Results 15,441-15,460 of 16,057 for speaker:Mary Coughlan

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (26 Jan 2005)

Mary Coughlan: Since I replied to Question No. 343 of 23 November 2004, payments have issued under both the 2004 suckler cow premium scheme and the 2004 area based compensatory allowance scheme. A 60% advance instalment in respect of three animals applied on under the suckler cow scheme amounting to €403.47 issued on 29 December 2004. Payment of full entitlement under the area based compensatory allowance...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (26 Jan 2005)

Mary Coughlan: The person named, having been notified that the circumstances outlined by him did not satisfy the criteria for force majeure or 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...

Written Answers — Farm Retirement Scheme: Farm Retirement Scheme (26 Jan 2005)

Mary Coughlan: It is a requirement of EU Council Regulation 1257/1999, under which the early retirement scheme operates, that the early retirement pension may only be paid as a supplement to any national retirement pension payable. This means that any national retirement pension to which a participant becomes entitled, whether before or after entry to the scheme, must be deducted from the early retirement...

Written Answers — Bovine Disease Controls: Bovine Disease Controls (26 Jan 2005)

Mary Coughlan: The herd number system is an administrative arrangement under the disease eradication schemes and is designed primarily for the purposes of disease control. The criteria used in assessing applications for a herd number principally include independent management of the holding, separate housing and fodder, the availability of adequate testing facilities and without the possibility of...

Written Answers — Single Payment Scheme: Single Payment Scheme (26 Jan 2005)

Mary Coughlan: My Department has received confirmation from the European Commission that farmers who have benefited under any of the measures introduced as part of the single payment scheme such as force majeure can apply to consolidate their entitlements provided they satisfy the provisions set out in the relevant EU Regulations.

Written Answers — Single Payment Scheme: Single Payment Scheme (26 Jan 2005)

Mary Coughlan: My Department has been in contact with the European Commission with a view to clarifying certain aspects of the single payment scheme regulation, including the question raised by the Deputy and we are awaiting a reply at present. The Deputy will appreciate that Ireland took the lead in Europe in setting up the single payment scheme and, consequently, certain technical and legal issues were...

Written Answers — Cattle Identification Scheme: Cattle Identification Scheme (26 Jan 2005)

Mary Coughlan: The numbers of new and replacement bovine animal identification ear tags issued during the last seven years are set out in the following table. Calendar Year No. of New Tags Sets No. of replacement Pairs of Tags No. of replacement Single Tags 1998 2,560,891 71,197 283,300 1999 3,181,250 83,753 366,694 2000 2,371,142 83,885 329,594 2001 2,435,235 81,596 275,266 2002...

Written Answers — Animal Numbers: Animal Numbers (26 Jan 2005)

Mary Coughlan: I understand that the question from the Deputy relates to bovine animals only. Going back to 1994, which was prior to the introduction to the CMMS system, the most comprehensive data available to the Department on animal numbers are derived from the number of animals tested annually under the bovine tuberculosis testing scheme. According to statistics from this scheme, the number of bovine...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (26 Jan 2005)

Mary Coughlan: A statement of provisional entitlements has not yet issued to the person named due to a difficulty with an area aid application lodged by the person named during the reference years. On this area aid application a parcel declared as forage was subsequently identified as forestry. Officials of my Department are in direct contact with the person named with a view to resolving this issue,...

Written Answers — Single Payment Scheme: Single Payment Scheme (26 Jan 2005)

Mary Coughlan: To date the independent single payment appeals committee has examined 2,375 appeals in respect of decisions taken by my Department under the force majeure-exceptional circumstances measure of the single payment regulations. Some 36 of these cases remain open because the appeals committee has requested additional information from the appellants. A further 270 cases, submitted to the appeals...

Written Answers — Agricultural Schemes: Agricultural Schemes (26 Jan 2005)

Mary Coughlan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 662 and 669 together. The total number of applications received in the national reserve section of my Department up to 21 January 2005 was 13,600. However, additional application forms lodged in the local offices of my Department on Friday last are being returned to the national reserve section at Michael Davitt House, Castlebar. A final figure will not...

Written Answers — Milk Quota: Milk Quota (26 Jan 2005)

Mary Coughlan: Allocations of milk quota from the milk quota national reserve are granted on the basis of recommendations from the milk quota appeals tribunal. The tribunal is a body established to consider and advise on applications for additional quota from individual producers who have suffered severe hardship in the context of the milk quota system. The named person has submitted an application for...

Written Answers — Single Payment Scheme: Single Payment Scheme (26 Jan 2005)

Mary Coughlan: The person named, having been notified that the circumstances outlined by her 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...

Written Answers — Single Payment Scheme: Single Payment Scheme (26 Jan 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...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (26 Jan 2005)

Mary Coughlan: The person named applied for premium on 29 animals under the 2004 suckler cow premium scheme. The application has been processed and payment of his 60% advance instalment amounting to €3900.21 issued on 20 January 2005. Balancing payments will be made in March or April 2005.

Written Answers — Freedom of Information: Freedom of Information (26 Jan 2005)

Mary Coughlan: The State, semi-State, State-sponsored and statutory bodies under the aegis of my Department that are not subject to the Freedom of Information Acts are the Veterinary Council and Coillte Teoranta. The extension of the FOI Acts to the above bodies is being considered in the context of proposals being developed in the Department of Finance to extend the coverage of the FOI Acts by the end of 2005.

Written Answers — Single Payment Scheme: Single Payment Scheme (26 Jan 2005)

Mary Coughlan: A certificate of provisional entitlement under the single payment scheme issued to the person named on 5 October 2004. The statement included a detailed breakdown of how the provisional entitlements were calculated. Farmers who are not satisfied with their provisional entitlement statement may seek a review on a form which is available from all local offices of my Department and from my...

Written Answers — Single Payment Scheme: Single Payment Scheme (26 Jan 2005)

Mary Coughlan: My Department has received and is processing 7,288 applications under the new entrants and new entrants with inheritance measures of the single payment scheme. Of this total, 2,295 applications are new entrants only and the balance of 4,993 are new entrants combined with Inheritance. Some 4,092 applicants have received a decision in respect of their application and a further 2,868 have...

Written Answers — Animal Welfare: Animal Welfare (26 Jan 2005)

Mary Coughlan: Statutory responsibility for the monitoring of the Ward Union Hunt rests with my colleague, the Minister for Environment, Heritage and Local Government, under the provisions of the Wildlife Act 1976. However, officials from my Department, at the request of the Department of Environment, Heritage and Local Government, monitor the welfare of deer hunted by the Ward Union Hunt Club. This is...

Written Answers — Deer Farms: Deer Farms (26 Jan 2005)

Mary Coughlan: The number of deer farms in the State is estimated at 250. A breakdown by county is not readily available. Deer farmers are engaged in raising deer for the production of venison with some farmers being involved in breeding animals and selling the calves while others are involved in finishing animals until they are ready for slaughter. Deer farming is geared exclusively to the production of...