Results 4,321-4,340 of 18,459 for speaker:Brendan Smith

Written Answers — Farm Retirement Scheme: Farm Retirement Scheme (22 Sep 2009)

Brendan Smith: The Early Retirement Scheme was suspended for new applications on 14 October 2008. I am conscious that some potential applicants were at an advanced stage of preparing an application when entry to the scheme was suspended and had made, or were making, arrangements to meet the requirements of the scheme. I have been reviewing these cases against a background of competing demands for limited...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (22 Sep 2009)

Brendan Smith: Payments under the Single Payment Scheme may be made only in respect of eligible land. Applicants under the scheme are obliged annually to declare the land parcels available to them. Details of the eligible area of the land parcels are recorded on the Department's Land Parcel Identification System. Details of the use and area claimed for each of some one million parcels on the system are...

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

Brendan Smith: My Department has no involvement in the contract for the provision of services between the person named and his REPS planner. As no application for participation in REPS 4 was received by the closing date, the appeals process in relation to such applications does not apply in this case. REPS 4 is now closed. However, I plan to introduce a new agri-environment scheme in 2010, for which the...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (22 Sep 2009)

Brendan Smith: An application to join REPS 4 was received from the person named on 9 July 2009. It is being processed. If the application is valid, a start date of 1 January 2010 will be approved and a first instalment payment of 75% will issue in autumn 2010.

Written Answers — Banking Sector: Banking Sector (22 Sep 2009)

Brendan Smith: Beef production is an extremely valuable component of the Irish economy. It had an export value of €1.69 billion in 2008, representing 20% of total Irish food and drink exports. Some 90% of Irish beef production is exported, which makes Ireland the largest net beef exporter in the northern hemisphere and the fourth largest in the world. In common with all agricultural commodities, beef...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (22 Sep 2009)

Brendan Smith: An application under the 2009 Disadvantaged Areas Scheme was received from the person named on 11 May 2009. The Terms and Conditions governing the scheme require, inter alia, that applicants maintain a minimum stocking density on their holding of 0.15 livestock units per forage hectare declared, for at least three consecutive months, during the calendar year of application. However, where...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (22 Sep 2009)

Brendan Smith: An application under the Single Payment (Disadvantaged Areas) Scheme was received from the person named on 11 May 2009. This application was selected for and was the subject of a ground eligibility and full cross-compliance inspection. The file is being processed. It is expected that any payment due under the Disadvantaged Area Scheme will issue shortly. The 70% advance payment under the...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (22 Sep 2009)

Brendan Smith: The application from the person named has been examined and my officials are awaiting clarification of certain issues before the application can be processed further. Payments to 2009 REPS 4 participants cannot issue until all administrative checks on all applications have been completed. This process is under way and the first instalment payment of 75% will commence later in the year.

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (22 Sep 2009)

Brendan Smith: Since 19 May 2009, 85.15% of suppliers and contractors to my Department have been paid in full within 15 days, 13.23% have been paid within 16 to 30 days and 1.62% have been paid after 30 days of receipt of the invoices. In the future, the objective is to ensure that all payments are made within 15 days of receipt of invoices, in accordance with Government policy.

Written Answers — Milk Quota: Milk Quota (22 Sep 2009)

Brendan Smith: I announced details of the scheme for the allocation of milk quota to New Entrants on 10 June last with a closing date of 31 July. The purpose of the scheme is to make allocations of 200,000 litres of milk quota available to suitable new entrants to dairying. An application from the named person was received in my Department. The processing of applications is being finalised. I hope to be...

Written Answers — Rural Environment Protection Scheme: Rural Environment Protection Scheme (22 Sep 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, including plan checks, to be completed before the first 2009 payments issue. Processing of applications has commenced to facilitate to release of payments at the earliest possible date.

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (22 Sep 2009)

Brendan Smith: My Department has received a submission from the organisation named setting out its response to the Report of the Special Group on Public Service Numbers and expenditure Programmes. The submission will be examined, together with any other submissions that may be received, in determining the budgetary framework and in the preparation of the 2010 Estimate for the Department.

Written Answers — Fisheries Protection: Fisheries Protection (23 Sep 2009)

Brendan Smith: The management and conservation of fish stocks is provided for under the EU Common Fisheries Policy (CFP). To ensure that the fishing pressure is not higher than the stocks can sustain and taking into account the scientific advice on fish stocks provided by the International Council for the Exploration of the Seas (ICES), Total Allowable Catches (TACs) and quotas are agreed by the EU...

Written Answers — Inland Fisheries: Inland Fisheries (23 Sep 2009)

Brendan Smith: The Marine Institute publishes on an annual basis a Stock Book setting down scientific advice on the state of fish stocks which are the subject of EU Total Allowable Catches (TACs) and quotas. This report sets down the advice of the International Council for the Exploration of the Seas (ICES) on stocks of importance to the Irish fishing industry and supports it with additional material...

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

Brendan Smith: The person named, who established 2.34 Single Payment entitlements with a net unit value of €41.67 applied for and was paid under the 2005 and 2006 Single Payment Schemes. The Department has no record, however, of applications being received from the person named under any of the years 2007, 2008 or 2009.

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

Brendan Smith: The person named joined REPS 3 for a period of 3 years. Following a farm inspection and two audit inspections by Department Inspectors in March and April, 2008, a letter issued to the person itemizing a number of documents that were required and a number of issues that needed clarification. As none of the requested documentation or clarification was received, a letter terminating the...

Written Answers — Departmental Offices: Departmental Offices (23 Sep 2009)

Brendan Smith: On 15th July, the Government approved my plan for a reorganisation of my Department's Local Office Network. The plan involves reducing, from 57 to 16, the number of offices from which the Department will operate District Veterinary, Forestry and Agricultural Environment and Structures support services in the future. This will result in a reduction of some 400 in the number of staff working in...

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

Brendan Smith: An application for payment of afforestation grant aid to the person in question was received in my Department on 24th August 2009. The application is currently being processed and, if in order, the payment should issue within the next four to six weeks.

Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (23 Sep 2009)

Brendan Smith: The scope of the review of forestry legislation referred to by the Deputy was set out in its Terms of Reference which were published on my Department's website. The review concentrated on the operational provisions of the various Forestry Acts. Consequently, the main focus was on the Forestry Act, 1946 although the Forestry Act, 1988 was not excluded as it also deals with operational matters....

Written Answers — Forestry Sector: Forestry Sector (23 Sep 2009)

Brendan Smith: The position regarding this issue is that legal advice has been received on the matter which my Department is currently considering. A decision will be made on the matter shortly.