Results 17,341-17,360 of 18,645 for speaker:Brendan Smith

Written Answers — Fisheries Protection: Fisheries Protection (10 Jul 2008)

Brendan Smith: The possibility of introducing administrative sanctions was comprehensively considered, including an examination of practices in other Member States, at the time of the passage of the Sea Fisheries and Maritime Jurisdiction Bill through the Oireachtas. The position taken by the Minister at the time was based on the legal advice from the Attorney General. During recent negotiations with the...

Written Answers — Fishing Industry Development: Fishing Industry Development (10 Jul 2008)

Brendan Smith: At the December 2007 Council, a preliminary 2008 Total Allowable Catch (TAC) for Celtic Sea cod was set at 4,316 tonnes under Council Regulation (EC) No. 40/2008. A final TAC was to be established in the light of new scientific advice as soon as possible in the first half of 2008. In March this year, a scientific submission was made by the Research Institutes of France, UK and Ireland...

Written Answers — Fisheries Protection: Fisheries Protection (10 Jul 2008)

Brendan Smith: The new Council Regulation establishing a Community System to prevent, deter and eliminate Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing achieved political agreement at the Council of Agriculture and Fisheries Ministers on 24th June 2008. As an EU Council Regulation, of course, its provisions are directly binding on all Member States. I have already welcomed this measure for the benefits it...

Written Answers — Fishing Industry Development: Fishing Industry Development (10 Jul 2008)

Brendan Smith: The Seafood Strategy Implementation Group (SSIG) was set up in March 2007 under the chairmanship of Dr. Noel Cawley to oversee implementation of the recommendations of the report of the Seafood Industry Strategy Review Group: Steering a New Course. Dr Cawley presented a progress report on the implementation of the recommendations to my predecessor in February in accordance with the terms of...

Written Answers — Fishing Fleet Protection: Fishing Fleet Protection (10 Jul 2008)

Brendan Smith: Since the escalation of this crisis Minister Killeen and I have taken every opportunity available to stress in the strongest possible terms to Commissioner Borg and the Commission, the depth of feeling of Irish Fishermen and the critical nature of the situation facing them. We have continuously pressurised the Commissioner to bring forward a new EU-funded package of measures to alleviate the...

Written Answers — Fishing Fleet Protection: Fishing Fleet Protection (10 Jul 2008)

Brendan Smith: A scheme for the compensation of crew affected by the decommissioning of fishing vessels has not been put in place and the focus has been to provide training for crew who lose their jobs to support them to source alternative employment. Even if it was decided to implement such a scheme its practical implementation would be difficult because there are no official records for crewing of...

Written Answers — Fishing Industry Development: Fishing Industry Development (10 Jul 2008)

Brendan Smith: I am committed to the implementation of the Cawley Strategy and the necessary funding for its implementation has been provided for in the National Development Plan 2007-2013.

Written Answers — Fisheries Protection: Fisheries Protection (10 Jul 2008)

Brendan Smith: The Community Fisheries Control Agency (CFCA) has been established at Vigo since the 1st of July 2008. I am advised that a small staff complement of personnel will be maintained at Brussels for a limited period no later than December 2008 for continuity purposes. The Community Fisheries Control Agency will perform a number of functions. The CFCA will administer fisheries data exchange and...

Written Answers — Departmental Programmes: Departmental Programmes (10 Jul 2008)

Brendan Smith: My Department has taken a number of important initiatives in recent years to promote the conservation and sustainable use of plant and animal genetic resources, as follows: DAFF and Teagasc maintain substantial collections of native potato varieties and cereals, and seed of these are made available to growers and interested parties on request. DAFF has operated an annual grant scheme since...

Written Answers — Fishing Industry Development: Fishing Industry Development (10 Jul 2008)

Brendan Smith: I have read with interest the correspondence from the person referred to (details supplied). Fundamentally it is a personal assessment of how he sees some of the difficulties which have impacted on the fishing sector over time culminating with the present situation which has been triggered by the global rise in fuel prices. I have been fully advised by the Federation of Irish Fishermen of...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (10 Jul 2008)

Brendan Smith: Staffing levels in my Department's offices in Laois and Offaly, as in all areas of my Department, are subject to constant review. Where vacancies that need to be filled are identified, recruitment of clerical staff is carried out on behalf of my Department by the Public Appointments Service or posts are filled by transfers of staff.

Written Answers — Greenhouse Gas Emissions: Greenhouse Gas Emissions (10 Jul 2008)

Brendan Smith: The Programme for Government includes a commitment to setting a target of a reduction of 3% per year on average in greenhouse gas emissions. Separately, the European Council agreed at its Spring 2007 meeting to set a target of a reduction of at least 20% in greenhouse gases by 2020 — rising to 30% if there is an international agreement that fulfils certain conditions. Under its...

Written Answers — Ministerial Travel: Ministerial Travel (10 Jul 2008)

Brendan Smith: The information requested by the Deputy in respect of the Minister and the Ministers of State at my Department is set out as follows: Minister Brendan Smith Dates of Travel Method of Travel Cost 7th – 31st May, 2008 2 Plane Trips Government Jet used 1st – 30th June, 2008 3 Plane Trips Government Jet used 1st – 8th July, 2008 No trips taken Nil Minister of State Trevor Sargent...

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

Brendan Smith: S.I. No. 320 of 2003 — European Communities (Labelling of Fishery and Aquaculture Products) Regulations requires that the product is labelled with a country of origin. However there are a number of exclusions in the legislation and essentially, there is no overall enabling legislation requiring all fish products sold here to carry a country of origin label. For example, raw or portioned...

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

Brendan Smith: Data from a BIM survey shows that nationally, employment in the seafood processing sector was 4,020 in 1997, this comprised 2,111 on a full time and 2,809 on a part time basis. These figures are not available for 1998. I will revert to the deputy directly when the details by county are validated.

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

Brendan Smith: According to BIM, in 2006, the most recent year for which data is available, employment in seafood processing amounted to 2,867, this comprised 2,205 full time and 662 part time. I will revert to the deputy directly when the details by county are validated.

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (10 Jul 2008)

Brendan Smith: I propose to take Questions Nos. 591 and 592 together. The Single Payment Scheme was introduced as a fully decoupled scheme on 1 January 2005. Farmers were allocated Single Payment entitlements based on the average of their receipts under the various Premia schemes during the three years 2000, 2001 and 2002. Provision was made under the Single Payment Scheme for the transfer by way of sale,...

Written Answers — Land Commission: Land Commission (10 Jul 2008)

Brendan Smith: During its period of existence all decisions as to what land was acquired and distributed by the Land Commission was a matter reserved by law to the Land Commissioners. As well as compulsory acquisition powers, the Commission also accepted voluntary surrender of land, which could be used as part of re arrangement proceedings. The Land Commission was dissolved in 1999 by the commencement of...

Written Answers — Departmental Guidelines: Departmental Guidelines (10 Jul 2008)

Brendan Smith: Under the Code of Practice for the Governance of State Bodies set out in the Department of Finance Guidelines, it is the specific responsibility of the Board of each State Body to ensure that Public Procurement Procedures are implemented at best practice level. For State Bodies which come under the aegis of my Department, each Chairman is required by this Code to affirm compliance with these...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (10 Jul 2008)

Brendan Smith: Earlier this week the Government decided on a number of spending measures to maintain a prudent fiscal out-turn for 2008. That decision included expenditure savings on my Department's Vote of €9.1 million. Further savings in expenditure will be sought in 2009. The savings in the current year will be absorbed by my Department on its administrative budget and by the State Agencies under its...