Results 17,281-17,300 of 18,645 for speaker:Brendan Smith

Written Answers — Animal Diseases: Animal Diseases (10 Jul 2008)

Brendan Smith: My Department's responsibilities extend to animal and plant health and the diseases of these sectors. In this regard it works closely with the Department of Health & Children and the Health Services Executive in relation to the public health aspects of and the potential implications for human health posed by these diseases, as for example in relation to avian 'flu which crosses both...

Written Answers — Genetically Modified Organisms: Genetically Modified Organisms (10 Jul 2008)

Brendan Smith: Several Government Departments have responsibility for aspects of GM Policy and these are the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government which has responsibility for the deliberate release of GM's into the environment including for crop cultivation; the Department of Health and Children which has responsibility for GM food safety and consumer protection;the Department of...

Written Answers — Food Labelling: Food Labelling (10 Jul 2008)

Brendan Smith: I propose to take Questions Nos. 494 and 506 together. Irish food safety is guaranteed by the rigorous standards, processes and audits required under the European Food and Feed Hygiene legislation, the Department's animal traceability system and the comprehensive quality assurances schemes operated through Bord Bia. State aid approval has been secured for Bord Bia's advertising campaign for...

Written Answers — Food Labelling: Food Labelling (10 Jul 2008)

Brendan Smith: I proposed to take Questions Nos. 495 and 518 together. My Department, in conjunction with Department of Health and Children, drafted national regulations that would require the country of origin to be indicated on pigmeat, poultry and sheepmeat. The draft regulations were notified to the European Commission in December 2007 as required by EU legislation. The Commission adopted a negative...

Written Answers — Food Labelling: Food Labelling (10 Jul 2008)

Brendan Smith: Food advertising issues are primarily the remit of the Department of Health and Children/FSAI. However, my Department has encouraged the food industry to provide more nutritional information. Regulations on nutrition and health claims in force in July 2007 (Reg 1924/06) cover claims on foods marketed in the EU, food supplements, foods for particular nutritional uses. Under Article 13 of the...

Written Answers — Health Promotion: Health Promotion (10 Jul 2008)

Brendan Smith: Obesity is, I believe, an immensely important issue for the future health of our society and demands a multi-faceted response as indicated in the Report of the National Taskforce on Obesity which made recommendations for cross-sectoral actions in areas including education, social and community, health, food supply and the physical environment. The recommendations to my Department have been...

Written Answers — Animal Welfare: Animal Welfare (10 Jul 2008)

Brendan Smith: I propose to take Questions Nos. 500 and 511 together. My Department is actively progressing a herd health initiative and has consulted with the major stakeholders, including farming organisations and representatives of industry, service providers and relevant state agencies, for the purpose of developing proposals to further improve herd health in Ireland particularly in relation to...

Written Answers — Animal Welfare: Animal Welfare (10 Jul 2008)

Brendan Smith: The inclusion of animal welfare and other non-trade concerns in WTO negotiations are pursued on an ongoing basis with the Commission and other Member States. These regulations have now reached an important juncture with the calling of a WTO Ministerial meeting for later this month in Geneva. Further progress on the trade talks will be dependent on the outcome of that meeting.

Written Answers — Food Industry: Food Industry (10 Jul 2008)

Brendan Smith: I propose to take Questions Nos. 504 and 515 together. The Capital Investment Aid Scheme for both the beef and sheepmeat primary processing sectors was launched in April 2007. The support package, amounting to €50 million, should trigger overall investment of some €120 million. The objective of the scheme is to make financial assistance available towards the cost of the construction and...

Written Answers — Animal Welfare: Animal Welfare (10 Jul 2008)

Brendan Smith: The Animal Welfare, Recording and Breeding Scheme for Suckler Herds came into operation in January 2008 and runs for 5 years with a budget of €250m. It aims to encourage and underpin the adoption of high standards of animal welfare in suckler herds and to improve the quality of breeding cattle in the beef sector. Almost 53,000 suckler farmers have joined the scheme and over 80% of all the...

Written Answers — Dairy Industry: Dairy Industry (10 Jul 2008)

Brendan Smith: The Minister launched a capital investment package for the Irish Dairy Processing Sector in September 2006. Following the commercial and technical evaluation of applications a total of 19 capital investment projects were approved and awarded Government grant assistance of €114 million, which will generate an estimated capital spend of €286 million. Four of these projects were completed...

Written Answers — Dairy Industry: Dairy Industry (10 Jul 2008)

Brendan Smith: The public good Food Institutional Research Measure (FIRM) operated by my Department has been providing research funding on a competitive basis for research projects on milk, cheese, food ingredients and technologies. This support will continue within future budget availability. The broad thematic areas of research in this area will be developed in consultation with stakeholders and with...

Written Answers — Dairy Industry: Dairy Industry (10 Jul 2008)

Brendan Smith: The Farm Improvement Scheme (FIS) introduced in 2007 extended grant-aid to feeding systems and increased the specific investment ceilings for milking machines and bulk milk tanks from €16,000 to €40,000 and €25,000 respectively.

Written Answers — Food Industry: Food Industry (10 Jul 2008)

Brendan Smith: The Sheep Strategy Implementation Group reported in early April 2007. The Group has addressed all the report recommendations and the Minister announced this Department's support with financial assistance in relevant areas. Progress is being made in implementing the recommendations. My Department and the state agencies under my aegis are dealing with the areas relevant to them. Under REPS...

Written Answers — Food Industry: Food Industry (10 Jul 2008)

Brendan Smith: Plans for the upgrading of a Sheep Breeding Programme are well advanced, with the recent establishment of the Interim Sheep Board under the auspices of ICBF, which should enable a new programme to be put in place for the 2008/2009 breeding year. In the case of grants for sheep housing, the Farm Improvement Scheme introduced in July 2007 allowed support for investments in relation to housing...

Written Answers — Food Industry: Food Industry (10 Jul 2008)

Brendan Smith: The Lamb Quality Assurance Scheme was established in 2007. Almost 6,000 farms have been registered to date and over 4,200 farm audits have been carried out. Promotional efforts are being undertaken by An Bord Bia which continues to organise strategic lamb marketing campaigns for both the home market and selected European markets. The downward trend in lamb consumption in certain markets...

Written Answers — Quality Assurance Schemes: Quality Assurance Schemes (10 Jul 2008)

Brendan Smith: Bord Bia Pigmeat Quality Assurance Scheme — Auditing to the new standard commenced in May 2007 and the scheme is now fully accredited under EN45011 at producer and processor level, the latter being achieved in early October 2007. To date there has been 248 applicant producers, of which 116 producers have been certified. Farm inspections and processor audits are ongoing with certifications...

Written Answers — Farm Improvement Scheme: Farm Improvement Scheme (10 Jul 2008)

Brendan Smith: The Farm Improvement Scheme provided grant-aid for the installation of bins and silos (but excluding dedicated stores) for grain storage at a standard grant-rate of 40% up to a maximum eligible investment ceiling of €120,000.

Written Answers — Horticulture Industry: Horticulture Industry (10 Jul 2008)

Brendan Smith: The EU prohibit supports which are targeted at import substitution. The fruit and vegetable sector contributed approx €213.7m to farm output in 2007, an increase of 14% over 2000. This sector has considerable potential for development but is experiencing strong competitive pressures, particularly from the highly concentrated retail chain and from imports. In March 2007 Bord Bia published...

Written Answers — Forestry Sector: Forestry Sector (10 Jul 2008)

Brendan Smith: I propose to take Questions Nos. 520, 521 and 525 together. The annual forestry premium increased by 15% from 2007, with a maximum payment of up to €574 per hectare per annum paid over 20 years. Under the new FEPS an additional premium of up to €200 per hectare for five years is available to farmers in REPS who join FEPS. The target of 30% broadleaf planting has been achieved in 2005...