Results 3,621-3,640 of 18,450 for speaker:Brendan Smith

Written Answers — Rural Environment Protection Scheme: Rural Environment Protection Scheme (22 Apr 2009)

Brendan Smith: The information requested is not readily available. As its provision would require staff to be diverted from urgent work in expediting REPS 4 Payments for a significant period,I believe that official time would be better employed in continuing to process payments.

Written Answers — Rural Environmental Protection Scheme: Rural Environmental Protection Scheme (23 Apr 2009)

Brendan Smith: A number of applications in which penalties were applied for minor technical breaches, including the case in question, are currently being reviewed in my Department. The outcome in this case will be communicated to the person named in the near future.

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (23 Apr 2009)

Brendan Smith: Payment will issue to the person named within the next 10 days.

Written Answers — Herd Numbers: Herd Numbers (23 Apr 2009)

Brendan Smith: In order for the person in question to obtain a herd number, he must complete an ER1 form and comply with the following criteria which are used to assess applications for a herd number. These criteria include: Independent management of the holding Separate housing and fodder The availability of adequate testing facilities No intermixing with cattle from any other herd and the animals must...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (23 Apr 2009)

Brendan Smith: Payment will issue to the person named within the next 10 days.

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (23 Apr 2009)

Brendan Smith: An application for afforestation grant aid by the person in question is currently being processed by my Department. Pending completion of the necessary consultation process it is not possible at this stage to determine the final outcome.

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (23 Apr 2009)

Brendan Smith: An application was received on the 5 March 2009 requesting the transfer of 27.21 standard entitlements by way of lease to the person named from his son under the 2008 Single Payment Scheme year. As the son of the person named is not the registered owner of a herd-number, and consequently is not the owner of any Single Payment Scheme entitlements, the application was rejected on the 3 April...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (23 Apr 2009)

Brendan Smith: I propose to take Questions Nos. 192 to 194, inclusive, together. My Department operates the Career Break Scheme in accordance with guidelines laid down by the Department of Finance Circular 18/98. No circulars or direct communications have been issued to staff within my Department regarding returning to work early from a Career Break or after a Career Break as the terms of Department of...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (23 Apr 2009)

Brendan Smith: There are currently 17 expense account credit cards held by staff in my Department in connection with their official duties. The credit limit on these cards is €10,000 and the total expenses on the credit card accounts for the period 2004 to 2009 to-date amounts to €229,080. My Department's librarian also holds a credit card used for the purchases of books and other materials for the...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (23 Apr 2009)

Brendan Smith: This herd owner applied for 5 animals under the Suckler Welfare Scheme. Payment has been approved for 2 animals and will issue shortly. Queries are being resolved on a further 2 animals which should be approved for payment soon. Payment will not be made for 1 animal because it was sold before it was weaned, which is contrary to the terms of the scheme.

Written Answers — Equal Opportunities Employment: Equal Opportunities Employment (23 Apr 2009)

Brendan Smith: My Department is complying with the statutory target for the employment of people with a disability and currently just over 3% of employees have declared that they have a disability. My Department is committed to providing the supports necessary to enable staff with disabilities to participate fully in the workplace and it is also supportive of initiatives to provide work experience...

Written Answers — Fish Imports: Fish Imports (28 Apr 2009)

Brendan Smith: The material requested by the Deputy will be forwarded to him directly.

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (28 Apr 2009)

Brendan Smith: The amount of the premium payable to this applicant is under review and my Department will contact the applicant on the matter within the next week.

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (28 Apr 2009)

Brendan Smith: It is intended that the annual forestry premium payment will issue to this applicant shortly.

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (28 Apr 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 issued in the last week of January to those whose applications required no correction following the administrative checks....

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (28 Apr 2009)

Brendan Smith: The Single Payment in Ireland commenced in 2005 and is applicable to farmers who actively farmed during the reference years 2000, 2001 and 2002, who were paid Livestock Premia and/or Arable Aid in one or more of those years. The gross Single Payment is based on the average number of animals and/or the average number of hectares (in the case of Arable Aid) on which payments were made in the...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (28 Apr 2009)

Brendan Smith: It is intended that the annual forestry premium payment will issue to this applicant shortly.

Written Answers — World Trade Negotiations: World Trade Negotiations (28 Apr 2009)

Brendan Smith: The current position in regard to the WTO negotiations is that talks are stalled following the failure to reach agreement at the Ministerial meeting last July and the decision to defer indefinitely a second Ministerial meeting planned for last December. The World Economic Forum at Davos in February and the G20 meeting in April provided no new momentum for the negotiations and nor did the G20...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (28 Apr 2009)

Brendan Smith: The arrangements for the payment of grants under the Farm Waste Management Scheme on a phased basis have been confirmed with 40% being paid this year as claims are approved. A further 40% will be paid in early January 2010 and the remaining 20% in January 2011. I have also announced that a special ex gratia payment not exceeding 3.5% of the value of the deferred amount will be made to...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (28 Apr 2009)

Brendan Smith: The arrangements for the payment of grants under the Farm Waste Management Scheme on a phased basis have been confirmed with 40% being paid this year as claims are approved. A further 40% will be paid in early January 2010 and the remaining 20% in January 2011. I have also announced that a special ex gratia payment not exceeding 3.5% of the value of the deferred amount will be made to...