Results 361-380 of 435 for 5 million speaker:Simon Coveney

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Land Parcel Identification System (16 May 2013)

Simon Coveney: ...relevant EU legislation, to maintain a detailed database of individual land parcels. This is known as the Land Parcel Identification System (LPIS) which currently records, electronically, some 1.3 million individual parcels and which is required to be kept updated, based in particular on individual claims submitted from farmers and the results of inspection activity carried out by my...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Rural Development Programme Funding (14 May 2013)

Simon Coveney: ...Financial Framework (MFF) provides a total of €2.19bn or some €313m for Ireland per year under Pillar 2 of the CAP for the period 2014 - 2020. This includes a special allocation of €100 million, over the full period, negotiated in the final stages of the talks. Measures which may be funded must address the three rural development objectives and the six priorities laid...

Seanad: Fodder Crisis: Statements (9 May 2013)

Simon Coveney: ...pitch needs to made to access that funding by showing a capacity to repay. Co-ops have also played their part in making credit available. Glanbia, which is the largest co-op, has made an extra €15 million of credit available than it would normally have made at this time of year. Dairygold has done something similar with an extra €10 million to €12 million, and the...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Single Payment Scheme Eligibility (30 Apr 2013)

Simon Coveney: As part of the implementation of the Single Payment Scheme in 2005, a linear cut of 1.82% was applied to all entitlements to fund the National Reserve catering for a range of categories including new entrants to farming. This resulted in €22.6m being allocated in 2005. From 2006 onwards, the National Reserve was replenished only from unused expired entitlements which reverted to the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Fodder Crisis: Discussion with Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine (25 Apr 2013)

Simon Coveney: ..., on which we need a significant response from lots of stakeholders and players to deal with a drastic shortage of available roughage fodder for animals. We have a national herd of approximately 6.5 million animals. We have just over 1.1 million dairy cows and 1 million suckler cows. We also have other animals that need roughage. It might be helpful for me to outline what we have been...

Animal Health and Welfare Bill 2012 [Seanad]: Report Stage (Resumed) (27 Mar 2013)

Simon Coveney: ...and 1996, is being dispensed with in favour of a more flexible and adaptable system to make regulations to regulate the collection and remittance of any animal health levies provided for in Part 5 of the Bill. The requirement for advance payment of the levy on live exports reflects a time when most animals were exported from individual holdings. Nowadays livestock must be assembled for...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Rural Development Programme (26 Mar 2013)

Simon Coveney: Under the Rural Development Programme 2007 - 2013 [RDP] close on €4.8Bn, including national exchequer top up of €516 million, is allocated at programme level. This amount includes an allocation of EAFRD funding of €2.94Bn. Since the launch of the RDP expenditure under the programme up to the end 2012 amounted to €3.74bn. This represents close on 77.6% of the total...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Cereal Sector (26 Mar 2013)

Simon Coveney: ...farmers, the cereals sector is a key source of grain for the milling and malting industry and feeding stuffs for the livestock sector.Annual cereals production in Ireland has fluctuated around 2 million tonnes in recent years and it is desirable to try and sustain this level of production in order to avoid over dependence on imported cereals. According to the CSO Cereals Supply Balance...

Common Agricultural Policy Reform: Statements (14 Mar 2013)

Simon Coveney: ...total EU budget was cut by 7%. This represented a good negotiating outcome in the face of significant pressure from several sources for a higher cut to CAP expenditure. Ireland has secured €1.5 billion per year for agriculture, or €11 billion over the seven-year period of the CAP. Another crucial issue in the MFF agreement is the distribution of CAP funds between member...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Sheepmeat Sector (26 Feb 2013)

Simon Coveney: ...and export markets were evenly matched with supplies, particularly during the peak periods of hogget and main season lamb supply. Slaughterings in 2012 were up 12%, or 260,000 head to 2.43 million sheep. This included 68,000 extra hoggets, 160,000 extra lambs and 32,000 additional ewes and rams slaughtered in 2012. On another positive note, exports of Irish sheep meat registered a...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Direct Payment Scheme Applications (21 Feb 2013)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 209 to 211, inclusive, together. The change in the national ceiling for direct payments from €1,255 million currently to an average of €1,214 million in the new round (2014 to 2020) arises as a result of the European Council agreement of 8 February on the Multi-annual Financial Framework (MFF). This agreed a 3% cut in the CAP budget and a 7%...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Welfare Bodies (13 Feb 2013)

Simon Coveney: My Department provides funding to animal welfare organisations involved in the delivery of animal care to a range of companion animals including dogs. In December 2012, funding of €1.365 million was awarded to 140 organisations. Details of the recipients of funds are set out in the following table and are also available on my Departments website at:...

Other Questions: Agriculture Schemes Payments (12 Feb 2013)

Simon Coveney: ...to be a five year scheme for beef animals born in herds owned by eligible participants during the period, which commenced on 1 January 2008 and ended on 31 December 2012, and delivered in excess of €150 million to those participating. I have made funding of €10 million available in 2013 to continue to make aid payments on calves born in the latter half of 2012 to ensure...

Other Questions: Agriculture Schemes Payments (12 Feb 2013)

Simon Coveney: There is a simple answer to that question - there was not enough available. We had been using unspent funds for the dairy discussion groups, on which we were spending approximately €6 million a year. I have taken this money from the dairy sector because it now has proof that such discussion groups work. The approximately 7,000 dairy farmers involved in discussion groups can see the...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Suckler Welfare Scheme Payments (12 Feb 2013)

Simon Coveney: With particular regard to Suckler Farmers I have made funding of €10 million available in 2013 under the Suckler Welfare Scheme to continue to make aid payments on calves born in 2012, and earlier years when applicable. In excess of €150 million has been paid to participants in the Suckler Cow Welfare Scheme since its inception. In addition, I have allocated €10 million...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Disadvantaged Areas Scheme Payments (16 Jan 2013)

Simon Coveney: As part of the changes made to some schemes implemented by my Department for 2013 under the Budget process, I allocated an additional €5 million for funding payments under the Disadvantaged Areas Scheme in 2013. This brings the total funding for this Scheme to €195 million. However, in view of the level of expenditure under the 2012 Disadvantaged Areas Scheme, it was necessary...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Disadvantaged Areas Scheme Eligibility (20 Dec 2012)

Simon Coveney: I was extremely pleased that, even within tight budgetary discipline, I was able to increase the funding for Disadvantaged Areas Scheme by €5 million in 2013, to bring the total funds available up to €195 million. However, in view of the existing level of expenditure under this Scheme in 2012, it is still necessary to make adjustments, in order to keep within the new allocation....

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Disadvantaged Areas Scheme Eligibility (20 Dec 2012)

Simon Coveney: I was extremely pleased that, even within tight budgetary discipline, I was able to increase the funding for Disadvantaged Areas Scheme by €5 million in 2013, to bring the total funds available up to €195 million. However, in view of the existing level of expenditure under this Scheme in 2012, it is still necessary to make adjustments, in order to keep within the new allocation....

Other Questions: Sheep Grassland Scheme (13 Dec 2012)

Simon Coveney: ...Ferris. I would like to explain the decisions taken in last week's budget on the sheep grassland scheme. We had a three year grassland scheme which was costing the country approximately €18 million a year, using unspent funds under Pillar 1. The aim of the scheme and the idea behind it was to increase the number of sheep being farmed in Ireland because for ten years in a row the...

Other Questions: Sheep Grassland Scheme (13 Dec 2012)

Simon Coveney: .... I answered questions on the beef sector for Deputy Martin Ferris, but I will respond to Deputy Mick Wallace. I am not targeting the small guys. The new scheme we are putting in place - a €10 million scheme - will ensure farmers with 20 or fewer suckler cows will receive payments on all of them. We made this provision deliberately to ensure smaller farmers would receive their...