Results 17,001-17,020 of 18,645 for speaker:Brendan Smith

Financial Resolution No. 15: (General) Resumed (15 Oct 2008)

Brendan Smith: In preparing the 2009 Estimates for the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, my approach has been to focus available resources on measures that allow us to maintain and grow the productive capacity of the agri-food sector. That involved making choices, some of them difficult, but the choices I have made will facilitate the continued strategic development of the agri-food sector....

Financial Resolution No. 15: (General) Resumed (15 Oct 2008)

Brendan Smith: As Ireland is a major food producing and exporting economy, this is good news for the agriculture and food sector and presents us with opportunities into the future. It is precisely for this reason that I have targeted my Department's resources in 2009 at the most productive elements of the sector to ensure that it continues to prosper and continues towards achievement of its full...

Financial Resolution No. 15: (General) Resumed (15 Oct 2008)

Brendan Smith: While there have been a healthy number of applications under the installation scheme this year, applications for the early retirement scheme are relatively modest. However, it is worth making the point that all current participants in the scheme will be paid and applications received to date will be processed and next year almost €57 million is being provided to meet current commitments....

Written Answers — Local Authority Projects: Local Authority Projects (14 Oct 2008)

Brendan Smith: A draft lease was issued by my Department to Donegal County Council in respect of this project on 20 August 2008. The response of the County Council is awaited.

Written Answers — Harbours and Piers: Harbours and Piers (14 Oct 2008)

Brendan Smith: Aghada Pier, Midleton, Co. Cork is owned by Cork County Council and responsibility for its repair and maintenance rests with the Local Authority in the first instance. In late 2007, all coastal Local Authorities were asked to submit applications for priority harbour development projects to be included in my Department's Fishery Harbours and Coastal Infrastructure Development Programme for...

Written Answers — Departmental Agencies: Departmental Agencies (14 Oct 2008)

Brendan Smith: In the period referenced by the Deputy, one Agency, the Sea Fisheries Protection Authority (SFPA), was established on 1 January 2007 and came under the aegis of this Department in June 2007. It is responsible for the implementation and enforcement of National and EU Regulations on Sea Fisheries Protection and Seafood Safety. The budget in 2007 for the SFPA was €10.95 million with an...

Written Answers — Sheep Sector: Sheep Sector (14 Oct 2008)

Brendan Smith: Last year a series of measures were announced by my predecessor in support of the sheep industry in response to the recommendations of the Malone Report. These measures form a comprehensive package of support to address the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead. Good progress is being made in implementing the various measures. These include the following. National Reserve Payments of...

Written Answers — Farm Waste Management: Farm Waste Management (14 Oct 2008)

Brendan Smith: The claim for payment lodged by the person named is being processed by my Department. I would expect that payment will be made in the near future provided that the claim is in compliance with the terms and conditions of the Scheme.

Written Answers — Departmental Initiatives: Departmental Initiatives (14 Oct 2008)

Brendan Smith: My Department has wide-ranging initiatives in place for the assistance of farmers in agricultural production including, inter alia, disease eradication programmes, animal welfare schemes, quality assurance schemes and REPS. All these schemes contribute to the production of quality products be they organic or non-organic. An Bord Bia carries out a series of food promotion initiatives on an...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (14 Oct 2008)

Brendan Smith: National Organic Week, now in its fourth year, is an important event and serves to raise awareness among consumers about what organic food and farming is all about and where they can get organic produce. National Organic Week ran this year from 15 to 21 September and a wide range of events took place nationwide. The total cost to my Department will be in the region of €280,000. There is a...

Written Answers — Farm Retirement Scheme: Farm Retirement Scheme (14 Oct 2008)

Brendan Smith: It is a requirement of the EU Council Regulation under which the Early Retirement Scheme 2007 was introduced that the Early Retirement Pension can be paid only as a supplement to any national retirement pension to which the participant, and his or her spouse or partner in a joint management arrangement, is entitled. This means that the entire value of any such national retirement pension...

Written Answers — Information Obligations: Information Obligations (14 Oct 2008)

Brendan Smith: In March of this year, the Government decided to reduce the administrative burden of domestic regulation on business by 25% by 2012. The Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment is responsible for devising the approach and methodology to be used across Government, for co-ordinating this work across Government Departments and agencies and for reporting to Government on progress. At...

Written Answers — Legislative Programme: Legislative Programme (14 Oct 2008)

Brendan Smith: My Department has transposed 37 EU directives into national legislation in the past 12 months. Details are set out in the following schedule. EU Regulations and Decisions are binding in their entirety and directly applicable in all Member States and the question of transposition does not apply. Directive Number Implementation by Act or Statutory Instrument Directive 2005/36/EC of the...

Written Answers — EU Directives: EU Directives (14 Oct 2008)

Brendan Smith: The EU directives due to be transposed into Irish legislation by my Department are detailed in the following schedules. The 24 directives listed in Schedule One will be transposed by the due date. Two recently published codified directives listed in Schedule Two will be transposed shortly. EU Regulations and Decisions are binding in their entirety and directly applicable in all Member...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (14 Oct 2008)

Brendan Smith: While under the EU regulations governing the Single Payment Scheme, the earliest date payments may issue is 1 December of the scheme-year concerned, provision is also made for payments to be made earlier, subject to EU approval. Prompted by the very wet summer, which seriously affected farming, I approached the Agriculture Commissioner seeking agreement to an early advance 50% payment, in...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (14 Oct 2008)

Brendan Smith: While under the EU regulations governing the Single Payment Scheme, the earliest date payments may issue is 1 December of the scheme-year concerned, provision is also made for payments to be made earlier, subject to EU approval. Prompted by the very wet summer, which seriously affected farming, I approached the Agriculture Commissioner seeking agreement to an early advance 50% payment, in...

Written Answers — Rural Environment Protection Scheme: Rural Environment Protection Scheme (14 Oct 2008)

Brendan Smith: Funding of €28m was earmarked for a new supplementary measure in REPS on mixed grazing, which would yield both environmental and development benefits. The amount allocated was indicative and based on the likely take up, if farmers changed to REPS 4. However the majority of farmers in REPS 3 are seeing out their contracts and the take up in REPS 4 of qualifying farmers has been low. At EU...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (14 Oct 2008)

Brendan Smith: The Disadvantaged Area Scheme application for the person named has been fully processed and the payment due will issue shortly.

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (14 Oct 2008)

Brendan Smith: Council Regulation (EC) No. 1290/2005 requires the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food to publish, on its website, certain details of beneficiaries of schemes funded or co-funded by the European Agricultural Guarantee Fund (EAGF) or the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD). In line with these requirements details of expenditure in relation to the Single Payment...

Written Answers — Afforestation Programme: Afforestation Programme (14 Oct 2008)

Brendan Smith: I share the Deputy's views on the significance of the forestry sector from an economic development and a climate change perspective and, more specifically, the importance of the suite of forestry schemes administered by my Department. Sufficient funds are available to finance the expected new planting in 2008 and the Afforestation Scheme is operating as usual. Demand for all the forestry...