Results 17,541-17,560 of 18,645 for speaker:Brendan Smith

Departmental Reviews. (1 Jul 2008)

Brendan Smith: As Deputy Creed will be aware, sometimes the draw down can change considerably in a short space of time——

Departmental Reviews. (1 Jul 2008)

Brendan Smith: ——but I will not give him information that would not be accurate.

World Trade Negotiations. (1 Jul 2008)

Brendan Smith: The WTO Director General announced on Friday last that he will propose that a WTO ministerial meeting take place in Geneva in the week commencing 21 July next. The purpose of this meeting is to finalise the modalities or detailed texts of agreements on agriculture and non-agricultural market access, NAMA. It is envisaged that a Signalling Conference on Trade in Services will take place at...

World Trade Negotiations. (1 Jul 2008)

Brendan Smith: On the question on unanimity before the Lisbon treaty, as we all are aware, there was any amount of misrepresentation and misinformation on the Lisbon treaty and what it would and would not affect. There was a suggestion from the "No" campaign that unanimity would not be a requirement for a WTO deal if the Lisbon treaty was ratified. Unanimity was a requirement before the referendum and...

World Trade Negotiations. (1 Jul 2008)

Brendan Smith: I am not afraid to say it and I was going to use the word. The misinformation circulating created a need for a debate on the requirement for unanimity. My predecessor, the Taoiseach and I have indicated that Ireland is prepared to use its veto if an agreement which is unacceptable——

World Trade Negotiations. (1 Jul 2008)

Brendan Smith: What Deputy Creed says is not correct because he——

World Trade Negotiations. (1 Jul 2008)

Brendan Smith: I have participated in public broadcasts and media interviews and stated then what I will state now, if I have the opportunity to finish. The Taoiseach indicated that Ireland is prepared to use its veto if an agreement unacceptable to it is put to a vote and this remains the position. To revert to the Deputy's earlier question, we expect revised papers on non-agricultural market access,...

Fishing Fleet Protection. (1 Jul 2008)

Brendan Smith: The current discussions at EU level on the high cost of fuel are essentially about short-term emergency measures. However, any long-term solution to the current difficulties will have to include measures to rectify the fundamental rebalancing of the fleet capacity with the stock resources available, taking into account the operational costs involved for fishing vessel owners. Grant aid...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (26 Jun 2008)

Brendan Smith: The information sought by the Deputy is as follows: Organisation Grant-in-aid Grant-in-aid Grant in Aid 2008 (€'000) (€'000) (€'000) Bord Bia 27,705 27,505 13,752 Teagasc 128,050 132,514 60,000 Bord Iascaigh Mhara (BIM) 27,753 49,045 13,142 Marine Institute 28,980 32,339 13,460 Sea Fisheries Protection Authority (SFPA) 10,954 14,410 7,472

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (26 Jun 2008)

Brendan Smith: The person concerned is an applicant for aid under the Installation Aid Scheme. His application is currently being examined within my Department and the outcome will be notified to the person concerned as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (26 Jun 2008)

Brendan Smith: The herd number quoted is registered in the sole name of the second person named. The second person named applied to be considered for an allocation of entitlements under Category A of the 2005 National Reserve which catered for farmers who inherited land or received land free of charge or for a nominal sum from a farmer who had retired or died by 16 May, 2005 and who had leased out his/her...

Written Answers — Fishing Industry Development: Fishing Industry Development (26 Jun 2008)

Brendan Smith: I am currently involved in a series of meetings with the Federation of Irish Fishermen (FIF) regarding the very difficult issues facing the Irish fishing industry. Minister Killeen and I attended the Council of Fisheries meeting in Luxembourg where we conveyed in the strongest possible terms the depth of feeling of Irish fishermen on these issues and the seriousness of the situation facing...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (26 Jun 2008)

Brendan Smith: Applications received under the Farm Improvement Scheme prior to its suspension on 31 October 2007 are being processed by my Department up to the level of funding made available for the Scheme by the 2006 Partnership agreement, Towards 2016.

Written Answers — Fishing Industry Development: Fishing Industry Development (25 Jun 2008)

Brendan Smith: Bord Iascaigh Mhara (BIM), the Irish Sea Fisheries Board, is the independent, statutory agency with responsibility for developing sustainable Irish Sea Fishing and Aquaculture industries. The deployment of staff within the agency is a matter for BIM exclusively, in which the Minister has no role.

Written Answers — Fishing Industry Development: Fishing Industry Development (25 Jun 2008)

Brendan Smith: The escalation of fuel costs is a result of global economic, market and political conditions. The Common Fishery Policy (CFP) has no remit as regards the pricing of fuel in the market place. It is important to note that the fishing industry in Ireland already receives favourable treatment in the form of a full rebate on excise and VAT on marine fuel, if the enterprise concerned is registered...

Written Answers — Foreshore Licences: Foreshore Licences (25 Jun 2008)

Brendan Smith: The information requested by the Deputy is not immediately available and will require an extensive examination of the Department's files, which has been commenced. When this has been completed, the information will be communicated to the Deputy without delay.

Written Answers — Foreshore Licences: Foreshore Licences (25 Jun 2008)

Brendan Smith: My Department currently has no function in relation to the development of marine leisure facilities (including marinas).

Written Answers — European Council Meetings: European Council Meetings (25 Jun 2008)

Brendan Smith: Minister Killeen and I yesterday attended the Council of Fisheries meeting in Luxembourg where we conveyed in the strongest possible terms the depth of feeling of Irish fishermen on this matter and the seriousness of the situation facing them. We outlined a strong case for a package of EU-funded measures to address the current difficulties experienced by fishermen across Europe but,...

Written Answers — Farm Retirement Scheme: Farm Retirement Scheme (25 Jun 2008)

Brendan Smith: It is a requirement of the EU Council Regulations under which the Early Retirement Schemes were 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 value of any such national retirement pension must be...

Written Answers — Farm Retirement Scheme: Farm Retirement Scheme (25 Jun 2008)

Brendan Smith: One of the requirements for entrants to the Early Retirement Scheme is that they undertake to cease all commercial farming activity definitively. As Scheme participants can no longer be regarded as active farmers for the purposes of forestry grants, any lands planted by them after the date they join the Early Retirement Scheme can only attract grants or premiums at the non-farmer rate....