Results 4,721-4,740 of 18,459 for speaker:Brendan Smith

Written Answers — Value for Money Reviews: Value for Money Reviews (17 Nov 2009)

Brendan Smith: A value for money review of the 2001-2006 Dairy Hygiene Scheme was completed by my Department in late 2007 and published in early 2008. In addition, an expenditure review of the 2001-2006 Farm Waste Management Scheme was completed by my Department in June 2007 and published in the same year. Copies of both reviews are available on my Department's website.

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (17 Nov 2009)

Brendan Smith: An application from the person named has been received in my Department. All applications received up to the closing date of 30 October are being examined in my Department at present. The details of the application from the person named, as well as the funding available, will be taken into account in reaching a decision. As soon as the decision has been made, he will be notified of the outcome.

Written Answers — Animal Welfare: Animal Welfare (17 Nov 2009)

Brendan Smith: I propose to take Questions Nos. 431 and 433 together. Officials of my Department attended the Workshop on Horse Health and Welfare in Ireland held recently at University College Dublin, which was organised by its Faculty of Agriculture, Food Science and Veterinary Medicine and included participants drawn from a cross-section of industry, government, education and welfare sectors. The...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (17 Nov 2009)

Brendan Smith: An application under the 2009 Single Payment Scheme/Disadvantaged Areas Scheme was received from the person named on 15 May 2009. Following initial processing of the application, it was found that the applicant made an over-declaration on the land parcel declared. Following correspondence with the person named, this issue has been resolved. While the person named had declared 23.80...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (17 Nov 2009)

Brendan Smith: The application under the 2009 Single Payment Scheme, received from the person named on 15 April 2009, included some commonage land. The 70% advance payment did not issue, as the additional processing which was required in respect of these commonage parcels to deal with some over-declarations of eligible areas has only just been completed. However, as processing of the application is now...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (17 Nov 2009)

Brendan Smith: REPS 4 is a measure under the current Rural Development Programme 2007-2013. It 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 (17 Nov 2009)

Brendan Smith: An application under the 2009 Single Payment Scheme/Disadvantaged Areas Scheme was received from the person named on 24 April 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...

Written Answers — Food Safety: Food Safety (17 Nov 2009)

Brendan Smith: I am not aware of any bacterial testing on imported poultry meat having been carried out at my Department's laboratory in Kilkenny. If the Deputy can provide any further information, I will be glad to pursue the matter. Responsibility for ensuring the safety of food rests in the first place with the food business operator that places it on the market. Compliance is monitored by the...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (17 Nov 2009)

Brendan Smith: REPS 4 is a measure under the current Rural Development Programme 2007-2013. It 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 — Installation Aid Scheme: Installation Aid Scheme (17 Nov 2009)

Brendan Smith: Some 941 applications were received by my Department under the Young Farmers' Installation Scheme prior to its suspension for new applications on 14 October 2008. A further 149 applications have been received in my Department since the suspension of the scheme. Some 670 applications have been approved for payment under the scheme since its introduction in June 2007. Expenditure to date in...

Written Answers — Farm Retirement Scheme: Farm Retirement Scheme (17 Nov 2009)

Brendan Smith: The total number of Early Retirement Scheme applications received by my Department before the suspension of the scheme on 14 October 2008 was 467. When the Early Retirement Scheme was suspended, it became apparent that a certain number of farmers had their applications completed or close to completion at the time when entry to the scheme was suspended. Consequently, I took the decision to...

Written Answers — Rural Environment Protection Scheme: Rural Environment Protection Scheme (17 Nov 2009)

Brendan Smith: There are 36,526 active REPS 3 participants and 12,695 active participants in REPS 4. My officials are processing approximately 17,000 applications for REPS 4 that were received in 2009.

Written Answers — Rural Environment Protection Scheme: Rural Environment Protection Scheme (17 Nov 2009)

Brendan Smith: The following table sets out the number of REPS contracts that expire each year: Scheme Number (approximately) Last year of contract Cost per year (approximately) REPS 3 8,000 2009 â'¬ 49.6 million REPS 3 10,600 2010 â'¬ 65.7 million REPS 3 23,900 2011 â'¬ 148.1 million REPS 4 550 2012 â'¬ 3.4 million REPS 4 12,100 2013 â'¬ 105.5 million The figures in the table do not...

Written Answers — Rural Environment Protection Scheme: Rural Environment Protection Scheme (17 Nov 2009)

Brendan Smith: Some 14,000 of the applications received up to 15 May under the 2009 Scheme have been processed to date. REPS 4 is a measure under the current Rural Development Programme 2007—2013 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 . My officials are making every...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (17 Nov 2009)

Brendan Smith: Since I announced the reorganisation of the local office network a number of steps towards implementation have been carried out and key issues relating to personnel, accommodation, training and information technology progressed. Phase 1 of the reorganisation involves the establishment of four regional offices at Drumshanbo, Navan, Enniscorthy and Waterford. Work from a number of other...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (17 Nov 2009)

Brendan Smith: Payments under the 2009 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. To date, payments worth in excess of €216.5 million have issued to some 96,334 applicants, leaving in the region of 4,000 applicants yet to be paid. Any applicant...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (17 Nov 2009)

Brendan Smith: Since January 2009, €28.186 million has been paid to farmers under the Suckler Welfare Scheme in respect of calves born in 2008. A further €31.749 million was paid out in 2008 bringing the total paid to €59.935 million in respect of 749,000 calves born in 2008. Payment on the remaining 2008 born animals is continuing an on-going basis as the animal event information is being returned....

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (17 Nov 2009)

Brendan Smith: I accept that the Irish sheep sector is in need of assistance and, mindful of the particular difficulties being experienced, I have decided on a two-fold approach to help address the situation. In the first instance and as I announced in March, I have decided to allocate approximately €7 million from the Single Farm Payment National Reserve to 14,000 hill sheep farmers for this year, these...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (17 Nov 2009)

Brendan Smith: Cattle and sheep prices are collected at livestock marts by officials of my Department on a weekly basis. The prices are collected in order to provide (a) weekly reports of price data to the EU Commission in the context of the market support systems for cattle and sheep and (b) summary prices that are issued weekly to valuers assigned to valuing cattle under the TB and Brucellosis. The price...

Written Answers — Aquaculture Licences: Aquaculture Licences (17 Nov 2009)

Brendan Smith: My Department has responsibility for the licensing of aquaculture in the State in accordance with the provisions of national and EU law. Where it is deemed that the proposed aquaculture is likely to have a significant effect on a Natura 2000 site an 'appropriate assessment', within the meaning of the EU Habitats Directive as transposed into national law, must be undertaken before I can grant...