Parliamentary questions

Northern Ireland

Micheál Martin

1. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Taoiseach if he will provide details of his statement on 17 October 2014 regarding the commencement of political talks in Northern Ireland. [41669/14]

Northern Ireland

Micheál Martin

2. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Taoiseach his views on his close contact with the British Prime Minister, David Cameron, on the political talks in Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41670/14]

Northern Ireland

Micheál Martin

3. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Taoiseach the discussions he has had with the British Prime Minister, David Cameron, regarding the Northern Ireland talks; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41691/14]

Northern Ireland

Micheál Martin

4. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Taoiseach if he has spoken to the British Prime Minister, David Cameron, regarding the next stage of the talks in Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43795/14]

Northern Ireland

Gerry Adams

5. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Taoiseach if he will provide details of his statement on 7 October 2014 regarding the commencement of political talks in the North of Ireland. [43810/14]

Northern Ireland

Gerry Adams

6. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Taoiseach if he will report on discussions he has had with the British Prime Minister, David Cameron, regarding the political talks in the north of Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43811/14]

Northern Ireland

Joe Higgins

7. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Taoiseach if he will report on discussions with the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom regarding Northern Ireland. [43820/14]

Northern Ireland

Joe Higgins

8. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Taoiseach if he will report on discussions with the First Minister and Deputy First Minister and other political leaders in Northern Ireland. [43821/14]

Northern Ireland

Micheál Martin

9. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Taoiseach if he has discussed the best way to deal with the legacy of the past in Northern Ireland with the British Prime Minister, David Cameron; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44782/14]

Northern Ireland

Micheál Martin

10. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Taoiseach if he has been provided with a report by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade on progress after seven weeks of political talks in the north of Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46810/14]

Northern Ireland

Micheál Martin

11. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Taoiseach when his Government expects an agreement on the all-party talks in Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46811/14]

Northern Ireland

Gerry Adams

12. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Taoiseach if the prospect for success of political talks, involving all parties in the North of Ireland, and both Governments, was discussed at the recent meeting of the British-Irish Council on the Isle of Man; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46819/14]

Northern Ireland

Gerry Adams

13. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Taoiseach if he met the British Prime Minister, David Cameron, while attending the European Union Council meeting; if efforts to reach agreement between the North’s Executive parties was discussed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2136/15]

Northern Ireland

Gerry Adams

14. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Taoiseach if he will report on his discussions with the British Prime Minister, David Cameron, in Belfast in December 2014; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2142/15]

Northern Ireland

Gerry Adams

15. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Taoiseach if he will report on subsequent discussions with the British Prime Minister, David Cameron, following their departure from Belfast on 12 December 2014; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2144/15]

Northern Ireland

Gerry Adams

16. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Taoiseach if he will report on the Government's commitments to the Stormont House Agreement of December 2014; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2145/15]

Northern Ireland

Micheál Martin

17. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Taoiseach the position regarding the meeting with the British Prime Minister, David Cameron, on 11 and 12 December 2014 in Belfast; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2160/15]

Northern Ireland

Micheál Martin

18. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Taoiseach if he has spoken to the British Prime Minister, David Cameron, regarding the recent deal in the North of Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2177/15]

Northern Ireland

Micheál Martin

19. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Taoiseach if he has spoken to the British Prime Minister, David Cameron, regarding the lack of agreement between the parties in Northern Ireland regarding flags and parades; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2178/15]

Northern Ireland

Micheál Martin

20. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Taoiseach his views on the 23 December 2014 Stormont House Agreement; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3268/15]

Northern Ireland

Micheál Martin

21. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Taoiseach the position regarding the joint paper that the Irish and British Governments agreed before talks took place on 11 December 2014; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3276/15]

Northern Ireland

Micheál Martin

22. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Taoiseach the position regarding his telephone conversation with Prime Minister Cameron; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3277/15]

Northern Ireland

Richard Boyd Barrett

23. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Taoiseach if he will report on his discussions with the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom around the political talks leading up to the Stormont House Agreement; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4358/15]

Agriculture Schemes

Éamon Ó Cuív

129. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the estimated cost of the superlevy fine on Ireland for 2015; the steps taken by him to have this reduced; the success to date of his efforts; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6829/15]

GLAS Payments

Martin Ferris

130. Deputy Martin Ferris asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will accept that a quarter payment to farmers in the green low-carbon agri-environmental scheme, as is proposed for October, is inadequate. [6900/15]

Agriculture Scheme Eligibility

Tom Fleming

131. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will prioritise the old-young farmers category for the 60% grant in the new targeted agricultural measures; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6828/15]

Rural Development Plan

Éamon Ó Cuív

132. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when the new rural development plan is due to be agreed; the dates the various schemes will open under the plan in 2015; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6830/15]

Installation Aid Scheme Eligibility

Martin Ferris

133. Deputy Martin Ferris asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the measures being taken to resolve the situation of those farmers under 40 years of age, who have been farming full-time for five years, but who are unable to get access to the national reserve. [6901/15]

Harbours and Piers Development

Terence Flanagan

134. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his plans for Howth Harbour; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6676/15]

Animal Welfare

Maureen O'Sullivan

135. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine in view of a recent hunting report (details supplied), which reveals that a fox was hunted by 37 hounds for over 13 miles, if he will acknowledge the cruelty involved and remove the exemption for fox hunting from the Animal Health and Welfare Act 2013; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6665/15]

Beef Exports

Paul Murphy

136. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his views regarding the possible future effects on the reputation of Irish beef, arising from the involvement of a company (details supplied), as the first major distributor of Irish beef in America. [6680/15]

Aquaculture Licences

Éamon Ó Cuív

137. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of applications received each year by his Department for fin-fish farming licences since he became Minister; the number of these that have been decided; granted; refused; and broken down between renewal of licences and new licences; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6623/15]

GLAS Eligibility

Denis Naughten

138. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if limestone karst and waterlogged soil areas in County Roscommon and in the east of County Galway will be defined as water-vulnerable areas under the new green low-carbon agri-environment scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6617/15]

Agrifood Sector

Tom Fleming

139. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the impact, to date, of the food sanctions imposed by Russia, and the supports the European Union is providing to alleviate the losses to the Irish agriculture sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6684/15]

GLAS Establishment

Éamon Ó Cuív

140. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his plans to allow all eligible applicants into the green low-carbon agri-environment scheme on a first-come, first-in basis in 2015, in view of the delay in commencing the scheme; if he will ensure that farmers will receive a significant payment under the scheme this year and all the funds provided under the scheme in the Estimates are paid out; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6625/15]

Trade Agreements

Paul Murphy

141. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his Department has assessed the risk of the Irish ban on hormone-treated beef being undermined by the transatlantic trade and investment partnership agreement; and his views on the quality of food standards in view of the negotiations on the agreement. [6679/15]

GLAS Eligibility

Denis Naughten

142. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if limestone karst and waterlogged soil areas will be defined as water-vulnerable areas under the new green low-energy agri-environment scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6618/15]

Trade Strategy

Éamon Ó Cuív

143. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the negotiations that have taken place to ensure access to the Chinese market for dairy produce from Ireland and other states of the European Union on the same basis as New Zealand and Australia; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6624/15]

Departmental Reports

Mattie McGrath

144. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will publish his Department's internal report into the special investigations unit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6619/15]

Trade Agreements

Bernard Durkan

145. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if in the context of trade agreement discussions between the European Union and the United States of America, he remains satisfied that the interests of the agrifood sector in Ireland and in the European Union are adequately provided for and will not become disadvantaged in the course of parallel trade negotiations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6651/15]

Agriculture Scheme Administration

Mattie McGrath

146. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his response to the recommendation by the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine that the new investigations division in the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine should possess no authority to determine direct farm payments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6620/15]

Farm Safety Scheme

Éamon Ó Cuív

147. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if there will be a new farm safety scheme in 2015; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6627/15]

Bord na gCon Administration

Clare Daly

148. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will provide details of the recent loan of €250,000 granted by Bord na gCon to a company (details supplied) in County Tipperary, in view of reported debts on the part of both Bord na gCon and the company receiving the loan and reports of the company's inability to pay Bord na gCon's race entry fees; if he will provide details on the decision-making process as regards the granting of this loan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6672/15]

GLAS Eligibility

Patrick O'Donovan

149. Deputy Patrick O'Donovan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his Department's plans to address the difficulties faced by farmers whose lands have been designated as sanctuaries for protecting the habitat of hen harriers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6621/15]

Trade Agreements

Seamus Healy

150. Deputy Seamus Healy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine in view of the prediction by the Rosa Luxemburg Foundation of up to 1 million displaced jobs in the European Union due to the proposed transatlantic trade and investment partnership between the United States of America and the European Union and the danger that the Irish food market will be flooded with low-grade, hormone-injected and genetically-modified products from the United States of America as a result of such a deal, if he will report to Dáil Éireann on a monthly basis on the progress of these negotiations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5841/15]

Drugs in Sport

Clare Daly

151. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question No. 256 of 27 January 2015, if he is satisfied with the current standards of drug testing in the greyhound industry, in view of his comments that no confirmed cases of stanozolol have been reported in Bord na gCon samples to date, despite reported widespread use of this drug in the industry; if he will provide details on the process of testing for this drug; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6673/15]

Animal Welfare

Maureen O'Sullivan

152. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his views on the fact that due to the cancellation of a national coursing meeting in Clonmel, County Tipperary, due to weather conditions, hares were kept in unnatural and stressful captivity overnight at the venue, while awaiting the meeting to recommence; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6664/15]

Drugs in Sport

Mick Wallace

153. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the measures in place to deal with persons or shops who are found to have sold illegal substances for use in the greyhound industry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6675/15]

Food Harvest 2020 Strategy

Bernard Durkan

154. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the extent to which the objectives of Food Harvest 2020 remain attainable, or can be further enhanced, having particular regard to developments in the various food sectors in the interim, including the opening up of the market to Irish beef and opportunities for the dairy sector in the United States of America in the aftermath of the abolition of milk quotas; if he envisages the emergence of new targets in such areas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6650/15]

Fishery Harbour Centres

Terence Flanagan

155. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will provide an update on the implementation of the recommendations for fishery harbours in the Comptroller and Auditor General's report entitled Financial Management and Reporting; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6677/15]