Results 2,601-2,620 of 18,450 for speaker:Brendan Smith

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (27 Jan 2009)

Brendan Smith: At end December 2008 there were 4,162 full time equivalent (FTE) civil servants employed in my Department. The work of the Department is divided into 5 main Programme areas — the staff breakdown of which is given in the following table: Functional Area FTE 1. Agriculture, Food and Fisheries Policy, Trade and Development 272 2. Food, Animal, Plant Safety and Welfare and Consumer...

Written Answers — Departmental Agencies: Departmental Agencies (27 Jan 2009)

Brendan Smith: There are eleven separate bodies which come under the auspices of my Department and these are listed in the attached table together with the number of formal meetings held between the Division within the Department with responsibility for that Body and the Body itself between 2007 and 2008 In addition, given the wide range of responsibilities and the diversity of the functions performed by...

Written Answers — Departmental Programmes: Departmental Programmes (27 Jan 2009)

Brendan Smith: Following the very positive experience with Agri-Food 2010 and Agri-Vision 2015, I believe that a new development plan for the sector will be required for the period to 2020. Such a plan will need to focus on the opportunities arising, in particular, from growing international food and energy crop markets, and the challenges from the global economic downturn, currency fluctuations, climate...

Written Answers — Decentralisation Programme: Decentralisation Programme (27 Jan 2009)

Brendan Smith: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1281 to 1283, inclusive, and 1285 together. My Department makes a quarterly return to the Department of Finance regarding the deployment of staff under the decentralisation programme and the most recent returns for Portlaoise and Clonakilty are as follows at Appendix A. In the Department's original Decentralisation Implementation Plan, it was estimated that...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (27 Jan 2009)

Brendan Smith: The members of the Management Committee of my Department engage with their heads of Divisions on an almost daily basis. These contacts can range from formally structured meetings on specific business matters through to informal one-to-one discussions on emerging issues relevant to their areas of responsibility.

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (27 Jan 2009)

Brendan Smith: The Department is divided into five main programme areas and the total number of staff working in the area of food, animal, plant safety and welfare and consumer protection amounts to 1898 (full time equivalent). My Department operates under a service contract with the Food Safety Authority of Ireland. The sectors included in the contract are: Meat hygiene Milk and Milk Products Eggs and...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (27 Jan 2009)

Brendan Smith: Within the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, a strong emphasis is placed on the provision of "on- the-job" training and mentoring of staff involved in areas dealing with EU matters. This method ensures the appropriate levels of knowledge transfer to staff in developing their understanding of EU Institutions and Schemes and frames their understanding of their role in any...

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

Brendan Smith: The aquaculture sites, cited by the person in question were the subject of a Trial Licence issued by my Department in January 2005, for the cultivation of cod for a period of three years. This Trial Licence was issued on the basis that at no time during the period of the trial licence would salmon be stocked at any one of the sites. In view of this the matter of revocation of the salmon...

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

Brendan Smith: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1289 and 1296 together. In accordance with EU legislation, my Department's National Feed Inspection Programme is part of the overall Integrated Multi-Annual Control Plan for Ireland. This Plan involves food and feed, and details must be submitted to the EU Commission. The Food and Veterinary Office of the EU Commission audits the Plan. The EU Regulation...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (27 Jan 2009)

Brendan Smith: The Forest Service of my Department is currently in correspondence with the applicant in this case in relation to an area of land which was planted without approval and which contains an archaeological site. It will be necessary for the applicant to agree to the deletion of the unapproved plots from the payment application before payment of the approved area can be considered.

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (27 Jan 2009)

Brendan Smith: Only fully completed applications made under the Young Farmers' Installation Scheme and received by my Department up to and including 14 October 2008 are being processed.

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (27 Jan 2009)

Brendan Smith: Officials of my Department have been in direct contact with the person named on a number of occasions, in connection with the late submission by her of an application under the 2008 Single Payment Scheme. The current position is that the person named was again advised that, in the absence of a Postal Certificate confirming the posting of the application form in sufficient time to reach my...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (27 Jan 2009)

Brendan Smith: REPS 4 is a measure under the current Rural Development Programme 2007-13 and is subject to EU Regulations which require detailed administrative checks on all applications to be completed before the first payments issue. The first payments for 2008 REPS 4 applications will issue this week to those whose applications require no correction following the administrative checks. However queries...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (27 Jan 2009)

Brendan Smith: REPS 4 is a measure under the current Rural Development Programme 2007-13 and is subject to EU Regulations which require detailed administrative checks on all applications to be completed before the first payments issue. The first payments for 2008 REPS 4 applications will issue this week to those whose applications require no correction following the administrative checks. However queries...

Written Answers — Decentralisation Programme: Decentralisation Programme (27 Jan 2009)

Brendan Smith: All staff in Dublin who have not applied to decentralise with this Department or other decentralising organisations are to be placed in alternative locations in Dublin through the 'Dublin Arrangements' (the Department of Finance and Public Appointment Service operated scheme for assigning those who wish to remain in Dublin) or bilateral transfers.

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (27 Jan 2009)

Brendan Smith: An application under the 2006 Single Payment Scheme was received from the person named on 15 May 2006. Following the processing of his application to consolidate his entitlements, which was a complex process, one further payment remains to be made, approximately €1,347.00, which will issue shortly. The application submitted under the 2007 Scheme was the subject of a ground eligibility...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (27 Jan 2009)

Brendan Smith: REPS 4 is a measure under the current Rural Development Programme 2007–13 and is subject to EU Regulations which require detailed administrative checks on all applications to be completed before the first payments issue. The first payments for 2008 REPS 4 applications will issue this week to those whose applications require no correction following the administrative checks. However...

Written Answers — Rural Environment Protection Scheme: Rural Environment Protection Scheme (27 Jan 2009)

Brendan Smith: The first REPS 4 Plans were submitted to my Department in August 2007.

Written Answers — Rural Environment Protection Scheme: Rural Environment Protection Scheme (27 Jan 2009)

Brendan Smith: Out of the 10,773 applications for REPS 4 received in my Department by the closing date of 15 May 2008, the number converting from REPS 3 to REPS 4 before the end of their REPS 3 contracts was comparatively small. The information requested is not readily available, and its provision would require staff to be diverted from urgent work expediting REPS payments. The average yearly payment for...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (27 Jan 2009)

Brendan Smith: My Department keeps its staffing arrangements in local offices under constant review in order to ensure that payments continue to flow in a timely manner to farmers under the Farm Waste Management and other Schemes. The person concerned was paid grant-aid under the Farm Waste Management Scheme on 9 December 2008.