Results 15,381-15,400 of 16,057 for speaker:Mary Coughlan

Food Industry. (27 Jan 2005)

Mary Coughlan: I met them on the street so it was not a formal deputation. I would always telephone Deputy Hogan in time.

Food Industry. (27 Jan 2005)

Mary Coughlan: They were still able to get their point across. I appreciate where Deputy Hogan, as a public representative for the area, is coming from. Deputy Nolan and members of the Opposition have contacted me on this issue. I have taken on board the views of public representatives, the IFA and the ICMSA. My Department is in constant contact with the farming community on this issue, as is Deputy...

Food Industry. (27 Jan 2005)

Mary Coughlan: How could Deputy Hogan forget him? We have had ongoing discussions. I took the opportunity during my initial term of office to meet representatives of the sugar industry. I met with representatives of Greencore who expressed views on the EU sugar regime, although not on the issue of rationalisation. One of the matters raised was that Greencore was finding the level of competition in this...

Food Industry. (27 Jan 2005)

Mary Coughlan: The board made the decision. It is incumbent on the Government to ensure replacement employment and support for the workers of the company, whom Members represent, and that they be facilitated with a redundancy package. In the interim, every effort should be made to assist. I realise there is a relationship difficulty between the farming community and members of Greencore. However, there is...

Food Industry. (27 Jan 2005)

Mary Coughlan: It would be easy for me to say that I will go in as the golden girl and sort it all out, but I am not and I will not do so——

Food Industry. (27 Jan 2005)

Mary Coughlan: ——because political opportunism is downright imprudent. Deputies on the other side of the House have been eloquent.

Food Industry. (27 Jan 2005)

Mary Coughlan: I am sure they have been in touch with the company, as well as other elected representatives, to try to facilitate them.

Food Industry. (27 Jan 2005)

Mary Coughlan: I would hate to take from their glory. That said, I had the opportunity to meet the farming organisations yesterday on another issue and, on the margins, we discussed the need for the farming community to work with Greencore — we all appreciate there are difficulties there — in trying to get the best possible deal.

Food Industry. (27 Jan 2005)

Mary Coughlan: We can be facetious about the golden share issue but we must examine the controlling interests within the company. We have now allowed increased competition within the sugar sector here, 20% to 25% of consumption coming mainly from the French market. Another issue that we must examine is that we may have no sugar industry and if so, even if there is sugar production in Mallow, we will have no...

Food Industry. (27 Jan 2005)

Mary Coughlan: I appreciate, however, the genuine concerns being expressed. I am abundantly sure those concerns will be made known to the management of Greencore who, I hope, will facilitate the farming community.

Food Industry. (27 Jan 2005)

Mary Coughlan: Yes. I met Greencore in the context of the EU stability measures.

Food Industry. (27 Jan 2005)

Mary Coughlan: I also met the farmers of Wexford, Carlow and Kilkenny.

Food Industry. (27 Jan 2005)

Mary Coughlan: I am going down to Kerrysoon and I am sure they will meet me there as well.

Departmental Accommodation. (27 Jan 2005)

Mary Coughlan: Gabhaim buíochas don Teachta as deis a thabhairt dom labhairt faoi seo. The mid-term review of the Common Agricultural Policy introduced the most significant agricultural reform since its establishment. The decision of the Luxembourg Council to break the link between direct payments and production, known as decoupling, has changed the fundamental nature of EU supports for the farm sector and...

EU Directives. (27 Jan 2005)

Mary Coughlan: Implementation of the nitrates directive is a matter in the first instance for the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government. Ireland submitted an action programme for the further implementation of the directive to the European Commission on 22 October 2004. In parallel with the submission of the action programme, Ireland also submitted a derogation proposal setting out a...

EU Directives. (27 Jan 2005)

Mary Coughlan: Both the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government and I are disappointed that the compromise position of the Brosnan report was not accepted. As the Deputy knows proposals were made in 2003, which were not acceptable to the bodies and therefore further discussions took place. The use of zoning is accepted in principle by the Commission. However, unfortunately it regarded...

EU Directives. (27 Jan 2005)

Mary Coughlan: The action programme wasnot rejected on the basis of the scientific data. It was rejected mainly because it failed to create binding rules for farmers, the prohibited periods for spreading fertiliser needed to be extended, the minimum storage capacity needed to be increased and clear rules needed to be established on nutrient management by reference to crop needs. It was not rejected on the...

EU Directives. (27 Jan 2005)

Mary Coughlan: I refute the Deputy's first insinuation that the Government failed to provide a national action plan.

EU Directives. (27 Jan 2005)

Mary Coughlan: Members on the opposite side of the House have pontificated too much about ensuring that we had-——

EU Directives. (27 Jan 2005)

Mary Coughlan: Yes, 1992. I do not recall at any time in the past 20 years any Opposition Members calling for a nitrogen action plan.