Results 4,781-4,800 of 18,459 for speaker:Brendan Smith

Written Answers — Dumping at Sea: Dumping at Sea (24 Nov 2009)

Brendan Smith: My Department has no record of prosecutions taken in respect of the Dumping at Sea Acts.

Written Answers — Dumping at Sea: Dumping at Sea (24 Nov 2009)

Brendan Smith: The Marine Institute comes under the aegis of my Department. The Foreshore and Dumping at Sea (Amendment) Bill 2009 makes no change in relation to this.

Written Answers — Fisheries Protection: Fisheries Protection (24 Nov 2009)

Brendan Smith: My Department and its agencies working with the Department of Environment, Heritage and Local Government has developed a comprehensive plan to deliver compliance with the EU Birds and Habitat Directives for wild fisheries and aquaculture over a three year timeframe. A meeting between the Department, the Department of Environment, Heritage and Local Government, relevant Agencies and DG...

Written Answers — Aquaculture Licences: Aquaculture Licences (24 Nov 2009)

Brendan Smith: Section 13 of the Fisheries (Amendment) Act, 1997 sets down timeframes within which the Minister shall endeavour to determine an application for an aquaculture licence. However, in the absence of a commencement order, there is no statutory timeframe in force for the determination of applications for aquaculture licences under the Act. Every effort is made by my Department to expedite the...

Written Answers — Foreshore Licences: Foreshore Licences (24 Nov 2009)

Brendan Smith: A total of 23 staff are scheduled to transfer from my Department to the Department of Environment, Heritage and Local Government to facilitate the transfer of functions under the Foreshore and Dumping at Sea (Amendment) Bill 2009. This number is comprised of 18 administrative staff currently based in my Department's offices in Johnstown Castle, Wexford. Five engineering staff members are...

Written Answers — Rural Environment Protection Scheme: Rural Environment Protection Scheme (24 Nov 2009)

Brendan Smith: 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. Processing of applications is at an advanced stage. I hope to be in a position to release the 75% payment due on valid applications in mid-...

Written Answers — Farmers' Markets: Farmers' Markets (24 Nov 2009)

Brendan Smith: The position with regard to the future operation of the Farmers Market at Howth Fishery Harbour Centre is currently being reviewed by my Department. If a decision is made to issue a licence for the future operation of the Farmers Market, a tender process will be put in place at the earliest opportunity.

Written Answers — Irish Language: Irish Language (24 Nov 2009)

Brendan Smith: It is the policy of my Department that most documents which require to be translated into Irish are published electronically rather than in hard copy. The following is the information relating to the cost involved in the translation into Irish and the printing of those documents: Year 2008 2009 Translation â'¬37,838 â'¬16,454 Printing â'¬11,899 â'¬2,065 These figures do not...

Farming and Agri-Food Sector: Statements (25 Nov 2009)

Brendan Smith: This debate is particularly timely and it is an opportunity for the House to focus on the undoubted potential of the Irish agri-food sector to contribute significantly to the recovery of the economy. I express my sympathy to all those who have been badly affected by the flooding in recent days. I am aware, from my Department's assessment, of the impact of the flooding on the agricultural...

Farming and Agri-Food Sector: Statements (25 Nov 2009)

Brendan Smith: It has been welcomed outside this House.

Farming and Agri-Food Sector: Statements (25 Nov 2009)

Brendan Smith: Increased allocations have been given during the past two years.

Farming and Agri-Food Sector: Statements (25 Nov 2009)

Brendan Smith: There has been increased expenditure.

Farming and Agri-Food Sector: Statements (25 Nov 2009)

Brendan Smith: As the Deputy knows, the milk quota will not be gone until 2015. The Deputy said it is gone now.

Farming and Agri-Food Sector: Statements (25 Nov 2009)

Brendan Smith: The Deputy said I was delighted it was gone, but it will not be gone until 2015.

Farming and Agri-Food Sector: Statements (25 Nov 2009)

Brendan Smith: Yes.

Grant Payments. (26 Nov 2009)

Brendan Smith: The suckler welfare scheme is funded fully by the Exchequer. The continuation of the scheme and the level of funding to be provided are budgetary matters which will be decided in the context of the forthcoming 2010 budget and the Estimates provision for the Department. The scheme was introduced in January 2008 and has more than 50,000 farmer participants. It covers approximately 85% of the...

Grant Payments. (26 Nov 2009)

Brendan Smith: This scheme was introduced in 2008 and the payments issued in 2008 and 2009 were the first under this new stream of income. Funding for the 2009 scheme will be paid early in 2010. We do not know yet what our Estimates will be for 2010 or the indicative budget for 2011. Therefore, I am not in a position to say whether we will have resources for the scheme beyond this year's commitment....

Grant Payments. (26 Nov 2009)

Brendan Smith: All the farm organisations have been supportive of the scheme and have lauded its merits. Although it is less than two years old, it has been successful in meeting its objectives of improving welfare and husbandry standards, building knowledge of herd health and improving the breed quality of the suckler herd. The Deputy, quite rightly, raised those issues, which are important in the context...

Rural Environment Protection Scheme. (26 Nov 2009)

Brendan Smith: REPS 4 was closed to new applicants in July against the background of the deterioration in the public finances, the limited resources available to the Department and the increasing cost of the scheme as a result of the increase in the number of REPS participants. Over 12,000 farmers joined REPS 4 in 2007 and 2008, and about 17,000 more applications were received up to the 2009 closing date...

Rural Environment Protection Scheme. (26 Nov 2009)

Brendan Smith: REPS is not intended primarily as an income support measure but as an agri-environment measure. However, we all know its importance to the income of farmers. My Department has been in consultation with other Departments, particularly the Department of Social and Family Affairs with regard to the loss of farm incomes, particularly during this year. The computations have been done of...