Results 12,461-12,480 of 18,496 for speaker:Brendan Smith

Written Answers — Departmental Agencies: Departmental Agencies (26 May 2010)

Brendan Smith: It is the responsibility of the Teagasc Authority to exercise full and effective control over the organisation. Ministerial responsibility is confined to matters of policy in accordance with the Act establishing Teagasc and is not concerned with the day-to-day operations of Teagasc. The Teagasc Authority approved a major 'Change Programme' in March 2009 to reorganise and refocus the...

Written Answers — Organic Farming: Organic Farming (26 May 2010)

Brendan Smith: Most organic produce sold in Ireland, particularly fruit and vegetables, is imported. On the other hand, it has been established that there is very considerable potential for exports of organic beef and lamb. I believe, therefore, that organic production offers real market opportunities for Irish farmers and I am pleased that a growing numbers of farmers are actively thinking about the...

Written Answers — Beef Industry: Beef Industry (26 May 2010)

Brendan Smith: Officials of my Department are currently examining the new computer generated reports required to report beef carcase classification data in a format compatible with the new beef pricing grid. The new reports will be available once the necessary software programming is completed.

Written Answers — Rural Environment Protection Scheme: Rural Environment Protection Scheme (26 May 2010)

Brendan Smith: Some 10,000 former participants in REPS 3, having completed their five year contract under REPS and having left the scheme, would have been eligible to apply for participation in the Agri-Environment Options Scheme by the closing date for receipt of applications of 17 May 2010. The new scheme is open to all farmers, but I expect that many of those who have completed their REPS 3 contracts...

Written Answers — Departmental Agencies: Departmental Agencies (26 May 2010)

Brendan Smith: There are currently 100 staff serving in the Sea-Fisheries Protection Authority. The original allocation of staff to the Authority when set up in 2007 was 107. There were 103 staff serving in the Authority immediately prior to the Government moratorium on staff numbers in 2009.

Written Answers — Milk Prices: Milk Prices (26 May 2010)

Brendan Smith: It is not possible to predict exactly what milk price farmers can expect to get in any particular year. Dairy farmers incomes are comprised of the market price paid for milk and direct income support from the EU. Market forces have a major influence on the price paid to farmers for milk. World market prices determine the returns received by dairy processors and these in turn are reflected...

Written Answers — Departmental Correspondence: Departmental Correspondence (26 May 2010)

Brendan Smith: Earlier this year, my officials met with DG Enterprise in the EU Commission to explore the possibility of greater Irish involvement in the newly established forum to oversee the implementation of the recommendations High Level Group on the competitiveness of the EU Agri Food Industry. On foot of this meeting, I have recently written to Commissioner Tajani requesting that Ireland be included...

Written Answers — Departmental Programmes: Departmental Programmes (26 May 2010)

Brendan Smith: The Seafood Development Measure contained in the National Development Plan 2007-2013 is divided between the EU Co-funded Operational Programme and the National Seafood Development Operational Programme. The EU Co-funded OP has already commenced and has funded the 2008 decommissioning scheme which has allowed 46 boats to be decommissioned with grant aid totalling €36.6 million already paid...

Written Answers — EU Funding: EU Funding (26 May 2010)

Brendan Smith: The EU 7th Framework Programme (FP7) is the largest public good research programme in the world. It is playing a very significant role in strengthening the scientific and technological base of European industry and in encouraging international competitiveness while also promoting research that supports EU policies. FP7 provides a major opportunity for Irish research institutions and...

Written Answers — Beef Industry: Beef Industry (26 May 2010)

Brendan Smith: The mechanical classification system has been in operation for over five years and operates well within the statistical tolerances provided for in EU legislation. It has always classified beef carcases on the fifteen-point scale (i.e. including sub-classes within each main class for both conformation and fat). Officials of my Department have always checked the machine performance using the...

Written Answers — Beef Industry: Beef Industry (26 May 2010)

Brendan Smith: The performance of the beef carcase classification machine in each beef processing plant is monitored by regular unannounced inspections by officials of my Department. The purpose of these inspections is to determine whether the machines operate within the statistical parameters laid down by EU Regulations. The performance of the machine is determined using the scoring criteria laid down in...

Written Answers — Common Fisheries Policy: Common Fisheries Policy (26 May 2010)

Brendan Smith: The Informal Meeting of Fisheries Ministers in Vigo, Spain at the start of this month was attended by Sean Connick TD, Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries & Food. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss the reform of the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP). Discussions at the meeting were to inform a working document concerning reform options which will be prepared by...

Written Answers — Food Industry: Food Industry (26 May 2010)

Brendan Smith: Based on CSO provisional statistics, Bord Bia estimate that the value of food imports (excluding live animals) declined by six per cent in 2009 from €2.4billion euro to €2.3billion euro, however there was an increase in the underlying volumes primarily due to the weakness of sterling.

Written Answers — Farm Retirement Scheme: Farm Retirement Scheme (26 May 2010)

Brendan Smith: Since the first Scheme of Early Retirement from Farming was introduced in 1994, it has been the Department's practice to continue to pay the pension to dependants of participants who died before the period of their pension had elapsed. However, following recent audits of the Scheme by both the European Court of Auditors and the European Commission, the Commission has informed my Department...

Written Answers — Dairy Industry: Dairy Industry (26 May 2010)

Brendan Smith: Viability is affected by considerations such as geography, land quality, technical and management skills and market conditions, in addition to size and scale. The focus must therefore be on the achievement of the maximum possible efficiency in the production of milk by all producers. By producing milk at the lowest possible cost under whatever constraints or limitations may prevail, every...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (26 May 2010)

Brendan Smith: The Young Farmers' Installation Scheme was suspended for new applications on 14 October 2008 against the background of the deterioration in the national finances. 941 applications for grant-aid were received by my Department under the Scheme prior to its suspension and these applications are being processed to payment stage as the claims are approved. An allocation of €4.5 million has...

Written Answers — Dairy Industry: Dairy Industry (26 May 2010)

Brendan Smith: I have continually pressed the Commission to take all appropriate measures to deal with the dairy market situation, and in 2009 Public Intervention, Aids to Private Storage and Export Refunds helped to stabilise the market for dairy products. With regard to intervention for butter and skimmed milk powder, last October Commissioner Fischer Boel gave a commitment to manage the release of...

Written Answers — Health and Safety Regulations: Health and Safety Regulations (26 May 2010)

Brendan Smith: Farmers in receipt of direct payments (Single Payment Scheme, Disadvantaged Areas' Scheme and Rural Environmental Protection Scheme) must comply with a total of 18 Statutory Management Requirements (SMRs) in the areas of Environment, Public, Animal and Plant Health, and Animal Welfare. This is known as cross-compliance. Any change to the existing cross-compliance arrangements would require...

Written Answers — Rural Environment Protection Scheme: Rural Environment Protection Scheme (26 May 2010)

Brendan Smith: A total of 29,376 applications were received for participation in REPS 4 for payment in 2009. The acceptance of REPS 4 applications is governed by EU Regulations which require exhaustive administrative checks and on-the-spot inspections. In a significant number of the applications received, the administrative checks raised issues and queries which required further detailed examination. My...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (26 May 2010)

Brendan Smith: The new Grassland Sheep Scheme, which has a total budget of €54 million, will operate for three years: 2010, 2011 and 2012. This funding, which comes from the unused Single Payment funds, will provide a very important and timely boost to support incomes in the sheep sector over the next three years. The Scheme has been kept administratively simple, which will facilitate the Department in...