Results 4,421-4,440 of 18,459 for speaker:Brendan Smith

Written Answers — Decentralisation Programme: Decentralisation Programme (13 Oct 2009)

Brendan Smith: The building for my Department in Portlaoise forms part of a Public Private Partnership (PPP), which also includes accommodation for decentralising Departments in Mullingar and Carlow. The PPP process is approaching finalisation and the OPW advises that it expects to make a final report and recommendation to the Minister for Finance on this matter shortly.

Written Answers — Food Labelling: Food Labelling (13 Oct 2009)

Brendan Smith: I propose to take Questions Nos. 464, 465, 466, 468 and 471 together. Ireland notified the draft Health (Country of Origin of Poultrymeat, Pigmeat and Sheepmeat) Regulations 2007 to the European Commission in December 2007. Following a series of communications between the European Commission and my Department the Commission's direction to Ireland not to adopt the draft national Regulations...

Written Answers — Food Labelling: Food Labelling (13 Oct 2009)

Brendan Smith: Under Regulation (EC) No. 1580/2007, as amended by Regulations (EC) Nos. 1221/2008 and 771/2009, fruit and vegetables are checked for compliance with the EU marketing standards that are laid down in the legislation. Apart from quality criteria, these standards also set down strict provisions regarding proper labelling and country of origin is included as a labelling requirement in these...

Written Answers — Food Industry: Food Industry (13 Oct 2009)

Brendan Smith: As the tariff nomenclature does not distinguish products in this way, the information sought by the Deputy is not available.

Written Answers — Food Industry: Food Industry (13 Oct 2009)

Brendan Smith: The Minister for Health & Children has overall responsibility for the general food labelling legislation. Responsibility for the enforcement of this legislation rests with the Food Safety Authority of Ireland (F.S.A.I.). There are no official statistics showing the comparative cost of imported versus home produced primary products. Under the general labelling Directive (2000/13/EC), the...

Written Answers — Dairy Industry: Dairy Industry (13 Oct 2009)

Brendan Smith: My Department does not maintain a register of dairy co-operatives, but is responsible for the registration of milk purchasers. This information is held on a national basis and is not broken down by county. At present there are 76 milk purchasers registered with the Department.

Written Answers — Compensation Schemes: Compensation Schemes (14 Oct 2009)

Brendan Smith: In all, there were 68 applicants under the Lost at Sea Scheme by the closing date of 31 December 2001. Six of the 68 applicants qualified under the terms of the Lost at Sea Scheme. The scheme did not provide monetary compensation or financial support for the acquisition of a fishing vessel itself and the capacity (i.e. gross tonnage and engine power) given under the strict terms of the...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (14 Oct 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, including the application from the person named, has commenced to facilitate the release of payments at the...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (14 Oct 2009)

Brendan Smith: The application under the 2009 Single Payment Scheme by the person named was selected for inspection by way of satellite imagery. Such inspections are carried out on a number of applications each year in order to meet the EU requirements for payment under the Single Payment Scheme. Applicants are not notified of this type of inspection. This inspection is in the process of being finalised and...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (14 Oct 2009)

Brendan Smith: An application under the 2009 Single Payment Scheme/Disadvantaged Areas Scheme was received from the person named on 14 May 2009. Payments under the Disadvantaged Areas Scheme commenced on 22 September, with payments issuing in respect of those cases cleared for payment at that stage. Payments continue to issue, as outstanding issues are resolved. The Single Payment Scheme will commence...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (14 Oct 2009)

Brendan Smith: An application under the 2009 Single Payment Scheme/Disadvantaged Areas Scheme was received from the person named on 13 May 2009. Payments under the Disadvantaged Areas Scheme commenced on 22 September, with payments issuing in respect of those cases cleared for payment at that stage. Payments continue to issue as outstanding issues are resolved. The application of the person named has now...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (14 Oct 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, including the application from the person named, has commenced to facilitate the release of payments at the...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (14 Oct 2009)

Brendan Smith: The person named has five animals for consideration under the 2008 Suckler Welfare Scheme. Under the rules of the scheme, meal must be introduced to calves a minimum of four weeks before weaning. According to the dates provided by the person named the rule has not been complied with. A letter issued to the person named on 15 September 2009, informing him that the five animals had been...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (14 Oct 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, including the application from the person named, has commenced to facilitate the release of payments at the...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (14 Oct 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, including the application from the person named, has commenced to facilitate the release of payments at the...

Written Answers — EU Directives: EU Directives (14 Oct 2009)

Brendan Smith: The prohibited period for the spreading of slurry commences on 15th October in all parts of the country as required by the Nitrates Regulations (SI No. 101 of 2009). These Regulations are a matter in the first instance for my colleague the Minister for Environment, Heritage and Local Government. The planned review of Ireland's Nitrates Action Programme in 2010 will provide an opportunity...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (14 Oct 2009)

Brendan Smith: The person concerned is an applicant under the young farmers installation scheme. Payment will issue when it has been confirmed that all qualifying conditions have been met.

Written Answers — Farm Retirement Scheme: Farm Retirement Scheme (14 Oct 2009)

Brendan Smith: I have reopened the Early Retirement Scheme until 30 October 2009 with a view to accepting as many as possible of those applications that were completed or close to completion at the time entry to the scheme was suspended on 14 October 2008. In processing these applications, my Department will give priority to those applications which have leases or deeds of transfer stamped by the Revenue...

Written Answers — Farm Waste Management: Farm Waste Management (14 Oct 2009)

Brendan Smith: The number of slatted houses grant aided, to date, in each county under the Farm Waste Management Scheme since the introduction of the Scheme in 2001 is set out in the following table: County Slatted Houses Carlow 241 Cavan 1,445 Clare 1,488 Cork 2,254 Donegal 1,593 Dublin 12 Galway 2,035 Kerry 1,419 Kildare 142 Kilkenny 930 Laois 422 Leitrim 841 Limerick 856 Longford 490...

Written Answers — Decentralisation Programme: Decentralisation Programme (14 Oct 2009)

Brendan Smith: On 15 July last, 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...