Results 11,901-11,920 of 18,496 for speaker:Brendan Smith

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (27 Oct 2010)

Brendan Smith: An application under the 2010 Single Payment Scheme was received from the person named on 12 May 2010. My Department identified an over-claim error on a number of land parcels declared by the applicant. A response has now been received from the herd owner in relation to these over-claims. Further re-digitisation is now required to ensure compliance with the relevant EU Regulations;...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (27 Oct 2010)

Brendan Smith: An application under the 2010 Single Payment Scheme/Disadvantaged Areas Scheme was received from the person named on 12 May 2010. The person named received advance payments under the Disadvantaged Areas Scheme on 21 September and under the Single Payment Scheme on 18 October, in both cases on the basis of the land cleared at that stage. A number of the land parcels declared by the person...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (27 Oct 2010)

Brendan Smith: An application under the 2010 Single Payment Scheme/Disadvantaged Areas Scheme was received from the person named on 13 May 2010. The person named received advance payments under the Disadvantaged Areas Scheme on 21 September and under the Single Payment Scheme on 18 October, in both cases on the basis of the land cleared at that stage. A number of the land parcels declared by the person...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (27 Oct 2010)

Brendan Smith: An application under the 2010 Single Payment Scheme/Disadvantaged Areas Scheme was received from the person named on 15 April 2010. The person named received advance payments under the Disadvantaged Areas Scheme on 21 September and under the Single Payment Scheme on 18 October, in both cases on the basis of the land cleared at that stage. A number of the land parcels declared by the person...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (27 Oct 2010)

Brendan Smith: An application under the 2010 Single Payment Scheme was received from the person named on 13 April 2010. A number of parcels listed by the person named on the application required re-digitisation; this process is now complete and the payment due will issue to the person named shortly.

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (27 Oct 2010)

Brendan Smith: My Department has received over 123,000 applications for the Single Payment Scheme and 102,000 for the Disadvantaged Areas Scheme. It is expected that when processing is completed over 70,000 of these will require digitising to be carried out on some or all of the land parcels the applicant has submitted, compared to an average of 22,000 in previous years. As a result, my Department has...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (27 Oct 2010)

Brendan Smith: The EU Regulations governing REPS 4 and other area-based schemes provide that payments issue in two instalments. The first instalment of 75% may be paid once all administrative checks on all applications, as well as cross-checks against areas declared on Single Payment Scheme applications, have been completed. This process is under way and while my objective is to make all payments as soon...

Written Answers — Pigmeat Sector: Pigmeat Sector (27 Oct 2010)

Brendan Smith: The information requested by the Deputy is commercially sensitive and I regret that I cannot issue it to him. However, I can say that to date a total of €100m has been paid out under the Pigmeat Recall Scheme: €35m in 2008, €55m in 2009 and €10m in 2010.

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (27 Oct 2010)

Brendan Smith: The person named registered 18 animals into the Suckler Welfare Scheme for 2008 and 2009. One of the conditions of the Suckler Welfare Scheme is that an applicant is required to submit a valid Single Payment application for each year. The person named has not submitted a Single Payment application since 2007 and is, therefore, not eligible for payment under the Suckler Welfare Scheme....

Written Answers — Departmental Agencies: Departmental Agencies (27 Oct 2010)

Brendan Smith: The number of appointments that can be made to the board of each State agency under the aegis of my Department are listed in the table below: Body Number of Board members Aquaculture Licensing Appeals Board (ALAB) 9 Bord Bia 15 Bord Iascaigh Mhara 6 Bord na gCon 7 Coillte Teoranta 9 Horse Racing Ireland 14 Irish National Stud 7 Marine Institute 9 National Milk Agency 5 Sea...

Written Answers — Departmental Agencies: Departmental Agencies (27 Oct 2010)

Brendan Smith: There are 10 State Agencies under the aegis of my Department, namely: Bord Bia Bord Iascaigh Mhara Bord na gCon Coillte Teoranta Horse Racing Ireland Irish National Stud Marine Institute National Milk Agency Sea Fisheries Protection Authority (SFPA) Teagasc The annual budget is available in the Annual Report of each State Body which is held in the library of the Houses of the...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (27 Oct 2010)

Brendan Smith: An application under the 2010 Single Payment Scheme/Disadvantaged Areas Scheme was received from the person named on 15 April 2010. The person named received advance payments under the Disadvantaged Areas Scheme on 21 September and under the Single Payment Scheme on 18 October, in both cases on the basis of the land cleared at that stage. A number of the land parcels declared by the person...

Written Answers — Departmental Offices: Departmental Offices (27 Oct 2010)

Brendan Smith: All issues in relation to leases for Government Departments/Offices, including my Department is a matter for the Office of Public Works. However, earlier this year, my Department vacated a significant amount of the space previously occupied at Dockgate in Galway in order to accommodate additional staff of the Department of Social Protection, which resulted in a significant saving in the...

Seanad: Food Harvest 2020 Report: Statements (27 Oct 2010)

Brendan Smith: I am glad to have the opportunity to discuss the Food Harvest 2020 report in the Seanad. Food Harvest 2020 is an ambitious but realistic strategy for growth in the agrifood sector in the next ten years. It builds on the work of the agri-vision report, the focus and strategies of which the Department and State agencies have implemented very successfully in the three years up to the end of...

Seanad: Food Harvest 2020 Report: Statements (27 Oct 2010)

Brendan Smith: The 150,000 figure relates to direct employment, with further jobs downstream. The figure of 230,000 probably does not encompass the level of employment in the entire industry.

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (21 Oct 2010)

Brendan Smith: Staff in my Department work in a large number of functional areas and the majority are involved in enforcement of regulation and policy to varying degrees. Current staffing levels in the various streams are as follows: Administrative: 1,901.3 Agricultural Inspectorate: 190.4 Veterinary: ...

Written Answers — Environmental Schemes: Environmental Schemes (21 Oct 2010)

Brendan Smith: Under the EU Regulations governing the Agri-Environment Options Scheme and the NATURA 2000 Scheme comprehensive administrative checks, including cross-checks with the Land Parcel Identification System, must be completed as part of the approval process. These checks are underway and a decision will issue at the earliest possible date to the person named once they have been completed.

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (21 Oct 2010)

Brendan Smith: An application under the 2010 Single Payment Scheme/Disadvantaged Areas Scheme was received from the person named on 6 May 2010. This application has now been fully processed and payment will issue shortly.

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (21 Oct 2010)

Brendan Smith: The information requested by the Deputy in respect of staff in my Department is given in 4 separate Tables. The full years' savings generated in 2009 due to staffing reductions was 7.4 million when compared to the 2008 outturn. Comparison between my Department's salary and overtime outturn at end-September 2010 and end-September 2009 shows savings of €18 million. It should be noted that...

Food Harvest 2020 Report: Statements (21 Oct 2010)

Brendan Smith: I welcome the opportunity to discuss the Food Harvest 2020 report in Dáil Éireann. This is the first opportunity I have had to congratulate Deputy Andrew Doyle on his appointment as Fine Gael spokesperson on agriculture, fisheries and food. I look forward to working with him over the next few years. I also take the opportunity to compliment Deputy Michael Creed on his work as...