Results 4,601-4,620 of 18,459 for speaker:Brendan Smith

Written Answers — Aquaculture Development: Aquaculture Development (3 Nov 2009)

Brendan Smith: The National Seafood Development Operational Programme 2007-2013 draft was advertised for public consultation in October 2008 as part of the Strategic Environmental Assessment. During the consultation both the Department of Environment, Heritage and Local Government and the Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources on behalf of the Central Fisheries Board raised concerns...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (3 Nov 2009)

Brendan Smith: The decision by my Department to consider the person concerned ineligible for grant-aid under the Young Farmers' Installation Scheme is currently the subject of an appeal to the Agriculture Appeals Office. The review by that Office of my Department's decision will be completed as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Agri-Food Sector: Agri-Food Sector (3 Nov 2009)

Brendan Smith: Traditionally the Agri-Food Sector was taken to encompass the primary agriculture and food processing sectors. Currently, it encompasses the following sectors; Primary Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Food (including fish) and Beverage Processing as well as Wood Processing in line with my Department's remit.

Written Answers — Agri-Food Sector: Agri-Food Sector (3 Nov 2009)

Brendan Smith: In examining the output of the wider agri-food sector I would refer the Deputy in the first instance to the CSO and their website at www.cso.ie. The CSO produces statistics across a number of sectors and from various sources that provide estimates of output from the wider Agri-Food sector. I would also refer the deputy to the publications outlined below including the methodological notes...

Written Answers — Food Labelling: Food Labelling (3 Nov 2009)

Brendan Smith: The Food Labelling Group was established in July 2002 to examine issues surrounding food labelling following concerns raised by my Departments Consumer Liaison Panel. The Group which was widely representative of the major stakeholders in the food chain, consumer interests, industry, Government Departments and Agencies presented its report to the Department in December 2002. The report is...

Written Answers — Organic Farming: Organic Farming (3 Nov 2009)

Brendan Smith: Details of the land area certified as organic in Ireland and the total in the EU in the years 2000 to 2005 are set out in the table. More recent information in the EU total is not yet to hand. Details of the land area certified as organic in Ireland from 2006 to 2009 are also included. While the size of the organic sector in Ireland is below the EU average, there continue to be signs of...

Written Answers — Organic Farming: Organic Farming (3 Nov 2009)

Brendan Smith: The numbers of organic producers in Ireland for the years 2000 to 2009 are shown in the table. The number of producers in the EU as a whole in the years 2003 and 2005 are also shown. EU figures for other years could not be verified in the time available but I will communicate directly to the Deputy any further information that comes to hand. Number of Producers Involved in Organic...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (3 Nov 2009)

Brendan Smith: An application under the 2009 Single Payment Scheme/Disadvantaged Areas Scheme was received from the person named on 14 May 2009. While payment due under the Disadvantaged Areas Scheme was made on 25 September 2009, payment due under the Single Payment Scheme will be made shortly. However, the person named is aware of the Court Order of 23 April 2007 and the requirements placed on this...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (3 Nov 2009)

Brendan Smith: My officials have no record of receiving a REPS 4 application from the person named.

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (3 Nov 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 (3 Nov 2009)

Brendan Smith: An application under the Single Payment Scheme/Disadvantaged Area Scheme was received from the person named on the 1 May 2009. This application was selected for and was the subject of a ground eligibility inspection. Under EU regulations, all cases selected for inspection must be inspected before payment can issue in any individual case. While all of the 5% of cases selected for ground...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (3 Nov 2009)

Brendan Smith: Payment of afforestation premiums are currently suspended in respect of the person in question as part of the lands were removed from forestry to facilitate the building of a bypass. My Department is currently in correspondence with the ESB in relation to an area covered by a transmission line, which may have been removed as part of the construction process. I have asked that the matter be...

Written Answers — Animal Diseases: Animal Diseases (3 Nov 2009)

Brendan Smith: Under Article 19 (1)(a)(ii) of the Bovine Tuberculosis Order 1989, an animal cannot be moved out of a restricted herd into a slaughter premises unless at the time of its entry it is accompanied by a movement permit. Movement permits are issued at the discretion of a Veterinary Inspector or an Authorised Officer. The current arrangements are such that these permits cannot be authorised...

Written Answers — Dairy Industry: Dairy Industry (3 Nov 2009)

Brendan Smith: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1021 and 1028 together. At the Agriculture Council on 19 October Commissioner Fischer Boel announced that she would propose to make available an additional €280 million from the 2010 budget to help the dairy sector, as an exceptional measure. This would be possible under the new Article 186 powers which are expected to be agreed at the Agriculture Council...

Written Answers — Animal Diseases: Animal Diseases (3 Nov 2009)

Brendan Smith: Under EC Regulation No 999/2001 of the European Council which govern TSEs (BSE in cattle and scrapie in sheep), Ireland is obliged to conduct scrapie tests on at least 10,000 adult sheep presented for slaughter. From January to October of this year a cumulative total of 9,432 scrapie tests have been completed, which includes animals presented at both butchers' abattoirs and large slaughter...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (3 Nov 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 have continued to issue as outstanding issues are resolved. The application of the person named has...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (3 Nov 2009)

Brendan Smith: The Young Farmers' Installation Scheme was closed to new applicants on 14 October 2008 and I have no immediate plans to reopen entry to the Scheme at this time. I have, however, made provision of €9.75 million in 2009 to meet the existing commitments under the Young Farmers' Installation Scheme and the preceding equivalent schemes.

Written Answers — Turbary Rights: Turbary Rights (3 Nov 2009)

Brendan Smith: I have communicated with the Deputy on a number of occasions giving him updates regarding this matter. The underlying problem is that the operation of the scheme to allot the turbary rights can not be completed until my Legal Officer resolves the issue of the surrender and severance of an appurtenant right of turbary by one of the other persons recommended for turbary on the disposal scheme....

Written Answers — Food Labelling: Food Labelling (3 Nov 2009)

Brendan Smith: My Department does not have a function in relation to regulations amending tariff nomenclature at EU or International level. I would of course welcome any development which could preclude the use of substantial transformation as a device to mislead consumers.

Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (3 Nov 2009)

Brendan Smith: Following a comprehensive review of the Forestry Act, 1946, the Heads of the new Forestry Bill were approved by Government. The Office of the Parliamentary Counsel has commenced drafting the new Bill. It is intended to take a more flexible approach regarding the question of replanting after clear-felling by giving the Minister the power to waive the replanting obligation in certain limited...