Results 3,361-3,380 of 18,450 for speaker:Brendan Smith

Written Answers — Pigmeat Sector: Pigmeat Sector (24 Mar 2009)

Brendan Smith: The current position is that traceability of pork at slaughter and after is on the basis of production batch. The Department is in consultation with the EU about the possible potential to improve pork traceability so as to reduce the impact in the event of future recalls. As regards possible improved traceability, this will undoubtedly be a key issue for the Group that I have set up under the...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (24 Mar 2009)

Brendan Smith: The total number of applications for REPS 4 received in 2007 and 2008 was 12,292. As of today, REPS 4 payments have been made to 6,194 applicants or just over 50% of the total. These payments amount to some €20.5 million. REPS 4 is a measure under the current Rural Development Programme 2007–13 and is subject to different EU Regulations from the preceding versions of REPS. Under REPS...

Written Answers — Agri-Food Sector: Agri-Food Sector (24 Mar 2009)

Brendan Smith: The agri-food sector is Ireland's largest indigenous, manufacturing sector and is crucial to sustaining and reinvigorating the economy. Strategies for the development of a consumer focused, competitive and sustainable agri-food sector capable of meeting the challenges of more liberalised markets and broader societal demands both at home and abroad are set out in the Agri-vision 2015 report...

Written Answers — Departmental Schemes: Departmental Schemes (24 Mar 2009)

Brendan Smith: The Young Farmers' Installation Scheme and Early Retirement Scheme were closed to new applicants on 14 October 2008. I have no immediate plans to reopen entry to these Schemes at this time.

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (24 Mar 2009)

Brendan Smith: Payment of the first instalment of 40 per cent of the grants due to farmers under the Farm Waste Management Scheme commenced during the week ending 6 March 2009 and will be continued by my Department as claims are approved. I am satisfied that sufficient funding is available for the Scheme in 2009 to ensure that all farmers will receive their entitlements under the Scheme this year.

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (24 Mar 2009)

Brendan Smith: Payment of the first instalment of 40 per cent of the grants due to farmers under the Farm Waste Management Scheme commenced during the week ending 6 March 2009 and will continue as claims are approved. The second instalment of 40 per cent will be paid in early January 2010 and the remaining 20 per cent in January 2011. I have also announced that a special ex-gratia payment not exceeding...

Written Answers — Pigmeat Sector: Pigmeat Sector (24 Mar 2009)

Brendan Smith: Good progress is being made under the Pigmeat Recall Scheme. At this stage, virtually all affected product in Ireland has been rendered under my Department's supervision and a substantial quantity of affected product overseas has also been destroyed. To date, €42m has been paid under the Scheme. This represents the value of interim payments made to 81 processors in respect of product...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (24 Mar 2009)

Brendan Smith: I propose to take Questions Nos. 92 and 103 together. The financial arrangements in respect of any loans taken out by farmers for the purposes of carrying out investments under the Farm Waste Management Scheme are entirely a matter between the individual farmers and financial institutions concerned.

Written Answers — Bovine Diseases: Bovine Diseases (24 Mar 2009)

Brendan Smith: Brucellosis is now at a historically low level in Ireland. The last confirmed case was disclosed in April 2006. If no case of Brucellosis is disclosed between now and the end March 2009, I intend to apply to the EU Commission in April seeking Official Brucellosis Free status for Ireland. At that stage, I would envisage a relaxation of some of the Brucellosis programme's control measures...

Written Answers — Animal Health Standards: Animal Health Standards (24 Mar 2009)

Brendan Smith: I propose to take Questions Nos. 96 and 98 together. I recently launched Animal Health Ireland which aims to improve overall animal health standards, thereby enhancing on-farm productivity and securing improved profitability for farmers through a coordinated national approach to animal health. This delivers on the commitment contained in the Programme for Government, referred to by Deputy...

Written Answers — Rural Environment Protection Scheme: Rural Environment Protection Scheme (24 Mar 2009)

Brendan Smith: No changes to the REPS scheme four specifications have been introduced in the past two months. However, from the administrative checks carried out on REPS 4 plans it was apparent the specification requirements were being misinterpreted in some instances. A circular issued to all planners and local AES offices on 10 February 2009 clarifying where a mandatory environmental undertaking under...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (24 Mar 2009)

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

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (24 Mar 2009)

Brendan Smith: The total number of applications for REPS 4 received in 2007 and 2008 was 12,292. As of today, REPS 4 payments have been made to 6,194 applicants or just over 50% of the total. These payments amount to some €20.5 million. REPS 4 is a measure under the current Rural Development Programme 2007–13 and is subject to different EU Regulations from the preceding versions of REPS. Under REPS...

Written Answers — Common Fisheries Policy: Common Fisheries Policy (24 Mar 2009)

Brendan Smith: The Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) is the fisheries policy of the European Union which was first put in place in 1983 and has been subject to reviews every 10 years, the most recent was in 2002 and the next is formally scheduled for 2012. Work has already commenced in preparation for the review with the publication of a Commission Working Paper in September 2008 and the launch of a phase of...

Written Answers — Common Fisheries Policy: Common Fisheries Policy (24 Mar 2009)

Brendan Smith: Refunds of Modulation under the 2008 Single Payment Scheme began issuing to farmers last week and, to date, refunds amounting to some €24 million have issued to over 122,000 applicants. Modulation is the process whereby a percentage of each farmer's Single Payment is transferred to fund rural development measures in Pillar 2 of the CAP. In excess of 80% of the sum deducted is used to fund...

Written Answers — Bovine Diseases: Bovine Diseases (24 Mar 2009)

Brendan Smith: As part of its contingency arrangements to control the spread of bluetongue, my Department in 2008 purchased a supply of 1 million doses of BTV ST8 vaccine to enable us to immediately commence vaccination within a 20km zone, if disease of this particular serotype is confirmed in Ireland. This vaccine stock has a 12 month shelf life and will expire between May and August 2009. The average...

Written Answers — Fisheries Protection: Fisheries Protection (24 Mar 2009)

Brendan Smith: I propose to take Questions Nos. 106 and 939 together. I understand that the Sea-Fisheries Protection Authority (SFPA) recently participated in a Joint Deployment operation under the auspices of the Community Fisheries Control Agency (CFCA), a European Union body established in 2005 to organise operational coordination of fisheries control and inspection activities by the Member States. The...

Written Answers — Pigmeat Sector: Pigmeat Sector (24 Mar 2009)

Brendan Smith: My Department is working closely with Bord Bia and the Department of Foreign Affairs to eliminate any remaining market access issues as a result of the dioxin incident. While most issues have been resolved, there is a small number of markets that continue to prohibit Irish pigmeat. My Department continues its efforts to have these restrictions lifted. Following on from the dioxin incident,...

Written Answers — Food Labelling: Food Labelling (24 Mar 2009)

Brendan Smith: The Minister for Health & Children has overall responsibility for the general food labelling legislation. Under the general labelling Directive (2000/13/EC), the place of origin of the foodstuff must be given only if its absence might mislead the consumer to a material degree. The European Commission is currently undertaking a major review of all food labelling legislation. In this...

Written Answers — Departmental Schemes: Departmental Schemes (24 Mar 2009)

Brendan Smith: I regret that information of the type requested by the Deputy is not maintained by my Department.