Results 14,441-14,460 of 18,645 for speaker:Brendan Smith

Written Answers — Sheep Sector: Sheep Sector (30 Jun 2009)

Brendan Smith: The sheep sector benefits significantly from the main schemes operated by my Department — the Single Farm Payment, the Disadvantaged Areas Scheme and REPS. I also took account of the needs of this sector in deciding that the €7 million available from the National Reserve in 2009, should be used on a new Uplands Sheep Payment, which is expected to benefit approximately 14,000 hill sheep...

Written Answers — Food Industry: Food Industry (30 Jun 2009)

Brendan Smith: The issue of retail margins on food products and prices paid to producers have become a focal point of public debate in recent times, and this has been reflected in numerous fora both at home and abroad. I had an opportunity to discuss this recently with my EU counterparts at the EU Council of Ministers meeting at the end of May and it is obvious that this is not just an Irish issue but an...

Written Answers — Live Exports: Live Exports (30 Jun 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. Up to 20 June, some 2,500 head were exported to Great Britain this year — a 290% increase on the same period last year. Shipments of cattle to Northern Ireland are close to 31,600 head, an increase of some 230%. Total live cattle exports to the UK, at almost...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (30 Jun 2009)

Brendan Smith: 6,857 approvals have issued to farmers to commence work under the Farm Improvement Scheme and entitlement to grant-aid under the Scheme is established when it has been determined that the completed investment works are in compliance with the terms and conditions of the Scheme. To date in 2009, 985 payments totalling €12.3 million have been made to farmers who have completed work under the...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (30 Jun 2009)

Brendan Smith: Some 91% of farmers who applied for REPS 4 in 2007 and 2008 have received the first stage payment of 75% payment. I expect the remaining 25% payment to issue to these farmers within weeks. Arrangements are being made to ensure that the remaining applicants are paid as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Disadvantaged Areas: Disadvantaged Areas (30 Jun 2009)

Brendan Smith: There are currently three categories of Less Favoured Areas (LFAs) or Disadvantaged Areas in the EU, viz: Mountain Areas — there are none in Ireland but the category covers 16% of land area across the EU; Intermediate Less Favoured Areas — which covers over 99% of Ireland's LFAs; and Areas of Specific Handicap — which covers 0.4% of Ireland's LFAs (Coastal Regions). Prompted criticism...

Written Answers — Common Agricultural Policy: Common Agricultural Policy (30 Jun 2009)

Brendan Smith: I propose to take Questions Nos. 71 and 83 together. A first policy debate on CAP post 2013 took place at the Informal Agriculture Council in September last year under the French Presidency and the Czech Presidency has continued the debate in the first months of 2009. Notwithstanding discussions to date, concrete proposals have yet to emerge on the shape of EU agriculture policy beyond 2013....

Written Answers — Statutory Levies: Statutory Levies (30 Jun 2009)

Brendan Smith: The following table lists the statutory levies collected by my Department, together with information on the legislative basis for the levy, its use and the amount collected in 2008. Name of Levy Basis for collection (purpose/use) Amount collected in 2008 â'¬m Bord Bia statutory levy The An Bord Bia Act, 1994, provides for payment to the Board of a levy per head on cattle, sheep and pigs...

Written Answers — Common Fisheries Policy: Common Fisheries Policy (30 Jun 2009)

Brendan Smith: I propose to take Questions Nos. 74 and 102 together. The Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) is the fisheries policy of the European Union which was first put in place in 1983 and has been subject to reviews every 10 years, the most recent was in 2002 and the next is formally scheduled for 2012. On 21 April 2009 the European Commission published a Green Paper on the latest reform of the CFP in...

Written Answers — Rural Environment Protection Scheme: Rural Environment Protection Scheme (30 Jun 2009)

Brendan Smith: The withdrawal of the planned 17% increase in REPS 4 payments was necessitated by the overall difficult economic and financial situation and the funding available to me in the 2009 Vote for my Department. My officials are in discussion with the farm bodies regarding the possibility of a commensurate reduction in a farmer's obligations under the Scheme. As this is an EU-approved Scheme, any...

Written Answers — Farm Retirement Scheme: Farm Retirement Scheme (30 Jun 2009)

Brendan Smith: The Early Retirement Scheme was suspended for new applications on 14 October 2008. I am, however, conscious that some potential applicants were at an advanced stage of preparing an application when entry to the scheme was suspended and had made, or were making, arrangements to meet the requirements of the Scheme. I am aware of the difficulties which a number of such intending applicants had...

Written Answers — Farm Safety: Farm Safety (30 Jun 2009)

Brendan Smith: The Health and Safety Authority (HSA) is the national body in Ireland with the responsibility for the promotion and enforcement of workplace safety and health. I fully support the efforts made by the HSA to promote farm safety and health and to prevent farm accidents and fatalities. My Department is represented on the Farm Safety Partnership Advisory Committee and in December 2008 the HSA,...

Written Answers — Common Agricultural Policy: Common Agricultural Policy (30 Jun 2009)

Brendan Smith: By way of background, in the negotiations last year on the CAP Health Check, I managed to secure access to additional EU funding to fund a suite of measures under the Single Payments Regulation, targeted at vulnerable areas, particular sectors under pressure, improvement of animal welfare and/or agri-environment measures. The use of unspent Single Payment funds is a new concept. In fact I...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (30 Jun 2009)

Brendan Smith: The Deputy will be aware of the recent decision by the EU Commissioner, following representations from a number of member states including Ireland, to allow for an advance payment of 70% of the Single Payment Scheme with effect from 16 October. This will be of particular assistance to farmers experiencing difficulties in the dairy market and other sectors and will mean that almost €900...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (30 Jun 2009)

Brendan Smith: Under EU Regulations, payment on individual REPS 4 applications for 2009 cannot be made until completion of administrative and area checks on all applications received up to the closing date of 15 May 2009. At that stage 75% of the payment to each individual participant can be released, with the balance being payable when the last of the on-farm inspections for the year has taken place. I...

Written Answers — Fisheries Protection: Fisheries Protection (30 Jun 2009)

Brendan Smith: On 12 June, Minister of State, Deputy Tony Killeen, who has responsibility for Fisheries, wrote to the Fisheries Commissioner Joe Borg setting out changes he is seeking to the provisions of the Council Regulation for Total Allowable Catches and quotas for 2009 (Council Regulation 43/2009) in respect of the Cod Recovery Plan in the Irish Sea and in the North West and the new requirements for...

Written Answers — Fishing Industry Development: Fishing Industry Development (30 Jun 2009)

Brendan Smith: Oil prices have, in recent months, started to rise again and though they remain far below last year's all time high levels, they are a cause of concern for the Irish fishing fleet particularly in the current situation where fish prices are also depressed. Minister of State, Deputy Tony Killeen, at the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food had a meeting with European Commissioner Joe...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (30 Jun 2009)

Brendan Smith: About 17,000 applications were received under the 2009 REPS 4 Scheme. The precise number will be available shortly when the applications received in each of the local offices have been entered on my Department's computer system. This, coupled with the 12,145 REPS 4 applications lodged in 2007 and 2008, gives a total of about 29,000 applicants who are due a REPS 4 payment in 2009. In...

Written Answers — Dairy Industry: Dairy Industry (30 Jun 2009)

Brendan Smith: I welcome the discussion on the dairy market situation that took place at the recent European Council. This issue is of concern across the EU and it was encouraging that so many government leaders engaged with it. Following the discussion the Commission was invited to present an in-depth market analysis within the next two months. This report should include possible options for stabilising...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (30 Jun 2009)

Brendan Smith: The total number of applications received for 2009 was in the region of 17,000. The precise number will be available shortly when the applications received in each of the local offices have been entered on my Department's computer system.