Results 101-120 of 527 for speaker:Mary Wallace

Grant Payments. (6 Feb 2007)

Mary Wallace: Teagasc——

Grant Payments. (6 Feb 2007)

Mary Wallace: For 2005, approximately 100 cases remain outstanding, 99.9% of applicants already having received their entitlements. In those 100 cases, we await documentation. It is important to state that every effort is made to process applications as quickly as possible, but when it comes to transfer, they must be accompanied by the appropriate documentation, such as the copy of the deed of transfer...

Grant Payments. (6 Feb 2007)

Mary Wallace: In 2006, 1,100 farmers received the 50% advance payment, although their cases are currently being queried, which is why they have not yet received the balance. In some cases, consolidation or stacking may have been involved and we just need the documentation. If those about whom the Deputy is concerned have their documentation in order, they should furnish it. Some people have been...

Animal Diseases. (6 Feb 2007)

Mary Wallace: The issue raised in the Deputy's question of 27 June 2006 continues to be the subject of a thorough and comprehensive investigation by our Department, as part of which officials have travelled overseas to consult with international colleagues. An extensive amount of information has been gathered as part of the investigation which is currently being assessed. It is not possible at this stage...

Animal Diseases. (6 Feb 2007)

Mary Wallace: The Department is continuing to progress the investigation into the circumstances in which the disease was first introduced to the country. The investigation is a comprehensive one and the Department will, in the event of sufficient evidence being established, endeavour to pursue a prosecution. Due to the nature of the investigation, the Department is not in a position to comment further on...

Animal Diseases. (6 Feb 2007)

Mary Wallace: The Veterinary Council is dealing with that and has introduced new protocols. The Department has given advice to horse owners and in view of the veterinary association involvement in this matter, the Department is reiterating the advice consistently given over the past five months that veterinary practitioners should at all times observe the highest standards of hygiene and should ensure...

Animal Diseases. (6 Feb 2007)

Mary Wallace: I stress that the Department has made clear that it does not intend to make any contribution to horse owners in respect of losses claimed to have occurred as a consequence of being restricted. On vigilance, testing and the 57-day period of which I spoke, no doubt a great deal of testing has taken place in this area. There have been 14,000 negative tests in January alone, we have completed...

Rural Environment Protection Scheme. (6 Feb 2007)

Mary Wallace: The rural environment protection scheme, REPS, 4 will form part of the new rural development programme for the period 2007 to 2013. The programme was sent to the European Commission in late December and has to go through its approval process. We cannot be definite as to how long this process will take but we continue to pursue early approval. Our officials are in ongoing contact about it...

Rural Environment Protection Scheme. (6 Feb 2007)

Mary Wallace: Last year we took advantage of the Commission's transitional rules to make special provision for REPS 2 contracts that expired up to 30 November 2006 to be extended for a further year. This option is no longer available to us because the EU regulations governing REPS 2 and REPS 3 expired on 31 December 2006. It is now legally impossible to approve or extend contracts under either of those...

Rural Environment Protection Scheme. (6 Feb 2007)

Mary Wallace: It would take far longer to do what the Deputy suggests than engage in the process we are going through at the moment. There will be a meeting next week. The Minister has raised the specific issues and we do not anticipate problems regarding REPS 4 — we are doing all we can to progress it. Meetings have been undertaken with the Commission on this matter and further meetings are planned.

Rural Environment Protection Scheme. (6 Feb 2007)

Mary Wallace: It is a great scheme and there will be more money for everybody. There will be better environmental returns and great choices and options. The scheme will be open to intensive farmers for the first time and it will be such a wonderful scheme it will be worth waiting for.

Seanad: Genetically Modified Organisms. (7 Feb 2007)

Mary Wallace: I thank Senator Henry for raising this important matter in the House and I propose to address the topic in three distinct parts. The first relates to the question of excluding GM crops from Irish agriculture, the second to cross-pollination between GM and non-GM crops and the third pertains to the issue of the economic value in respect of the GM crops. Before doing so, as the Senator...

Farm Inspection Scheme. (8 Mar 2007)

Mary Wallace: The introduction of the single payment scheme and my Department's commitment to the farm bodies to ensure maximum integration of inspections across schemes and for cross-compliance has resulted in a drop in annual farm inspection levels from 18,000 under the coupled regime to less than 8,000 in 2006. I agree the inspection requirements linked to cross-compliance are complex and I am...

Farm Inspection Scheme. (8 Mar 2007)

Mary Wallace: As we have said on several occasions, we agree with the sentiments in regard to simplification. We have looked in detail at the 66 page document to which Deputy Penrose referred. It is important to state the only occasion in which all that paperwork would need to be used would be in a case where a farmer had all of the following on his or her farm: wild birds nesting; a habitat or two;...

Farm Inspection Scheme. (8 Mar 2007)

Mary Wallace: As the Minister has outlined on several occasions, the inspection forms do not have to be read or completed by the farmer. They are to be completed by the inspector. There is a good reason for a detailed inspection guideline for the inspector, namely, it ensures inspectors from Donegal to Wexford apply the same criteria. If there was a vague, half page guideline, one could have several...

Genetically Modified Organisms. (8 Mar 2007)

Mary Wallace: As the Deputy may be aware, an interdepartmental-inter-agency working group was established within the Department in 2003 to develop proposals for a national strategy and best practices to ensure the co-existence of GM crops with conventional and organic farming. That group presented us with its final report and recommendations in December 2005 which, inter alia, recommended that a...

Genetically Modified Organisms. (8 Mar 2007)

Mary Wallace: In respect of GM feed, I must clarify that the exclusion from the Irish market of GM maize and soya beans would result in a significant cost to the animal production sector. I understand 95% of our imports of soya and maize are GM feedstuffs.

Genetically Modified Organisms. (8 Mar 2007)

Mary Wallace: Yes. Undoubtedly, the price of feed would increase costs for livestock producers. As for the issue of a possible ban, we must be careful in this regard because once a GM crop has been approved for growing within the Community, EU law prevents us from banning it. We cannot legislate or prevent the growing of approved GM crops.

Genetically Modified Organisms. (8 Mar 2007)

Mary Wallace: We are obliged to introduce coexisting arrangements to protect existing non-GM arrangements. The Irish position on GMOs is positive but precautionary.

Genetically Modified Organisms. (8 Mar 2007)

Mary Wallace: To be clear, the Commission has taken a stance against this. It is contrary to EU law. We must be mindful that we operate within such law in this regard. As to whether we could decide to take the voluntary route, perhaps we could.