Results 5,121-5,140 of 18,459 for speaker:Brendan Smith

Written Answers — Rural Environment Protection Scheme: Rural Environment Protection Scheme (27 Jan 2010)

Brendan Smith: Ireland's amended Rural Development Programme, including a new agri-environment scheme, was presented to the EU Rural Development Management Committee in Brussels on 20 January. This followed detailed and protracted discussions with the Commission. The Committee agreed the programme and the Commission will now proceed to take a formal decision to approve it. This procedure is expected to...

Written Answers — Lost at Sea Scheme: Lost at Sea Scheme (27 Jan 2010)

Brendan Smith: The Lost at Sea Scheme was a limited scheme introduced in June 2001, with a closing date of 31 December 2001, whose objective was to enable qualifying applicants, who were otherwise unable to do so for financial or related reasons, to continue a family tradition of sea-fishing. It was a bounded, limited scheme under which replacement capacity (gross tons and kWatts) that would otherwise have...

Written Answers — Tillage Sector: Tillage Sector (27 Jan 2010)

Brendan Smith: Since Ireland is a deficit market for cereals, prices here are greatly affected by world prices and supplies. In 2007, increased demands for grain from the biofuels sector and the growing needs of new emerging markets like China and India drove up world grain market prices. In line with this rise in world prices, grain prices in Ireland increased to record levels during 2007 and growers here...

Written Answers — Food Labelling: Food Labelling (27 Jan 2010)

Brendan Smith: The report of the Inter-Agency Review Group tasked with examining the dioxin contamination incident in Ireland in December 2008 made a number of recommendations in relation to labelling and traceability. Firstly it concluded that the traceability system for Irish pigmeat fully complied with EU legislative requirements and was of the same standard as systems in other countries but recommended...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (27 Jan 2010)

Brendan Smith: The first payments for the 2009 scheme year issued on 18 December 2009, and payments have continued to issue in the meantime. To date, 9,823 REPS 4 participants have been paid in full. A further 4,508 have received the first phase of 75% of their payments and are due to receive the balance shortly. Payments will issue this week to approximately 1,300 participants. My Department continues to...

Written Answers — Crop Losses: Crop Losses (27 Jan 2010)

Brendan Smith: Mindful of the hardship and distress caused by the recent widespread flooding, on 27 November 2009 I announced the introduction of the Fodder Aid Scheme, targeted directly at those farmers who encountered damage to fodder in the affected areas. While I was very anxious that the funding reach the affected farmers as quickly as possible, it was essential that farmers demonstrate that their...

Written Answers — Fisheries Protection: Fisheries Protection (27 Jan 2010)

Brendan Smith: I propose to take Questions Nos. 109 and 136 together. These are matters for the Sea-Fisheries Protection Authority (SFPA), an independent authority, which was established under the Sea Fisheries and Maritime Jurisdiction Act 2006 on January 1st 2007. The Act clearly provides that the Authority is independent in the exercise of its functions and as such I have no remit as to its work...

Written Answers — Bee Population: Bee Population (27 Jan 2010)

Brendan Smith: The Department is aware of the importance of maintaining a healthy bee population due to the role of bees in producing honey, aiding pollination and promoting and maintaining Irish Biodiversity. The Department currently has a number of initiatives in place to promote and facilitate development in the beekeeping sector in terms of grant aid, funding bee health research and in conserving the...

Written Answers — Afforestation Programme: Afforestation Programme (27 Jan 2010)

Brendan Smith: The percentage of land area currently under forestry is approximately 10.7%. My Department promotes the planting of new forests through a range of attractive support measures - the Afforestation Grant Scheme, the Forest Environment Protection Scheme and the Native Woodland Scheme. These schemes provide 100% establishment grants and annual premiums for up to 20 years. In addition, my...

Written Answers — European Council Meetings: European Council Meetings (27 Jan 2010)

Brendan Smith: Ministers had a first discussion of a communication from the Commission that had been presented by Commissioner Fischer Boel at the December Agriculture Council meeting. That communication outlined a number of proposals to make the European food supply chain more transparent while promoting sustainable and market-based relationships. These proposals covered the promotion of sustainable and...

Written Answers — Beef Industry: Beef Industry (27 Jan 2010)

Brendan Smith: As the Deputy is aware, the price paid for beef is a matter for the meat industry and the farmers who supply cattle. Beef carcasses are classified or graded in accordance with EU Regulations using the EUROP scale for conformation and a scale of 1 to 5 to indicate fat cover. Mechanical grading has facilitated the use of sub-classes within each main class for both conformation and fat cover in...

Written Answers — Departmental Funding: Departmental Funding (27 Jan 2010)

Brendan Smith: I propose to take Questions Nos. 114 and 162 together. Under the agreement reached in November 2008 on the Health Check of the CAP, I secured approval to use previously inaccessible unspent Single Payment Scheme funds to address, among other things, specific disadvantages affecting certain sectors in economically vulnerable or environmentally sensitive areas. Member States may also provide...

Written Answers — Food Industry: Food Industry (27 Jan 2010)

Brendan Smith: Irish food and drink exporters faced unprecedented challenges in 2009 due to a sustained decline in the value of sterling, the economic downturn and a sharp slowdown in global demand for major commodities. Over recent months there are tentative indications that exports are beginning to stabilise as the global economy begins to show signs of returning to growth. Stronger volumes and better...

Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (27 Jan 2010)

Brendan Smith: Ireland is fully committed to playing its part in the efforts to tackle climate change. The EU climate change and renewable energy package aims to deliver the European Union's ambitious commitments to fight climate change and promote renewable energy up to 2020 and beyond. My colleague, the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, has indicated that he is in the process of...

Written Answers — Fur Farming: Fur Farming (27 Jan 2010)

Brendan Smith: My officials are examining the legislative and other changes deemed necessary to implement the commitment in the revised Programme for Government to phase out fur farming over three years. As many issues are still under consideration, it is not appropriate for me to comment further at this stage.

Written Answers — Rural Environment Protection Scheme: Rural Environment Protection Scheme (27 Jan 2010)

Brendan Smith: The original 2009 Vote allocation of €330 million which was provided for expenditure on REPS was increased to €369 million by way of Supplementary estimate on 8 December. The additional funding was sought principally to meet expected expenditure arising under REPS 4. However, not all REPS 4 applications cleared the stringent pre-payment administrative checks in time to be paid during 2009...

Written Answers — Animal Identification Scheme: Animal Identification Scheme (27 Jan 2010)

Brendan Smith: The introduction of EID for sheep was agreed at EU level in late 2003. At that time, it was agreed to defer the implementation date until January 2008. The Council of Agriculture Ministers revisited this issue in December 2007 when it was agreed that the deadline for the compulsory introduction of EID should be set for 31 December 2009, 6 years after the original decision was taken. I have...

Written Answers — Fishing Industry Development: Fishing Industry Development (27 Jan 2010)

Brendan Smith: The Registrar General of Fishing Boats is charged with maintaining the Register of Fishing Boats and publishes a Register report of Irish vessels on the Department's website under Sea Fisheries/Irish Sea Fishing Fleet Register/Register Report. The total number of vessels on the Sea Fishing Boat Register as at 11/1/2010 was 2,094. The Register report is updated weekly. In relation to the...

Written Answers — Common Agricultural Policy: Common Agricultural Policy (27 Jan 2010)

Brendan Smith: I propose to take Questions Nos. 121, 129, 130, 166 and 179 together. Although formal negotiations have yet to commence on the future of the CAP, there is no doubt in my mind that the CAP of the future should contain a major element of income support in the form of a decoupled Single Payment regime, and this view is shared widely among my Ministerial colleagues. The shape and format of this...

Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (27 Jan 2010)

Brendan Smith: Mindful of the commitments to the development of an All-Island Animal Health and Welfare Strategy agreed under North South Ministerial Council arrangements, officials from both administrations are in ongoing contact on issues of mutual concern pertaining to animal health and welfare in both parts of the island including a co-ordinated approach to legislation appropriate to the area. Drafting...