Results 2,501-2,520 of 18,450 for speaker:Brendan Smith

Written Answers — Irish Draught Animals: Irish Draught Animals (18 Dec 2008)

Brendan Smith: The dispute between the Irish Draught Horse Society and Horse Sport Ireland relates to the registration status of a number of Irish Draught mares inspected by the Irish Draught Horse Society in Autumn 2008. This dispute is a matter for Horse Sport Ireland and the Irish Draught Horse Society. Horse Sport Ireland is the organisation approved by my Department to maintain the Irish Draught...

Written Answers — Departmental Programmes: Departmental Programmes (18 Dec 2008)

Brendan Smith: Ireland operates a residue/contamination monitoring programme that is annually approved by the EU Commission. As part of this monitoring programme, indicator polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are looked for in samples taken from animals at an EU agreed sampling level. Testing for indicator polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) takes place throughout the year at the pesticides division of DAFF...

Written Answers — Pigmeat Sector: Pigmeat Sector (18 Dec 2008)

Brendan Smith: I propose to take Questions Nos. 331, 334 and 335 together. Detailed terms and conditions of the Product Recall Scheme will be finalised as soon as possible. The purpose of the scheme is to provide financial assistance in respect of the recall of eligible pork products from commercial markets and eligible products in storage. The scheme is aimed at primary and secondary pork processors and...

Written Answers — Pigmeat Sector: Pigmeat Sector (18 Dec 2008)

Brendan Smith: The Irish Association of Pigmeat Processors was represented at the negotiations by a number of its members at Chief Executive and other senior executive levels and they represented both primary and secondary processors. IBEC was also represented.

Written Answers — Pigmeat Sector: Pigmeat Sector (18 Dec 2008)

Brendan Smith: In very detailed and complex negotiations, conducted over a period of three days, processors presented information on the volume and value of product in storage and product already consigned to markets, at home and internationally that was manufactured from animals slaughtered in Ireland in the period 1st September 2008 to 6th December 2008. Certain assumptions were made on the extent to...

Written Answers — Pigmeat Sector: Pigmeat Sector (18 Dec 2008)

Brendan Smith: My Department is working closely with An Bord Bia and our embassies abroad to reassure our international customers as to the safety of Irish pork. In the case of our Asian markets our diplomatic representations are in regular contact with the relevant regulatory authorities. I am reassured by the positive consumer response to the information label and nationwide media campaign introduced by...

Written Answers — Animal Feedstuffs: Animal Feedstuffs (18 Dec 2008)

Brendan Smith: My Department is engaged, in conjunction with a number of other State Agencies, in an ongoing overall review of activities associated with the recent dioxin incident and this review will include the Department's annual feed control programme. I will also be briefing my EU colleagues at this weeks council in Brussels.

Written Answers — Farm Retirement Scheme: Farm Retirement Scheme (18 Dec 2008)

Brendan Smith: My Department has no record of an application under the Early Retirement Scheme by the person named.

Written Answers — Departmental Property: Departmental Property (18 Dec 2008)

Brendan Smith: All leases for this Department are arranged by the Office of Public Works. The material requested by the Deputy will be included in the reply from the Minister for Finance (ref. Parliamentary Question No. 102).

Written Answers — Animal Welfare: Animal Welfare (18 Dec 2008)

Brendan Smith: My officials are currently engaged in discussions with producers and the industry with a view to putting in place the necessary framework to deal with issues relating to the slaughter of pigs that have been exposed to, or are suspected of having been exposed to contaminated animal feed. All pigs that are required to be slaughtered will be slaughtered humanely. To date and apart from a small...

Written Answers — State Laboratories: State Laboratories (18 Dec 2008)

Brendan Smith: The State Laboratory (Dept of Finance) moved to new Laboratory facilities in Backweston in May 2005 and the Laboratory has been fully operational since then. Additional laboratory capability to enhance the capacity of the Laboratory to respond to customer needs is continually being developed. The State Laboratory has now developed an analytical capability to carry out dioxin analysis in...

Written Answers — Aquaculture Licensing: Aquaculture Licensing (27 Jan 2009)

Brendan Smith: The first person mentioned by the Deputy represents Lough Swilly Shellfish Growers CoOp Society Ltd. which has applied for renewal of its aquaculture licence in Lough Swilly. This application is under consideration having regard to a number of factors including objections from other aquaculture interests in Lough Swilly. The objectors include the second person mentioned by the Deputy, who...

Written Answers — Pigmeat Sector: Pigmeat Sector (27 Jan 2009)

Brendan Smith: The term contingent liability used in the context of the eligibility of products the subject of the Pigmeat Recall Scheme, referred to any pigmeat product other than eligible product directly provided for in the Scheme that might be assisted at the Department's sole discretion where it regards it as justifiable to do so having regard to all the circumstances and in particular to the...

Written Answers — Pigmeat Sector: Pigmeat Sector (27 Jan 2009)

Brendan Smith: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1160 and 1163 together. The amount of €180 million represents a facility rather than a target amount. The facility made available by the Government for the purpose of the Product Recall Scheme will be available to primary and secondary processors that comply with the eligibility conditions of the scheme. The purpose of the scheme is to provide assistance in...

Written Answers — Pigmeat Sector: Pigmeat Sector (27 Jan 2009)

Brendan Smith: The Irish Association of Pigmeat Processors was represented at the negotiations by a number of its members at chief executive and other senior executive levels and they represented both primary and secondary processors. IBEC was also represented.

Written Answers — Pigmeat Sector: Pigmeat Sector (27 Jan 2009)

Brendan Smith: In very detailed and complex negotiations, conducted over a period of three days, processors presented information on the volume and value of product in storage and product already consigned to markets, at home and internationally that was manufactured from animals slaughtered in Ireland in the period 1st September 2008 to 6th December 2008. Certain assumptions were made on the extent to...

Written Answers — Pigmeat Sector: Pigmeat Sector (27 Jan 2009)

Brendan Smith: My Department has paid €36million in December and further payments will be made in the light of conditions set down by my Department. While the facility agreed with pig processors does not cover workers directly, a primary objective of the agreement was to secure the return to full scale processing as quickly as possible thereby securing the jobs of workers in the processing sector and the...

Written Answers — Pigmeat Sector: Pigmeat Sector (27 Jan 2009)

Brendan Smith: The facility agreed with pig processors as part of securing the return to full scale processing was aimed at putting Irish pork and bacon products back into the domestic and international markets as quickly as possible and to secure the jobs of workers in the processing sector and the livelihoods of pig producers. The facility will provide assistance to processors for eligible product...

Written Answers — Pigmeat Sector: Pigmeat Sector (27 Jan 2009)

Brendan Smith: Bord Bia plans a number of relevant marketing and promotion initiatives. On the Irish market a series of promotional campaigns are planned. These will commence in February and will focus on building awareness and loyalty to the Bord Bia Quality Mark. These will underline the quality of Irish pigmeat and will communicate its origin. A customer reassurance programme will be carried out in...

Written Answers — Animal Feedstuffs: Animal Feedstuffs (27 Jan 2009)

Brendan Smith: Following the recent dioxin contamination incident, my Department's National Feed Inspection Programme has been reviewed. The risk assessment for the Programme for 2009 will take cognisance of the experience of the dioxin contamination, and accordingly, the risk associated with drying of feed and grain will be reassessed as appropriate. The risk reassessment will give rise to an increase...