my Department. These are the Department's annual report, the customer service action plan, the customer service charter and the statement of strategy. Ongoing resource implications for my Department of the full implementation of the Act will be...

Written Answers — Animal Welfare: Animal Welfare (27 Jan 2005)

Mary Coughlan: The EU regulation to which the Deputy refers is Council Regulation (EC) No. 1/2005. It should be noted that most of the requirements contained in this regulation will not come into effect until 5 January 2007, with a small number of other provisions only having effect from 1 January 2008 and 1 January 2009. The Council regulation, when it comes into force, is designed to improve the welfare...

Written Answers — Rural Environment Protection Scheme: Rural Environment Protection Scheme (27 Jan 2005)

Mary Coughlan: I am encouraged by the current rate of demand for REPS. Numbers have risen steadily since REPS 3 was introduced in June of last year. We have already received some 6,000 applications from farmers who were not already in REPS. A further 8,500 farmers who were in REPS 2 have taken advantage of the special fast-track arrangements for transformation and have switched over to REPS 3. In all, there...

Written Answers — Company Dispute: Company Dispute (27 Jan 2005)

Mary Coughlan: The case mentioned by the Deputy arose from a dispute between a company, my Department and two co-defendants. This related to the storage of tallow at its premises going back to 1997. A settlement was reached with the plaintiff on 6 December 2004. The settlement was agreed on the basis of legal advice from State counsel and with the sanction of the Office of the Attorney General. It was...

Written Answers — Rural Development Regulation: Rural Development Regulation (27 Jan 2005)

Mary Coughlan: The Commission proposals for a new rural development regulation covering the period 2007-13 are at present being discussed at working group level in Brussels. Insofar as forestry is concerned, I have very serious concerns about the impact of the proposals. In particular, I am concerned about the proposed reduction in planting grants from 100% to 40%, the reduction in premiums and a reduction...

Written Answers — Forestry Sector: Forestry Sector (27 Jan 2005)

Mary Coughlan: The Deputy is referring to a recent report from the European Environmental Agency, EEA, which suggested that 84% of planting since 1990 has taken place on peat-lands. This figure does not in any way correspond to the information available to my Department. In reply to a number of questions from Deputy Sargent on the matter on 2 December 2004, I indicated that my Department had requested...

Written Answers — Horticulture Industry: Horticulture Industry (27 Jan 2005)

Mary Coughlan: One of the notable features of horticulture and potato production in recent years has been a continuing decline in the number of growers and an increasing concentration of production in the hands of large scale producers. Despite the decline in grower numbers however output value has continued to increase, with the value of vegetable production increasing from €43 million in 1999 to €49...

Written Answers — Genetically Modified Organisms: Genetically Modified Organisms (27 Jan 2005)

Mary Coughlan: An interdepartmental inter-agency working group was established within my Department in October 2003 to develop proposals for a national strategy and best practices to ensure the co-existence of GM crops with conventional and organic farming. Part of the group's work programme has been to examine the economic implications of such farming practices. Preliminary research completed by Teagasc...

Written Answers — Beef Exports: Beef Exports (27 Jan 2005)

Mary Coughlan: Ireland is currently the dominant import supplier of prime beef to the British market, supplying 258,000 tonnes to that market last year. The UK authorities have signalled that they will commence a transition period towards ending the over 30 months scheme, OTMS, for British beef during the latter half of 2005. This transition period will be used to validate their BSE testing regime and to...

Written Answers — Hazardous Farm Waste: Hazardous Farm Waste (27 Jan 2005)

Mary Coughlan: I am not aware of the inquiry mentioned by the Deputy. My Department is the authority responsible for the control of exports of animal by-products and it has received no inquiries from the British Environmental Agency in relation to such exports. My Department has also established that the competent authorities with responsibility for the export of material covered by waste legislation from...

Written Answers — Forestry Sector: Forestry Sector (27 Jan 2005)

Mary Coughlan: The planting target of 20,000 hectares per annum set out in the programme for Government reflects the target set in Growing for the Future, published in 1996. The average number of hectares planted per annum since 1996 was 14,000 hectares. The Review and Appraisal of Ireland's Forestry Development Strategy, published by Peter Bacon and Associates, is a key element in the review of the sector....

Written Answers — Farm Retirement Scheme: Farm Retirement Scheme (27 Jan 2005)

Mary Coughlan: The requirement in the scheme of early retirement from farming that the participant must either transfer or lease their land to a young farmer who meets certain eligibility conditions is an EU regulatory provision and my Department has no discretion in the matter. Where the lease of the land expires before the period of the pension it is necessary for the participant either to renew the lease...

Written Answers — Sugar Industry: Sugar Industry (27 Jan 2005)

Mary Coughlan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 25, 36, 43 and 72 together. The recent decision by Greencore Group plc to close its sugar plant in Carlow and to consolidate all of its sugar manufacturing in Mallow was taken by the company in the light of the increasing competition in the sugar market and taking account of the reality that changes will occur in the industry as a consequence of the reform of...

Written Answers — Agriculture and Food Sector: Agriculture and Food Sector (27 Jan 2005)

Mary Coughlan: The Agri-Vision 2015 Committee was put in place last year to set out a vision for the agriculture and food sector over the next decade. This committee was given the task of building on the work of the 2010 committee, which had reported in 2000. The Agri-Vision 2015 Committee was set terms of reference which stated, among other things, that it should "Review the strategy and recommendations...