Results 13,681-13,700 of 18,496 for speaker:Brendan Smith

Dairy Sector. (26 Nov 2009)

Brendan Smith: As Deputy Sherlock is aware we have engaged in conversation both in the House and outside in respect of the work of this group. Our dairy consultative group will run in parallel with the work of the high level group. It is our intention to keep the consultative group fully informed of the issues under discussion at the high level group in the European Union in advance of the discussions in...

Dairy Sector. (26 Nov 2009)

Brendan Smith: Teagasc will participate. I do not know whether its representatives were present at the last meeting but I presume they were and I will clarify that for the Deputy. We want all relevant stakeholders to participate. We would be pleased to keep the Joint Committee on Agriculture, Fisheries and Food fully briefed and informed and we welcome its input. A large number of issues must be dealt...

Departmental Offices. (26 Nov 2009)

Brendan Smith: The Government approved my plan for a reorganisation of my Department's local office network last July. The plan involves reducing, from 57 to 16, the number of offices from which the Department will operate district veterinary, forestry and agricultural environment and structures support services in the future. The decision to close some 40 offices was made only after we had completed a...

Departmental Offices. (26 Nov 2009)

Brendan Smith: I welcome Deputy Creed's support for the rationalisation of our office network. He made that support known on previous occasions. When he refers to docking stations, I presume the Deputy is referring to making facilities and technology available at existing offices. Senior management in the Department has been involved with the personnel in all of our offices in respect of the...

Departmental Offices. (26 Nov 2009)

Brendan Smith: The Deputies who represent Cork East and Cork North-West have made adequate proposals on what they see as the optimum location for the enhanced office in their region. Management at the Department is involved in discussions with the officials in all the local offices to ensure that the rationalisation will result in the creation of the number of enhanced offices to which I referred earlier....

Departmental Offices. (26 Nov 2009)

Brendan Smith: I accept that. It is because offices should not be situated in city centre locations that a decision was taken to transfer operations from South Mall in Cork. Where possible, we should ensure that the service is brought out to local farming communities. However, I accept that this cannot always be done.

Departmental Offices. (26 Nov 2009)

Brendan Smith: Perhaps I might discuss with both Deputies the particular issues relating to location of the office for the north and east Cork areas on another occasion. I am sure Members share my view that there should be as much co-location as possible in respect of the offices of the Department and Teagasc. We are intent on taking this route. It is often the case that a person who goes to a...

Departmental Offices. (26 Nov 2009)

Brendan Smith: The use of technology has changed our ways and means of doing business and will continue to change them. In the past, far too many statutory agencies, be they Departments or local agencies or authorities standing alone in isolation in the provision of services to the public in general. There can be greater utilisation of public services by all Departments and agencies. I assure Deputy...

Live Exports. (26 Nov 2009)

Brendan Smith: The live export trade is an important element of Ireland's meat and livestock industry providing a complement to the beef trade. The UK remains the largest single destination with more than 81,500 animals exported in 2009, an increase of more than 150% on the same period in 2008. Of these exports, 86% consists of weanlings, stores and finished cattle with calves accounting for the...

Live Exports. (26 Nov 2009)

Brendan Smith: As Deputy Creed stated, of course the price is a critical issue for farming families. Unfortunately, those prices have declined and the economic conditions have added to their difficulties. The volume of beef sold on all our major markets has declined while demand has shifted towards cheaper cuts. Additionally, sales in food service outlets, such as restaurants, have fallen as fewer people...

Live Exports. (26 Nov 2009)

Brendan Smith: As everyone in the House agrees, live exports are absolutely essential. If we did not have them the competitive element of the industry would be rather weak. I am anxious that we have as strong a live export trade as possible. Naturally we want a strong beef processing industry also. That balance must be achieved because the beef industry is important for jobs in processing facilities....

Live Exports. (26 Nov 2009)

Brendan Smith: I want to see delays minimised. I had a meeting with the marts division of the Irish Co-operative Organisation Society on a number of issues. Delays were not an issue discussed at that meeting which was on minimising costs with regard to the number of personnel attending. In our area, I provided additional resources for marts and assembly centres for the export of animals. Particular...

Live Exports. (26 Nov 2009)

Brendan Smith: Deputy Brady has raised the issue with me on previous occasions. I will ensure that our exports meet statutory requirements and that no undue delays arise. I will also facilitate farmers and mart operators in transporting stock as rapidly as possible.

Common Agricultural Policy. (26 Nov 2009)

Brendan Smith: I am open to examining the benefits of premium payments for low carbon grass based production systems in the context of the future Common Agricultural Policy, along with the other policy options that are being put on the table. However, I believe it would be premature to direct Irish policy solely in such a specific direction at this time. The discussions on the Common Agricultural Policy...

Common Agricultural Policy. (26 Nov 2009)

Brendan Smith: I share the concerns of Deputies Doyle and Sherlock. We need to join up our thinking on climate change policy and the future of CAP. Teagasc and other institutes have been conducting research on methane gas emission from livestock and grasses. I have consistently raised with the Council of Ministers the need to ensure that the EU's proposal to the Copenhagen summit gives due cognisance to...

Grant Payments. (26 Nov 2009)

Brendan Smith: The suckler welfare scheme is funded fully by the Exchequer. The continuation of the scheme and the level of funding to be provided are budgetary matters which will be decided in the context of the forthcoming 2010 budget and the Estimates provision for the Department. The scheme was introduced in January 2008 and has more than 50,000 farmer participants. It covers approximately 85% of the...

Grant Payments. (26 Nov 2009)

Brendan Smith: This scheme was introduced in 2008 and the payments issued in 2008 and 2009 were the first under this new stream of income. Funding for the 2009 scheme will be paid early in 2010. We do not know yet what our Estimates will be for 2010 or the indicative budget for 2011. Therefore, I am not in a position to say whether we will have resources for the scheme beyond this year's commitment....

Grant Payments. (26 Nov 2009)

Brendan Smith: All the farm organisations have been supportive of the scheme and have lauded its merits. Although it is less than two years old, it has been successful in meeting its objectives of improving welfare and husbandry standards, building knowledge of herd health and improving the breed quality of the suckler herd. The Deputy, quite rightly, raised those issues, which are important in the context...

Rural Environment Protection Scheme. (26 Nov 2009)

Brendan Smith: REPS 4 was closed to new applicants in July against the background of the deterioration in the public finances, the limited resources available to the Department and the increasing cost of the scheme as a result of the increase in the number of REPS participants. Over 12,000 farmers joined REPS 4 in 2007 and 2008, and about 17,000 more applications were received up to the 2009 closing date...

Rural Environment Protection Scheme. (26 Nov 2009)

Brendan Smith: REPS is not intended primarily as an income support measure but as an agri-environment measure. However, we all know its importance to the income of farmers. My Department has been in consultation with other Departments, particularly the Department of Social and Family Affairs with regard to the loss of farm incomes, particularly during this year. The computations have been done of...