Results 12,601-12,620 of 18,496 for speaker:Brendan Smith

Written Answers — Fisheries Protection: Fisheries Protection (6 May 2010)

Brendan Smith: I am aware of fishermen's concerns regarding the seal populations in and around our coasts. With regard to the role that the seal plays in the conservation of fish stocks, seals eat a wide array of fish and invertebrates. I am informed that their diet appears to vary considerably depending on location, time of year and the abundance of available prey. Insofar as management of the national...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (6 May 2010)

Brendan Smith: For some time recently, the processing of REPS payments has been delayed in my Department's local offices in Kerry because two vacant supervisory posts remained unfilled in line with the Government's moratorium on recruitment and promotion in the civil service. My Department has now put arrangements in place to resolve the situation. This will enable the processing of claims to proceed and...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (6 May 2010)

Brendan Smith: For some time recently, the processing of REPS payments has been delayed in my Department's local offices in Kerry because two vacant supervisory posts remained unfilled in line with the Government's moratorium on recruitment and promotion in the civil service. My Department has now put arrangements in place to resolve the situation. This will enable the processing of claims to proceed and...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (6 May 2010)

Brendan Smith: An official of my Department has been in direct contact with the person named regarding the dual claim of one land parcel under the 2009 Single Payment Scheme, following which the case is now being further reviewed. The person named will be advised of the outcome of the review shortly.

Written Answers — Farm Retirement Scheme: Farm Retirement Scheme (6 May 2010)

Brendan Smith: Payment of the Early Retirement pension to the person named commenced on 28 February 2010. Arrears of pension backdated to 1 October 2009, the date of valid application, were included with the first payment.

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (6 May 2010)

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

Written Answers — Afforestation Programme: Afforestation Programme (6 May 2010)

Brendan Smith: The total area of land owned by Coillte is 426,500 hectares with an additional 3,000 hectares on long term lease and 12,500 hectares under the company's management through farm partnerships – this equates to 442,000 hectares. Some 80 % of Coillte's land is under forestry. Details are not readily available as to areas specifically earmarked for or currently utilized for alternative...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (6 May 2010)

Brendan Smith: REPS 4 is a measure under the current Rural Development Programme 2007–13 and is subject to EU Regulations which require detailed administrative checks on all applications to be completed before the first payments issue. Queries arose on the application from the person named and my officials requested that an amended plan be submitted. This plan was received on 12 April 2010 and my...

Written Answers — Fireblight Levels: Fireblight Levels (5 May 2010)

Brendan Smith: There has been no report of fireblight this year. The Department's annual survey for Fireblight (Erwinia amylovora) commences in early June each year and runs until mid-October, as this is the optimum period for observing Fireblight symptoms in Ireland. During this period it is proposed to send approximately 1,600 samples for laboratory analysis. Last year's annual survey returned 21...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (5 May 2010)

Brendan Smith: An application under the Single Payment Scheme/Disadvantaged Areas Scheme was received from the person named on the 5 May 2006 declaring a total area of 70.52ha This application was selected for and was the subject of a ground eligibility inspection. During the course of the inspection discrepancies were found with parcel number D3332905 and D3330911 and the area found eligible for Single...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (5 May 2010)

Brendan Smith: The application from the person named is being dealt with in one of my Department's local offices in Kerry. For some time recently, the processing of REPS payments has been delayed in these offices because two vacant supervisory posts remained unfilled in line with the Government's moratorium on recruitment and promotion in the civil service. My Department has now put arrangements in place...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (5 May 2010)

Brendan Smith: The person named submitted an application under the 2005 National Reserve under Categories B and D. Category B catered for farmers, who made an investment between the 1 January 2000 and 19 October 2003, in production capacity in a farming sector for which a direct payment under Livestock Premia and/or Arable Aid schemes would have been payable during the reference period 2000 – 2002....

Written Answers — Crop Losses: Crop Losses (5 May 2010)

Brendan Smith: There have been many calls on my Department for assistance in recent times, not only in respect of the recognised difficulties in the dairy and sheep sectors, which I addressed through the Dairy Hardship Scheme, the Dairy Efficiency Scheme, the Upland Sheep Payment and the Grassland Sheep Scheme, but also in response to difficulties brought about by adverse weather conditions. Two issues,...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (5 May 2010)

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

Written Answers — Rural Environment Protection Scheme: Rural Environment Protection Scheme (5 May 2010)

Brendan Smith: On examination of the application from the person named, my officials concluded that the holding concerned in the application had been artificially created for the purpose of drawing down or maximising benefits under REPS. This decision was conveyed to the person named in a letter dated 3 March 2009. It is open to the person named to appeal this decision to the Agriculture Appeals Office.

Written Answers — Farm Retirement Scheme: Farm Retirement Scheme (5 May 2010)

Brendan Smith: An amended application from the person named is currently being examined in my Department. The applicant will be informed of the outcome once this examination is complete.

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (5 May 2010)

Brendan Smith: The above named person registered nineteen calves for this scheme in 2009. It is a condition of the Suckler Welfare Scheme that for herds of more than ten animals that a graduated weaning practice be implemented. The animals must be weaned in at least two separate groups with each group being removed at a minimal interval of at least five days. To date payment has not issued to this...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (5 May 2010)

Brendan Smith: The person concerned is an applicant under the Farm Improvement Scheme. Applications under this Scheme have been processed by my Department up to the level of funding provided for the Scheme in the 2006 Partnership agreement, Towards 2016. As the funding made available for the Scheme has been allocated to the eligible applications received up to 21 October 2007, there are no plans to...

Written Answers — Departmental Schemes: Departmental Schemes (5 May 2010)

Brendan Smith: I am satisfied that all reasonable steps have been taken to address the objections of the person named in the allocation of shares and that the matter has been fully investigated by my Department. The Scheme that approves the person named for one of the shares is proceeding. I believe that no useful purpose would be served by another meeting on the matter and I understand that the person...

Written Answers — Pigmeat Sector: Pigmeat Sector (5 May 2010)

Brendan Smith: The agreement concluded with pig processors in December 2008 involved making available a facility of up to €180 million from the public finances to assist processors in funding the recall and destruction of certain pork products from the market. To date, a total of €87.5m has been paid to qualifying applicants under the Pigmeat Recall Scheme. Of this, €41.5m has been paid to 9 primary...