Results 19,541-19,560 of 40,897 for speaker:Simon Coveney

Other Questions: Beef Exports (21 Jan 2016)

Simon Coveney: The Deputy likes to hold me to exact predictions. He should consider what has happened with pork and dairy products in China over the past five years. People say the Chinese economy is supposedly slowing down but exports of dairy products from Ireland into China increased by 40% last year, with the value increasing by 25%. China represents a vast opportunity because it has a huge...

Other Questions: Fish Quotas (21 Jan 2016)

Simon Coveney: The Deputy can read my reply later but I will answer him directly because I would like to get a strong message across to this sector. I am conscious there is huge frustration in Donegal and in the north west generally about this fishery, which extends to the Aran Islands. There is frustration because the Celtic Sea fishery has been profitable and progressive in recent years with strong...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Hardship Grant Scheme (21 Jan 2016)

Simon Coveney: The recent severe floods of December and early January caused widespread problems and have impacted significantly on a number of farms. Farms in western counties and those located in the catchment areas of larger rivers, including the Shannon, were most significantly affected. From my own first-hand experience of the situation it was clear that farmers experienced significant difficulties...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Hardship Grant Scheme (21 Jan 2016)

Simon Coveney: It is very difficult to start compensating farmers for the loss of a crop in a field. We are exploring the possibility of compensating farmers for the loss of stock in polytunnels, glass houses or farm houses, in the same way as stocks of feed or grain that are lost because flooding has come in the door. It is very difficult to assess the loss of a crop or the cost of reseeding grassland...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Hardship Grant Scheme (21 Jan 2016)

Simon Coveney: Farmers do not have to get local authorities to examine anything. Local authorities are involved in approval for the Red Cross scheme, which is a separate scheme. Farmers have to fill in a self-declaration form detailing the number of silage bales in the field they have lost or the amount of nuts or feed in a shed that was lost. We will send somebody out to verify it, which will be a...

Other Questions: Beef Exports (21 Jan 2016)

Simon Coveney: I am not sure we got it wrong at all. Ireland received a major reputational boost for its beef sector in 2015 as the first EU member state to gain access to the US market which was opened to Irish beef exports from January 2015. Ireland remains the only EU member state to have secured this access, and six plants have been approved to export. As with any new market, it takes time to build...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Beef Exports (21 Jan 2016)

Simon Coveney: The Deputy will know that any Minister in any EU member state has limited scope to influence price one way or the other. The market determines the price for beef. Let us consider the performance in price in the past five years and compare Irish beef prices versus the EU 15 countries or 28 countries. We have seen that in the past five years for the first time we have pushed on past 100% of...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Beef Exports (21 Jan 2016)

Simon Coveney: I share the concern that the margin available to primary producers from the final sale price of food has been getting slimmer. That is a concern I share with Phil Hogan and I have spoken about it many times. However, I have also been honest with people, unlike other people. I have said that this issue has to be dealt with at a European level. If Ireland starts introducing heavy-handed...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Beef Exports (21 Jan 2016)

Simon Coveney: No, sorry, a Cheann Comhairle. What we are doing directly is-----

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Beef Exports (21 Jan 2016)

Simon Coveney: What we are doing directly is setting up a new negotiating structure that will strengthen the hand of farmers by setting up new legal entities, known as producer organisations, for beef farmers. They will be able to negotiate and operate with economies of scale because they will represent a large number of farmers.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Beef Exports (21 Jan 2016)

Simon Coveney: They will negotiate directly with factories to get better prices.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Beef Exports (21 Jan 2016)

Simon Coveney: One can tell there is an election coming up with this stuff - God Almighty.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Beef Exports (21 Jan 2016)

Simon Coveney: Anyone who understands the beef industry understands the reason there was not as big a live export last year as the year before. It was because there was a better price to be got in Ireland. That was the reason. There was not the same demand for live cattle exports as there was previously. Actually, we have facilitated the live export trade in recent years. I have said consistently - I...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Fishing Industry (21 Jan 2016)

Simon Coveney: I have lived in rural Ireland. I have been to a lot of fishing ports and spoken to a lot of fishermen in the past five years and before. I have a pretty good idea-----

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Fishing Industry (21 Jan 2016)

Simon Coveney: I have spoken to her about this issue. There is the political will to deal with it, which is why I will be asking for the results of the meeting to be held today. We will speak to the group about it. This is the first Government to establish a proper structure to try to ensure the inshore fishing fleet will have a say on quotas and funding allocations. We are allocating over €6...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Fishing Industry (21 Jan 2016)

Simon Coveney: Over €6 million. We are trying to put resources into the sector and are listening to those involved. We are including them in all of the key decision-making bodies in which they have not been included. As I said, in my Department we have had multiple meetings with representatives of the inshore fishing sector. I want to make sure the sector is viable. Deputy Thomas Pringle has...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Fish Quotas (21 Jan 2016)

Simon Coveney: As the Deputy knows, Atlantic bluefin tuna is a highly regulated species, with annual catch limits set by the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tuna, ICCAT, based on scientific advice. Within the European Union, quota shares were allocated in 1998 to member states on the basis of track record. Ireland which did not have a track record of fishing for bluefin tuna does...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Fish Quotas (21 Jan 2016)

Simon Coveney: The Deputy knows exactly how quotas are allocated. He and others would advocate having a track record system in certain instances when it suited our fleet. One example is the European Union's boarfish quota, of which Ireland has 85% because a track record system is used. Having a track record or not can work for or against a fleet, but the bottom line is that once decisions are made - they...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Fish Quotas (21 Jan 2016)

Simon Coveney: I am the kind of person who looks for every opportunity to obtain more fishing rights. I hope the fishing industry understands we fight for every scrap we can get in a European context. I have a good relationship with the Commissioner. I can speak to him about the issue and we can explore the opportunities available. We are examining how Ireland could fit into a broader research programme...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Farm Household Incomes (21 Jan 2016)

Simon Coveney: First, we have put a €25 million income support package in place. Second, I think the Deputy is underestimating dairy farmers. With respect, most of them understand how the market works. They understand price volatility. They understand that there will be good and bad years as does the banking system and co-operatives who help to finance them. I have had meetings with all the CEOs...