Results 19,721-19,740 of 40,897 for speaker:Simon Coveney

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Basic Payment Scheme Eligibility (19 Jan 2016)

Simon Coveney: The person named submitted an application for Review of Entitlements under the 2015 Basic Payment Scheme on the 28 March 2015. The review pertained to the establishment of allocation rights in respect of land and entitlements purchased by the person named under the 2014 Single Payment Scheme year. To be eligible for the automatic allocation of entitlements under the Basic Payment scheme an...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Scheme Eligibility (19 Jan 2016)

Simon Coveney: The person named submitted an application under the ‘Old Young Farmer’ category of the 2015 National Reserve to my Department. Eligible applicants to the National Reserve qualify for either an allocation of new entitlements on land for which they hold no entitlements, so called ‘naked land’, or where an applicant already holds existing entitlements which are below...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Scheme Eligibility (19 Jan 2016)

Simon Coveney: My Department received applications under the ‘young farmer’ category of the 2015 National Reserve and the Young Farmers Scheme from the person named. These applications are currently being processed and once finalised the applicant will be notified in writing of the decision with a view to payment shortly thereafter.

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Scheme Payments (19 Jan 2016)

Simon Coveney: The 2013 Single Payment Application in respect of the person named was subject to the 2013 LPIS Review. This review identified ineligible features on a number of parcels which resulted in a penalty of greater than 20% for the 2013 Scheme year. The person named was notified of this and of his right to appeal. The person named unsuccessfully appealed this penalty both to officials in my...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forestry Sector (19 Jan 2016)

Simon Coveney: The State has provided attractive grant schemes for landowners for many decades to encourage the planting of new forests and this has continued under the Forestry Programme 2014-2020. The Afforestation Grant and Premium Scheme 2014-2020 provides very generous grants of up to €5,750 per hectare to cover the full cost of planting, along with annual premiums of up to €635 per...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Competition Law (19 Jan 2016)

Simon Coveney: The State, through the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission, has an existing and well established infrastructure for oversight of competition matters and for dealing with allegations of anti-competitive practices or abuse of a dominant position. I understand that acquisitions or mergers of organisations with turnover exceeding certain statutory thresholds are required to be...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: EU Funding (19 Jan 2016)

Simon Coveney: The European Commission and the European Investment Bank (EIB) have outlined a model guarantee instrument for agriculture, developed within the framework of their Memorandum of Understanding on co-operation in agriculture and rural development within the EU. The model instrument aims to help ease access to finance for farmers and other rural businesses. Member States and regions can adapt and...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Direct Payment Scheme Eligibility (19 Jan 2016)

Simon Coveney: My Department, along with other Member States, are currently in discussions with the European Commission on the eligibility, under the Direct Payment Schemes, of agricultural land under solar panels, taking account of the regulatory provisions of Article 32 (3) of Regulation 1307/2013 on agricultural land which is predominately used for non-agricultural activities. The eligibility of...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Food Labelling (19 Jan 2016)

Simon Coveney: The rules on origin labelling for Ireland are determined at EU level and last year I signed into law an SI to give effect to the new European Regulations for country of origin labelling of meat from sheep, pigs, poultry and goats. These mandatory rules require a label to state the Member State where the animal was reared and slaughtered. In addition, my Department is liaising with the...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Basic Payment Scheme Payments (19 Jan 2016)

Simon Coveney: Payments under the National Reserve and Young Farmers Scheme commenced in mid-December 2015 and, and given the number of applications and their complexity, these payments will continue over the coming weeks. To date some 60% of eligible applicants under both the National Reserve and Young Farmers Scheme have received payment. My Department will continue to prioritise the payment of eligible...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Departmental Staff Promotions (19 Jan 2016)

Simon Coveney: Since the introduction of the recent changes to the eligibility criteria for promotion competitions, one executive officer has been promoted to Assistant Principal Officer in my Department through an internal competitive process. To date, no clerical officers have been promoted directly to the Higher Executive Officer role.

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Army Barracks (19 Jan 2016)

Simon Coveney: Columb Barracks is no longer required for military purposes accordingly no assessment has been made as to what it would cost to fully reopen the Barracks.

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Army Barracks Costs (19 Jan 2016)

Simon Coveney: It is not possible to give a detailed breakdown of the average operating cost of each individual barracks due to the extensive effort involved in compiling the information required. However the Defence Forces spent approximately €8.5m in 2015 on utilities such as electricity, gas, heating oil, water and waste disposal across 15 military installations and training areas. Another...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Air Corps Recruitment (19 Jan 2016)

Simon Coveney: The Government is committed to maintaining the stabilised strength of the Permanent Defence Force at 9,500 personnel, comprising of 7,520 Army, 886 Air Corps and 1,094 Naval Service as stated in the 2015 White Paper on Defence. I am advised by the Military Authorities that the strength of the Permanent Defence Force, at 30 November 2015, the latest date for which details are available, was...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Army Barracks (19 Jan 2016)

Simon Coveney: Irish United Nations Veterans Association (IUNVA) have occupied the former Officers Mess building in the Barracks since late 2014 and have requested a long term lease on the premises. Officials from the Department have met IUNVA representatives on site to discuss the Association’s plans for the Barracks and have raised issues regarding those plans. The premises were initially provided...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Departmental Staff Promotions (19 Jan 2016)

Simon Coveney: The Report of the Commission for Public Service Appointments (CPSA), in respect of eligibility rules for promotion of staff in the Civil Service, was adopted on 27 November 2013. Accordingly all Civil Servants with two or more years’ service, either continuously or in aggregate, are eligible to apply for all internal promotion competitions from that date. In April 2014 an internal...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Basic Payment Scheme Applications (14 Jan 2016)

Simon Coveney: An application under the 2015 Basic Payment Scheme was received from the person named on 22 April 2015. Payment has issued directly to the nominated bank account of the person named.

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Flood Relief Schemes Funding (14 Jan 2016)

Simon Coveney: There is provision in the Trust to pay capital money to carry out necessary work in the case of a sudden or unusual event. It does not envisage paying all the Trust money and a penalty will apply where funds invested in Bonds are redeemed in advance of their maturity date.

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Scheme Applications (14 Jan 2016)

Simon Coveney: An application under the 2015 Basic Payment/Areas of Natural Constraints Schemes was received from the person named on 30 April 2015. Processing of the application under both schemes is complete and payments have issued to the nominated bank account of the person named.

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Single Payment Scheme Applications (14 Jan 2016)

Simon Coveney: An application under the 2014 Single Payment (SPS)/Disadvantaged Area Scheme (DAS) was received from the person named on 13 May 2014. During the processing of the application an overlap error emerged. I have made arrangements for a review of the evidence provided in this case.