Results 4,561-4,580 of 18,459 for speaker:Brendan Smith

Written Answers — Alternative Energy Projects: Alternative Energy Projects (20 Oct 2009)

Brendan Smith: Coillte Teoranta was established as a private commercial company under the Forestry Act, 1988. One of the company's principal objects under the Act is to carry on the business of forestry and related activities on a commercial basis and in accordance with efficient silvicultural practices. When it was first established in 1989 the company actively engaged in land acquisition for...

Written Answers — Farm Retirement Scheme: Farm Retirement Scheme (20 Oct 2009)

Brendan Smith: An application from the person named has been received in my Department. It will be examined after the closing date of 30 October along with all other applications received by that date. As soon as this examination has been completed the person named will be notified of the outcome.

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (20 Oct 2009)

Brendan Smith: An application under the Single Payment Scheme/Disadvantaged Areas Scheme was received from the person named on the 21 April 2009. This application was selected for and was the subject of a ground eligibility and full cross compliance inspection. During the course of the ground inspection discrepancies were found in relation to certain parcels being claimed. These parcels needed to be...

Written Answers — Alternative Energy Projects: Alternative Energy Projects (20 Oct 2009)

Brendan Smith: Teagasc receives substantial Exchequer resources each year to enable it to provide research and other services to the agriculture sector. It is a matter for Teagasc and its Board to prioritise its activities and allocate resources in the delivery of agricultural research and other services having regard to the requirements of the Act establishing Teagasc and in line with Government policy....

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (20 Oct 2009)

Brendan Smith: The number of officials at Principal level or higher expected to be working in my Department following full implementation of the Incentivised Early Retirement Scheme is 146. This includes officers in professional and technical grades as well as those in administrative grades. This figure represents 3.76 % of the total numbers expected to be working in the Department at 30 November 2009.

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (20 Oct 2009)

Brendan Smith: An application under the 2009 Disadvantaged Areas Scheme was received from the person named on 21 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 — Fishing Industry: Fishing Industry (20 Oct 2009)

Brendan Smith: The European Fisheries Fund is used to fund expenditure under the EU Seafood Development Operational Programme 2006-2013. The OP was approved by the European Commission in September 2008. The main item of expenditure under the OP relates to the Decommissioning Scheme under which 46 vessels have been decommissioned and €36.6m paid to vessel owners over 2008 and 2009. In total 6,913 GTs and...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (20 Oct 2009)

Brendan Smith: An application under the 2009 Single Payment Scheme/Disadvantaged Areas Scheme was received from the person named on 12 May 2009. Payments under the Disadvantaged Areas Scheme commenced on 22 September, with the payment due to the person named included among those payments that issued on that date. Payments under the Single Payment Scheme commenced on 16 October, with payment issuing to the...

Written Answers — Tariff Nomenclatures: Tariff Nomenclatures (20 Oct 2009)

Brendan Smith: Tariff nomenclatures are set at international level (by reference to SITC (Standard International Trade Classification) or the Common Nomenclature (CN) which is used for EU products) and are used as the basis for customs tariffs, determination of duties and taxes, quotas as well as the collection of statistics. To distinguish "substantial transformed" product on a national level would not be...

Written Answers — Decentralisation Programme: Decentralisation Programme (20 Oct 2009)

Brendan Smith: The Government announcement of 14 October 2007 advised that its review of the decentralisation programme, which gave due regard to progress made, commitments entered into and costs involved, identified priority projects which should proceed. Bord Iascaigh Mhara (BIM), the Irish Sea Fisheries Board, was amongst the projects identified to proceed. BIM is the independent, statutory agency with...

Written Answers — Rural Environment Protection Scheme: Rural Environment Protection Scheme (20 Oct 2009)

Brendan Smith: I refer to my earlier replies to Question No. 336 of 22 September 2009 and No. 1078 of 6 October 2009. My officials have again confirmed that the person named lodged a one-page document, which did not represent a valid agri-environmental plan, with his application by the closing date and the application is, therefore, ineligible under the terms of the scheme.

Written Answers — Food Industry: Food Industry (20 Oct 2009)

Brendan Smith: I propose to take Questions Nos. 532 to 535, inclusive, together. The following table sets out both the volume and value of exports and imports for beef, pigmeat, poultry, and sheepmeat for the full year 2008. Exports (2008) Imports (2008) Metric tonnes €m. Metric tonnes €m. Beef 433,960 1,636.3 33,773 113.5 Pigmeat 127,956 349.4 75,668 239.1 Poultry 98,965 201.1 76,398 277.9...

Written Answers — State Agencies: State Agencies (20 Oct 2009)

Brendan Smith: The matters referred to in the question are operational matters for the agencies themselves. The agencies are required to comply with Department of Finance guidelines on such expenditure and their attention has been drawn to this requirement recently.

Written Answers — Food Labelling: Food Labelling (20 Oct 2009)

Brendan Smith: European marketing standards for fresh fruit and vegetables, which included a requirement to declare origin, were established in the early 1960s within the first Common Organisation of the Market for fruit and vegetables. It is my understanding that these largely reflected national standards in existence in several member states. EU beef labelling rules were introduced subsequently in the...

Written Answers — Food Labelling: Food Labelling (20 Oct 2009)

Brendan Smith: The EU does not have EU marketing regulations for pigmeat and sheepmeat. For poultrymeat, the EU marketing regulations that apply are for unprocessed product, for which the following statutory labelling information is required; (a) use-by date (b) class (poultrymeat must be graded as Class A or Class B). (c) in the case of fresh poultrymeat, the total price and the price per weight unit at...

Written Answers — Farm Retirement Scheme: Farm Retirement Scheme (20 Oct 2009)

Brendan Smith: An application from the person named has been received in my Department. It will be examined after the closing date of 30 October along with all other applications received by that date. As soon as this examination has been completed the person named will be notified of the outcome.

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (20 Oct 2009)

Brendan Smith: The application under the 2009 single payment scheme/disadvantaged area scheme by the person named was selected for an eligibility 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. The inspection has now been completed and a small area over-claim has...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (20 Oct 2009)

Brendan Smith: In order to receive payment under the 2009 disadvantaged areas scheme, a valid application form must have been submitted to my Department by 15 May 2009 - the deadline for receipt of applications under the scheme. My Department has no record of receiving a 2009 single payment scheme/disadvantaged areas scheme application from the person named.

Written Answers — Departmental Correspondence: Departmental Correspondence (20 Oct 2009)

Brendan Smith: A reply on this matter will issue to the Deputy this week.

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (20 Oct 2009)

Brendan Smith: The person concerned is an applicant under the installation aid scheme. A decision will be made in respect of the application as soon as possible.