Results 5,321-5,340 of 18,459 for speaker:Brendan Smith

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (10 Feb 2010)

Brendan Smith: Due to industrial Action by staff in my Department, I am not in a position to provide a reply to this question.

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (10 Feb 2010)

Brendan Smith: Payment will issue to the person named within ten working days.

Written Answers — Departmental Schemes: Departmental Schemes (10 Feb 2010)

Brendan Smith: The person named applied to the Aid Scheme for Fodder Damaged by Floods on 1 December 2009 for the loss of 42 bales of silage and 5 tonnes of concentrate. A Departmental Inspector visited the person named on 11 December. The Inspector found only 19 bales of silage and was satisfied that there was no flood damage to these bales. The inspector was satisfied that there were no further silage...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (11 Feb 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...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (11 Feb 2010)

Brendan Smith: As the Deputy will be aware there is a moratorium on recruitment and promotion in the public service. My Department has been making alternative arrangements to ensure the prompt processing of claims.

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (11 Feb 2010)

Brendan Smith: My Department is currently in correspondence with the forestry consultant of the person in question in relation to certain aspects of the actual grant aid application.

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (11 Feb 2010)

Brendan Smith: Due to industrial Action by staff in my Department, I am not in a position to provide a reply to this question.

Written Answers — Departmental Agencies: Departmental Agencies (11 Feb 2010)

Brendan Smith: It is understood the Report, to which the Deputy refers, was carried out on behalf of the Board of the Irish National Stud Company Ltd. to investigate an internal human resource issue which arose within the Company. Human resource issues arising at the Irish National Stud are a matter for the Board of the Company. The Report to which the Deputy refers was not provided to my Department.

Written Answers — Departmental Agencies: Departmental Agencies (11 Feb 2010)

Brendan Smith: It is my understanding that the matter into which the Deputy enquires involved the resignation and not the early retirement of an employee from an organisation. Furthermore I understand that this resignation was dealt with in accordance with the terms and conditions of the employee's contract of employment. Such internal HR issues are operational matters for the company and as such are for...

Written Answers — Harbours and Piers: Harbours and Piers (16 Feb 2010)

Brendan Smith: Due to Industrial Action by staff in my Department, I am not in a position to provide a reply to this question.

Written Answers — Cross-Border Programmes: Cross-Border Programmes (16 Feb 2010)

Brendan Smith: The co-operation that can take place within the Agriculture sector was laid down in the Good Friday Agreement. The areas specifically identified were animal and plant health. Subsequently the North South Ministerial Council (NSMC) agreed that there should be formal co-operation in the following sectors of agriculture:- the development of an All-Island Animal Health Strategy for control of...

Written Answers — Rural Environment Protection Scheme: Rural Environment Protection Scheme (16 Feb 2010)

Brendan Smith: Due to industrial Action by staff in my Department, I am not in a position to provide a reply to this question.

Written Answers — Meat Investment Fund: Meat Investment Fund (16 Feb 2010)

Brendan Smith: I propose to take Questions Nos. 555 and 556 together. The Beef and Sheepmeat Investment Fund supports investment in scale and efficiency in primary processing, and added value in further processing for retail, food service and manufacturing outlets. This is part of a strategy to ensure the long-term competitiveness of the industry. The selection of projects followed evaluation by an expert...

Written Answers — Rural Environment Protection Scheme: Rural Environment Protection Scheme (16 Feb 2010)

Brendan Smith: As the Deputy will be aware there is a moratorium on recruitment and promotion in the public service. My Department has alternative arrangements in place to ensure the prompt processing of claims.

Written Answers — Rural Environment Protection Scheme: Rural Environment Protection Scheme (16 Feb 2010)

Brendan Smith: Due to industrial Action by staff in my Department ,I am not in a position to provide a reply to this question.

Written Answers — Fish Quotas: Fish Quotas (16 Feb 2010)

Brendan Smith: This matter is subject to proceedings in the High Court and is accordingly sub judice.

Written Answers — Cattle Grading System: Cattle Grading System (16 Feb 2010)

Brendan Smith: I propose to take Questions Nos. 560 and 566 together. The new quality payment system was introduced a number of weeks ago following intensive negotiations between Meat Industry Ireland (MII) and the IFA. The payment system makes use of sub-classes to determine the price paid, with the aim of rewarding farmers for producing the better quality and higher value carcasses. The question of the...

Written Answers — Production Levies: Production Levies (16 Feb 2010)

Brendan Smith: The only production levy operated by my Department is the milk super levy. The rules governing milk quotas and super levy are laid down in EU regulations. Article 79 of Council Regulation (EC) No 1234/2007, states that the surplus levy shall be entirely allocated among the producers who contributed to each of the overruns of the national quotas and that producers shall be liable for payment...

Written Answers — Electronic Tagging: Electronic Tagging (16 Feb 2010)

Brendan Smith: My consistent view has been that the introduction of EID of sheep should only have been on a voluntary basis. Unfortunately, there was not sufficient support among other Member States and none from the European Commission for any further rollback in relation to the date for the mandatory introduction of EID or for a voluntary scheme. Under EU rules, therefore EID is now applicable throughout...

Written Answers — Farm Waste Management: Farm Waste Management (16 Feb 2010)

Brendan Smith: The following table sets out the amount paid, to date in 2010, under the Farm Waste Management Scheme on a county-by-county basis: County Amount Paid (€m) County Amount Paid (€m) Carlow 2.54 Longford 2.35 Cavan 13.84 Louth 3.34 Clare 4.97 Mayo 7.01 Cork 7.22 Meath 6.44 Donega 13.45 Monaghan 15.49 Dublin 0.37 Offaly 4.47 Galway 8.61 Roscommon 5.21 Kerry 12.96 Sligo 4.41 Kildare...