Results 17,781-17,800 of 18,645 for speaker:Brendan Smith

Written Answers — Fishing Industry Development: Fishing Industry Development (13 May 2008)

Brendan Smith: I am happy to state that in meeting the commitment in the Programme for Government, the "Environmentally Friendly Fishing Gear and Fuel Monitoring Equipment Grant Aid Scheme" continues to be implemented and promoted by BIM. This scheme provided co-funded (ie. exchequer and EU funds) grants of up to 40% to improve efficiency and conservation methods on board fishing vessels. Public aid for...

Written Answers — Aquaculture Development: Aquaculture Development (13 May 2008)

Brendan Smith: Seafood Development will benefit from an investment of €216 million under the new National Development Plan (NDP) 2007-2013. A further €118 million may be made available over the life of the plan for the proposals set out in "STEERING A NEW COURSE — Strategy for a Restructured, Sustainable and Profitable Irish Seafood Industry 2007-2013"( the Cawley Report) on the basis of verified...

Written Answers — Marine Research: Marine Research (13 May 2008)

Brendan Smith: Sea Change: A Marine Knowledge, Research & Innovation Strategy for Ireland 2007-2013 has been approved by Government and represents the most ambitious marine RTDI strategy in the history of the state. The Strategy builds on the vision and strategy outlined in the 2006 National Strategy for Science, Technology and Innovation (SSTI) published by the Government. Sea Change aims to drive the...

Written Answers — Marine Research: Marine Research (13 May 2008)

Brendan Smith: A National Marine Biodiscovery Programme was initiated by the Marine Institute in 2007. This was managed by the Marine Institute, in partnership with a range of national and international centres of expertise. This programme is driven by the strategic objectives of Sea Change, the National Marine Research and Innovation Strategy for the period 2007-2013. The underlying objective of the...

Written Answers — Fishing Industry Development: Fishing Industry Development (13 May 2008)

Brendan Smith: The Launch of the Decommissioning scheme in February of this year is a key component in the delivery of the commitment for a voluntary fishing vessel Decommissioning scheme contained in the Programme for Government. This voluntary scheme will remove older and larger fishing vessels with mixed catches of fish such as cod, haddock, monkfish mackerel and herring. The removal of these vessels...

Written Answers — Fishing Industry Development: Fishing Industry Development (13 May 2008)

Brendan Smith: Bord Iascaigh Mhara (BIM) monitors cetacean by-catches in fisheries in line with the EU Regulations which requires all Member States to implement observer schemes onboard their fishing vessels in order to monitor and gather data on incidental catches of cetaceans. The programme targets, in particular, fisheries where problems with cetacean by-catches are perceived to exist — such as...

Written Answers — Food Industry: Food Industry (13 May 2008)

Brendan Smith: Irish seafood is in high demand; it is a healthy low fat, nutritious food source, which is in high demand both here and elsewhere in the EU and other markets. The Government approved strategy for development of the Irish Seafood Industry, Steering a New Course (the Cawley Report), contains a number of provisions set-out for encouraging and supporting the development of high value seafood...

Written Answers — Fishing Industry Development: Fishing Industry Development (13 May 2008)

Brendan Smith: In November 2006, agreement was reached at the Fisheries Council on an EU Regulation on Electronic Recording and Reporting of fishing activity and on a means of remote sensing of fishing vessels. The new measures oblige fishing vessels to record and submit their logbook by electronic means at least once a day to the control authorities. Following strong pressure from Ireland, including a...

Written Answers — Fishing Industry Development: Fishing Industry Development (13 May 2008)

Brendan Smith: A new web based electronic system for the recording of sales of fish in Ireland has been developed. It is now a requirement that all, auction centres and buyers of first sale fish be registered under the terms of this regime, and submit sales notes electronically within 48 hours of the first sale of fish. Sales notes detail the size, weight, price and date of first sale fish, as well as...

Written Answers — Aquaculture Licences: Aquaculture Licences (13 May 2008)

Brendan Smith: Aquaculture licensing is regulated under the Fisheries (Amendment) Act 1997 and a companion foreshore licence is issued under the Foreshore Act 1933 where aquaculture sites are located in coastal sites below the high water mark. The applications in question are at a very advanced stage of processing. It is important that I place the timeframe for aquaculture licensing in context. The...

Written Answers — Milk Quota: Milk Quota (13 May 2008)

Brendan Smith: The allocation of milk quota to new entrants has been a feature of the milk quota regime for a number of years. New entrants under 35 years of age received preferential access to milk quota from a specially created priority pool under the Milk Quota Restructuring Scheme until 2007, and the same priority pool arrangement continued into the Milk Quota Trading Scheme. It facilitates the...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (13 May 2008)

Brendan Smith: An application under the 2007 Single Payment Scheme/Disadvantaged Areas Scheme was received from the person named on 3 May 2007. The position is that no Single Payment is due as the person named had not established any Single Payment entitlements as he did not benefit from any Livestock and/ or arable Premia payments during the 2000 to 2002 reference period. With regard to the Disadvantaged...

Written Answers — Agriculture Schemes: Agriculture Schemes (13 May 2008)

Brendan Smith: I propose to take Questions Nos. 358 and 379 together. The introduction of the Single Payment Scheme in 2005 has dramatically reduced the paperwork for farmers in applying for Direct Payments when compared to the previous system of submitting multiple applications under the Livestock Premia and Arable Aid Schemes. In addition, the Department is currently introducing an on-line application...

Written Answers — Food Industry: Food Industry (13 May 2008)

Brendan Smith: A high level interdepartmental group has been established and has met twice to discuss issues of a cross departmental nature such as CAP/WTO, energy costs, waste management, regulation and market access. The composition of a high-level strategic market access group and its terms of reference have also been agreed. The group will comprise representatives from the Departments of Agriculture,...

Written Answers — Food Industry: Food Industry (13 May 2008)

Brendan Smith: Bord Bia's budget was increased by a Supplementary Estimate of €1.2 million in 2007 to enable it inter alia to expand promotional activity for beef and the increased funding level was maintained in this year's Estimates. 2007 was the third year of Bord Bia's pan European Autumn Beef Promotion which involved promotion of beef in 13 export markets, covering the UK and Continental Europe....

Written Answers — On-Farm Investment Schemes: On-Farm Investment Schemes (13 May 2008)

Brendan Smith: The Farm Improvement Scheme, introduced in July 2007 following receipt of EU approval for the 2007-2013 RDP, provided grant-aid for the areas mentioned. Under the Scheme, grant-aid is available up to a maximum eligible investment ceiling of €120,000 with a separate ceiling of €120,000 being applicable in the case of dairy hygiene measures. The standard grant-rate for animal housing and...

Written Answers — Rural Development Programme: Rural Development Programme (13 May 2008)

Brendan Smith: Following an extensive consultation process, the 2007-2013 Rural Development Programme (RDP) was formally approved by the Commission in September 2007. The overall package provides funding of almost €6 billion over a seven-year period for farming measures and includes schemes for early retirement, farm investment, agri-environmental supports, installation aid and the disadvantaged areas....

Written Answers — Animal Welfare: Animal Welfare (13 May 2008)

Brendan Smith: I propose to take Questions Nos. 363 and 369 together. Significant progress has been made on drafting the new Animal Health and Welfare Bill and I intend shortly, to initiate a process of public consultation by publishing a consultation paper and inviting submissions from interested parties and other stakeholders. The Bill will give effect to a number of important commitments, in the area...

Written Answers — Animal Diseases: Animal Diseases (13 May 2008)

Brendan Smith: My Department's responsibilities extend to animal and plant health and it works closely with the Department of Health & Children and the Health Services Executive in relation to any such diseases that may have potential implications for human health, for example in relation to avian 'flu'. I am acutely conscious of the threats of various animal disease outbreaks and my Department continually...

Written Answers — Genetically Modified Organisms: Genetically Modified Organisms (13 May 2008)

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