Results 3,941-3,960 of 18,450 for speaker:Brendan Smith

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (21 May 2009)

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

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (21 May 2009)

Brendan Smith: REPS payments totalling €4,638.52 issued to the person named in 2006. My Department has no record of any payments to him under any other schemes.

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (21 May 2009)

Brendan Smith: The REPS 4 application for the person named was received on 11 February 2009. Under EU Regulations, payment on any individual REPS 4 application for 2009 cannot be made until completion of administrative and area checks on all applications received up to the closing date of 15 May 2009. At that stage 75% of the payment to each participant can be released, with the balance being paid when...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (21 May 2009)

Brendan Smith: Following the supplementary budget on 7 April, an 8% reduction was applied to forestry premiums. The 8% reduction for this person equals €26.49 which results in a new premium amount of €304.60 payable from 2009 onwards.

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (21 May 2009)

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

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (21 May 2009)

Brendan Smith: The forestry premium payment, as with all income, is subject to the income levy but this is a general across-the-board levy which is not specific to forestry. The forestry premiums due for 2009 that were recently paid by my Department included an 8% reduction. This decision to reduce the forestry premiums must be seen in the context of unprecedented pressure on the public finances and the...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (21 May 2009)

Brendan Smith: The person named has four animals for consideration under the 2008 Suckler Welfare Scheme. Payment has issued for one of the animals. The remaining three are in error, as the applicant declared that they were castrated during the six-week meal feeding period. The rules of the scheme state that castration must take place outside this time. My Department has written to the person named to...

Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (21 May 2009)

Brendan Smith: This Bill has been brought to my attention. As there are significant legal issues arising in the first instance I am arranging for the Attorney General to examine and advise in advance of the Government taking a position.

Written Answers — Rural Environment Protection Scheme: Rural Environment Protection Scheme (21 May 2009)

Brendan Smith: The withdrawal of the 17% increase in REPS 4 rates of payments was a necessary response to the pressures on the public finances and the anticipated level of up-take of REPS 4. Now that the closing date for applications for REPS 4 has passed a full review of the Scheme will be undertaken, in the context of the overall participation rate, the funding which is likely to be available to me and...

Written Answers — Farm Retirement Scheme: Farm Retirement Scheme (21 May 2009)

Brendan Smith: My Department received an application under the Early Retirement Scheme from the person named on 12 December 2008. It could not be accepted for processing as it was received after the Scheme had been suspended for new applications on 14 October 2008 because of budgetary constraints. I indicated at the time that I would monitor all schemes and services throughout 2009 and would review the...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (21 May 2009)

Brendan Smith: While the person named has submitted a Single Payment application form since the introduction of the Single Payment Scheme in 2005 my Department does not have any record of a National Reserve application form being submitted for the person named for the scheme years 2005, 2006, 2007 or 2008. However, the person named has submitted an application under Category A of the 2009 National Reserve....

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (21 May 2009)

Brendan Smith: Suppliers of good and services to my Department have been paid on average within 16 days of receipt of invoices in the current year in the period from 1 January to 30 April, 2009. Payment for goods and services by State Agencies which come under the remit of my Department are an operational matter for the agencies themselves.

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (21 May 2009)

Brendan Smith: The person concerned is an applicant for grant-aid under both the Farm Waste Management and Farm Improvement Schemes. My Department is currently processing the applications concerned and a decision will be made as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Departmental Agencies: Departmental Agencies (26 May 2009)

Brendan Smith: Under the terms of the recent Government moratorium on recruitment and promotion in the Public Sector, it was made clear that the prior sanction of the Minister for Finance is required for any exceptions. The recruitment of contract research staff is an area where some exceptions may arise in research institutions including Teagasc, and the matter is currently under discussion with the...

Written Answers — Bovine Disease Controls: Bovine Disease Controls (26 May 2009)

Brendan Smith: Subsequent to the submission of the formal request that the herd number in question be Registered in the joint names of the persons named, the person in whose sole name the herd number is currently registered contacted the Department directly and requested that no change be made in regard to the herd number registration, i.e. that the herd number should not be registered in the joint names....

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (26 May 2009)

Brendan Smith: My Department's Employee Assistance Service provides advice and assistance to staff experiencing difficulties. My Department does not otherwise fund or provide financial assistance to staff receiving treatment for alcohol or drug use.

Written Answers — International Agreements: International Agreements (26 May 2009)

Brendan Smith: Currently talks on a new WTO Agreement are stalled following the failure to reach agreement at the Ministerial meeting in July of last year and the decision to defer indefinitely a second Ministerial meeting planned for last December. In consequence, at present there are no new proposals to analyse. However, I am in a position to call upon the wealth of research that has been conducted prior...

Written Answers — Departmental Offices: Departmental Offices (26 May 2009)

Brendan Smith: A date has not been set for the official opening of the new offices in Drumshanbo. The number of staff will be determined by the outcome of the current review of the Department's local offices.

Written Answers — Departmental Offices: Departmental Offices (26 May 2009)

Brendan Smith: My Department is currently reviewing its local office structure. No decisions have been taken regarding the future of any local office, other than the Dublin local office, already announced.

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (26 May 2009)

Brendan Smith: On the 22 May 2009 my officials received additional information from the person named and they are currently reviewing his agri-environmental plan in the light of this information.