Results 12,121-12,140 of 18,496 for speaker:Brendan Smith

Written Answers — Afforestation Programme: Afforestation Programme (29 Sep 2010)

Brendan Smith: Coillte Teoranta has reported that 749 hectares of forest were destroyed. Full information on the extent of the loss among private forest owners is not available.

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (29 Sep 2010)

Brendan Smith: The introduction of direct income support to farmers in the early 1990s resulted in the implementation of the Area Aid application system. This system involved the obligatory submission by farmers, who wished to apply for Livestock Premia (Suckler Cow Premium, Ewe Premium etc.) and Arable Aid of an Area Aid application form each year detailing the land they were farming. Since the system...

Written Answers — Afforestation Programme: Afforestation Programme (29 Sep 2010)

Brendan Smith: My Department has granted approval for a 48 hectare pilot afforestation project on industrial cutaway peatland owned by Bord na Mona. The project is not eligible for forestry premiums.

Written Answers — Afforestation Programme: Afforestation Programme (29 Sep 2010)

Brendan Smith: The role of forestry in relation to climate change forms part of the ongoing review of State forestry policy. The Review Group is scheduled to report by the end of the year.

Written Answers — Afforestation Programme: Afforestation Programme (29 Sep 2010)

Brendan Smith: The Government has approved the heads of the Forestry Bill, and discussions are continuing between my Department and the Office of the Attorney General with a view to finalizing the text of the Bill. It would be my intention to publish the Bill in the current Parliamentary Session. A comprehensive review of the Forestry Act, 1988, establishing Coillte Teoranta, is not proposed at present.

Written Answers — Afforestation Programme: Afforestation Programme (29 Sep 2010)

Brendan Smith: National calculations of greenhouse gas emissions and uptake in peatland afforestation include changes in soils below ground as well as biomass. Five carbon pools are reported: above ground biomass, below ground biomass, litter, dead organic matter and soils. Calculations are in accordance with the Common Reporting Formats of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change and the greenhouse...

Written Answers — Afforestation Programme: Afforestation Programme (29 Sep 2010)

Brendan Smith: Felling licence applications do not make reference to the soil type in which trees are planted. Therefore the Department does not collate the information requested.

Written Answers — Afforestation Programme: Afforestation Programme (29 Sep 2010)

Brendan Smith: Analysis has been done by my Department, through COFORD (National Council for Forest Research and Development), on the environmental effects of forestry operations, including forest replanting, on peatland. The PEnrich project (Forestry Operations and Eutrophication), was a joint COFORD/EPA funded project which examined the influence of forestry and forest operations on water quality. The...

Written Answers — Nitrates Directive: Nitrates Directive (29 Sep 2010)

Brendan Smith: The definition of peat soils used by my Department is taken from Peatlands of Ireland, Soil Survey Bulletin by R.F. Hammond (1979). It constitutes a peat layer greater than 30 cm on drained peats and greater than 45 cm on undrained peats. It is not proposed to change this. The soil classification criterion used in the Nitrates regulations, the European Communities (Good Agricultural...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (29 Sep 2010)

Brendan Smith: Details of the amount spent during the requested periods are shown in the table below: Year Total € 2007 924,019.60 2008 1,008,088.10 2009 701,944.06 2010 — (first six months) 261,296.20 My Department currently has 1,644 active mobile phone accounts, the supply of which is split between Vodafone and O The framework agreement is intended to maximise volume discounts and provide for...

Written Answers — Land Commission Documents: Land Commission Documents (29 Sep 2010)

Brendan Smith: A solicitor for a person named has inspected documents for the two estates mentioned in the request in the Records Branch of my Department in Portlaoise. Copies of certain documents were given to the solicitor and inspection of other documents was facilitated. The only documents that were not available were the fair rent orders/judicial tenancies mentioned in the details. My Department has...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (29 Sep 2010)

Brendan Smith: The information the Deputy requested is in the following tables: Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Full-Time Equivalent (FTE) Staff by Grade as at end-August 2010 Grade FTE Administrative Officer 20.40 Administrative Officer — Higher Scale 3.00 Advisory Counsel — Grade 3 1.00 Agricultural Inspector 75.94 Area Superintendent 15.00 Assistant Agricultural Inspector...

Written Answers — Fisheries Protection: Fisheries Protection (29 Sep 2010)

Brendan Smith: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1678 and 1679 together. Following a recent Court judgement in the Netherlands the importation of mussel seed into that jurisdiction for the purposes of relaying is no longer permitted. The import of mussels for direct human consumption is not currently affected. However I am concerned about the possibility that the implementation of the Court judgement by the...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (29 Sep 2010)

Brendan Smith: An application under the 2010 Single Payment Scheme/Disadvantaged Areas Scheme was received from the person named on 17 May 2010. Payments under the Disadvantaged Areas Scheme commenced on 22 September, with payments issuing in respect of those cases cleared for payment at that stage. Payments have continued to issue, as outstanding issues are resolved. The application of the person named has...

Written Answers — Rural Environment Protection Scheme: Rural Environment Protection Scheme (29 Sep 2010)

Brendan Smith: The person named is a participant in REPS 3. He is not entitled to any payment until he starts the fifth year of his contact on 1 December. He has to send in his Form 1C, his application for payment, before 1 January.

Written Answers — Afforestation Programme: Afforestation Programme (8 Jul 2010)

Brendan Smith: I am advised that, in relation to land owned by Coillte in Co. Mayo, some 2,875.32 hectares are designated Special Areas of Conservation [SACs] and some 389.39 hectares as Special Protection Areas [SPAs]. Both of these designations (SACs and SPAs) are collectively known as Natura 2000 sites. They overlap in some instances so they cannot be summed to give a total. In relation to the land...

Written Answers — EU Schemes: EU Schemes (8 Jul 2010)

Brendan Smith: I understand that the Deputy's Question relates to payment on various types of land under REPS and the Agri-Environment Options Scheme. The position is that I have made proposals to the European Commission to increase the rate of payment on SACs and other Natura areas under the Agri-Environment Options Scheme. I have no plans to increase the rate of payment under REPS.

Written Answers — EU Schemes: EU Schemes (8 Jul 2010)

Brendan Smith: By the closing date of 17 May 2010, my Department had received over 9,000 applications under the recently introduced Agri-environmental Options Scheme from farmers who, if they prove eligible, will be entitled to up to €5,000 per year for the period ending 31 December 2015. Together with ongoing commitments in REPS, this means that all EU funding for agri-environment payments up to the end...

Written Answers — Horse Racing Industry: Horse Racing Industry (8 Jul 2010)

Brendan Smith: Statutory responsibility for prize money for horse racing tests with Horse Racing Ireland (HRI) in accordance with Section 8. (1) (a) (iv) of the Horse and Greyhound Racing Act, 2001. I understand from HRI that prize money produces a significant multiplier effect. The Dukes Report "Analysis of the economic impact of the Irish Thoroughbred Industry", commissioned by ITBA, directed by Alan...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (8 Jul 2010)

Brendan Smith: Payment will issue to the person named within ten working days.