Results 5,181-5,200 of 18,459 for speaker:Brendan Smith

Written Answers — Rural Development: Rural Development (27 Jan 2010)

Brendan Smith: The amended Rural Development Programme which included proposals for the new agri-environment scheme, was agreed by the EU's Rural Development Management Committee on 20 January and I hope to secure formal approval from the European Commission for the scheme in the next few weeks. The new scheme will focus on the priority objectives of biodiversity, climate change and water management. The...

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

Brendan Smith: Mindful of the hardship and distress caused by the recent widespread flooding, on 27 November 2007 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 — Crop Losses: Crop Losses (27 Jan 2010)

Brendan Smith: I am aware that due to very wet conditions in November 2009 a proportion of the total national area of potatoes remained unharvested at the end of the year. Since Christmas Ireland has experienced very severe frost conditions which have resulted in losses to potatoes. The extent of losses is difficult to quantify at this stage. It would be influenced by location and the extent to which the...

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

Brendan Smith: I am aware that there have been some sheep lost due to the recent adverse weather conditions. This has also been brought to my attention by farmer representatives. However I have not been informed of any significant losses arising from the recent severe weather by individual farmers.

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

Brendan Smith: The proposed new agri-environmental scheme, which is part of the amended Rural Development Programme was agreed by the EU Rural Development Management Committee in Brussels on 20 January. The Commission will now proceed to take a formal decision to approve it. This procedure is expected to take a number of weeks. The new scheme will be focused on the priority areas of biodiversity, water...

Written Answers — Farm Assist Scheme: Farm Assist Scheme (27 Jan 2010)

Brendan Smith: The Farm Assist is directly a matter for the Minister for Social and Family Affairs. However, my Department keeps in regular contact with the Department of Social and Family Affairs regarding developments of relevance to both Departments.

Written Answers — Rural Development: Rural Development (27 Jan 2010)

Brendan Smith: The proposed new agri-environmental scheme, which is part of the amended Rural Development Programme was agreed by the EU Rural Development Management Committee in Brussels on 20 January. The Commission will now proceed to take a formal decision to approve it. This procedure is expected to take a number of weeks. The new scheme will be focused on the priority areas of biodiversity, water...

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

Brendan Smith: The Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) is the fisheries policy of the European Union which was first put in place in 1983 and has been subject to reviews every 10 years, the most recent was in 2002 and the next is formally scheduled for 2012. On 21 April 2009 the European Commission published a Green Paper on the latest reform of the CFP in order to launch a consultation with Member States and...

Written Answers — Greenhouse Gas Emissions: Greenhouse Gas Emissions (27 Jan 2010)

Brendan Smith: My Department continues to examine and advance understanding of various scientific solutions and abatement options in close liaison with Teagasc. There has been significant commitment of €15.5 million to climate change research projects since 2005 under the Research Stimulus Fund operated by my Department. This includes research into areas such as more efficient slurry application,...

Written Answers — Equine Registration: Equine Registration (27 Jan 2010)

Brendan Smith: My Department is not in a position to comment on the submissions received to date from the Society in question. Additional information requested from the Society, which was only received yesterday, has not yet been examined.

Written Answers — Milk Quota: Milk Quota (27 Jan 2010)

Brendan Smith: There are two schemes operating in my Department through which new entrants to dairying might acquire a milk quota. These are the Milk Quota Trading Scheme and the Scheme for the Allocation of Milk Quota to New Entrants. Since 1 April 2008 to date, a total of 100 new entrants have purchased quota through the Milk Quota Trading Scheme. Quota purchased under this scheme is allocated to the new...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (27 Jan 2010)

Brendan Smith: The Family Income Supplement is directly a matter for the Minister for Social and Family Affairs.

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

Brendan Smith: A first policy debate on CAP after 2013 took place at the Informal Agriculture Council in September 2008 under the French Presidency. The Czech Presidency continued the debate in the first months of last year, focusing, in particular, on the issue of direct payments to farmers. Following on from this, in the last six months of 2009, the Swedish Presidency concentrated its discussions on...

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

Brendan Smith: A variety of new rules restricting fishing vessels' days at sea in the Irish Sea and the waters to the northwest of Ireland and Scotland were introduced as part of the EU's revised Cod Recovery Plan in December 2008. The plan introduced a new system of effort management that sets effort ceilings (expressed in kilowatt-days) for groups of vessels or fleet segments. In addition to the...

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

Brendan Smith: Animal Health Ireland (AHI) is a private company limited by guarantee and is not a public body under my control. My Department is committed to providing funding up to a maximum value of €0.5m per annum, for a period of 5 years, to AHI subject to matching contributions being provided by the industry.

Written Answers — Animal Feedstuffs: Animal Feedstuffs (27 Jan 2010)

Brendan Smith: I established the inter-agency review of the dioxin contamination incident for the purpose inter alia of identifying any adjustments to official controls in the light of experiences gained from the incident. The report of the review concluded that once the incident was identified by my Department's residue monitoring programme it was handled well and all actions were proportionate and...

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

Brendan Smith: In general, responsibility for enforcement of labelling legislation rests with the Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) through its service contracts with my Department, the Sea Fisheries Protection Authority, the Health Services Executive, the Local Authorities and the National Consumer Agency. My Department has responsibility for the operation of EU controls on imports of products of...

Written Answers — EU Funding: EU Funding (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 — Poultry Industry: Poultry Industry (27 Jan 2010)

Brendan Smith: I assume that the Deputy is referring to analyses conducted during 2009 in relation to the gas flushing of imported poultry meat. Following receipt of the final elements of the results of these tests my Department has been in discussion with the Food Safety Authority of Ireland about the matter. The FSAI have organised a Forum, to be held on 2 February, for all interested stakeholders and...

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

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 to be completed before the first payments issue. Payments have issued to those whose applications required no further examination following the administrative checks. However queries arose on a significant number of...