Results 17,401-17,420 of 18,645 for speaker:Brendan Smith

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (8 Jul 2008)

Brendan Smith: There are no staff in my Department who work at the national minimum wage.

Written Answers — Farm Waste Management: Farm Waste Management (8 Jul 2008)

Brendan Smith: The deadline of 31 December 2008 for completion of work by farmers under the revised Farm Waste Management Scheme introduced by my Department in March 2006 is a condition of the EU state aid approval for the Scheme and my Department has recently written to all approved farmers under the Scheme reminding them of the importance of compliance with this deadline in order to avail of the generous...

Written Answers — Departmental Reports: Departmental Reports (8 Jul 2008)

Brendan Smith: The information requested is being compiled and will be forwarded to the Deputy as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Milk Quota: Milk Quota (8 Jul 2008)

Brendan Smith: Allocations of milk quota from the National Reserve in respect of Hardship cases are granted on the basis of recommendations from the Milk Quota Appeals Tribunal. The closing date for receipt of applications in respect of the current 2008/2009 milk quota year was Friday 27th June. My Department is currently processing these applications, and the Tribunal has also commenced consideration of...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (8 Jul 2008)

Brendan Smith: The application for a REPS 3 payment from the person named was received in my Department on 24 June 2008 and is being processed in accordance with the REPS terms and conditions and the timeframes set out in the Charter of Rights for Farmers.

Written Answers — Milk Quota: Milk Quota (3 Jul 2008)

Brendan Smith: Allocations of milk quota from the National Reserve are granted on the basis of recommendations from the Milk Quota Appeals Tribunal. The Tribunal examines and makes recommendations on applications for additional quota from individual producers. The named person submitted an application in the Hardship category for the 2007/2008 milk quota year. The Tribunal considered this application on 8th...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (3 Jul 2008)

Brendan Smith: The application in question is currently under evaluation and will be subject to a field inspection. I have asked my officials to expedite consideration of the case.

Written Answers — Land Reclassification: Land Reclassification (3 Jul 2008)

Brendan Smith: An official from my Department has been in communication with the person named and with a firm of Solicitors acting on his behalf, setting out details of the commonage shares on hands and their origin. My Department's position is that the person named has a claim to only one of the shares and not three shares as claimed by him. It is the view of my officials that it would be best if a meeting...

Written Answers — Decentralisation Programme: Decentralisation Programme (3 Jul 2008)

Brendan Smith: The information requested is set out in tabular form. Office Location Posts Number moved % of original target Number assigned, not yet moved % Department HQ Portlaoise 600 274 46 96 Fisheries Clonakilty 90 81 90 — Cork local offices Fermoy Up to 100 0 0 25 Cork Labs (3) & Limerick Labs (2) Macroom Up to 100 0 0 25 Bord Bia Enniscorthy 76 0 0 15* Bord Iascaigh Mhara Clonakilty...

Written Answers — Efficiency Reviews: Efficiency Reviews (3 Jul 2008)

Brendan Smith: My Department is engaged in on-going efforts to improve efficiency and has reduced staff numbers significantly in recent years. As part of the most recent Efficiency Review, my Department again reviewed all aspects of expenditure with a view to identifying possible savings on administrative spending. The exercise has included the bodies within the aegis of my Department. I will be...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (3 Jul 2008)

Brendan Smith: During the years 2004 to 2008, 133 staff in the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food either received or are currently receiving support to participate in post graduate educational courses.

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (2 Jul 2008)

Brendan Smith: The person named submitted an application for an allocation of entitlements from the 2005 National Reserve under Categories B and D. Category B catered for farmers who made an investment in production capacity in a farming sector for which a direct payment under Livestock Premia and/or Arable Aid schemes would have been payable during the reference period 2000-2002. Investments could include...

Written Answers — Milk Quota: Milk Quota (2 Jul 2008)

Brendan Smith: The Council of Agriculture Ministers provided for the introduction of a Dairy Premium in 2004 as part of the CAP Mid-Term Review agreement in June 2003. The agreement also provided for the decoupling of the Dairy Premium to become part of the Single Payment Scheme, which was also introduced as part of that agreement. Council Regulation (EC) No. 1782/2003 provided that the Dairy Premium could...

Written Answers — Veterinary Qualifications: Veterinary Qualifications (2 Jul 2008)

Brendan Smith: While I am the sponsoring Minister for the Veterinary Practice Act 2005, which governs the regulation of veterinary practitioners and veterinary nurses, the day to day regulation of the professions is a function of the Veterinary Council of Ireland in accordance with the principles laid down in the legislation. For the first time veterinary nurses enjoy formal recognition in the legislation....

Written Answers — Afforestation Programme: Afforestation Programme (2 Jul 2008)

Brendan Smith: The current suite of Afforestation Grant and Premium Schemes, along with the various support measures, is the most financially attractive package made available in the history of forestry in Ireland. The establishment grant covers 100% of the planting costs, while the annual forestry premium is payable to farmers for 20 years. Both the grant and premium rates have been reviewed in recent...

Written Answers — Afforestation Programme: Afforestation Programme (2 Jul 2008)

Brendan Smith: The Broadleaf Thinning and Tending Scheme aims to improve the quality of broadleaf plantations by encouraging thinning and tending at a young age. While demand for all the forestry schemes is quite high this year, my Department is in the process of prioritising expenditure within the Forestry budget as a whole.

Written Answers — Farm Improvement Scheme: Farm Improvement Scheme (1 Jul 2008)

Brendan Smith: The Farm Improvement Scheme was introduced by my Department in July 2007 with funding of €79 million as agreed under the 2006 Partnership agreement, Towards 2016, and was suspended on 31 October 2007 as applications had reached this level of funding. Indeed, the terms and conditions of the Scheme specifically provided for its termination when this financial ceiling was reached. 12,675...

Written Answers — Fishing Industry Development: Fishing Industry Development (1 Jul 2008)

Brendan Smith: The National Strategic Plan for the Irish fisheries sector 2007-2013 was prepared and approved by the Minister on the 26th November 2007, it was subsequently submitted to the Commission on the 28th November 2007. The National Strategic Plan sets down a programme of support for fisheries in line with the Seafood Sector Review Group report, Steering a New Course — strategy for a...

Written Answers — Milk Quota: Milk Quota (1 Jul 2008)

Brendan Smith: The Commission proposals in the milk sector cover the full range of market management measures currently in place. While milk quota expansion is at the forefront of these proposals, considerable changes to other market management measures are also proposed. These include the abolition of private storage aid for cheese and the disposal aid for butter used in the manufacture of pastry and ice...

Written Answers — Domestic Abattoirs: Domestic Abattoirs (1 Jul 2008)

Brendan Smith: My Department has supported capital investment into the marketing and processing of agricultural products in various sectors. In December 2007 my Department invited applications in the areas of horticulture, livestock marts and small slaughterhouses and low throughput meat establishments. The closing date for receipt of applications was the 29th of February 2008. In respect of small...