Results 5,541-5,560 of 18,459 for speaker:Brendan Smith

Written Answers — Bovine Disease Controls: Bovine Disease Controls (11 Mar 2010)

Brendan Smith: The Belgian delegation brought its request to increase the age of BSE testing to 60 months or phase out testing for animals born from 1 January 2004, to the Agriculture Council meeting of 22 February, 2010. The Commission, in its response confirmed that new strategic guidelines on tackling BSE will be released by the Commission by the summer and acknowledged that the EU is now at a stage to...

Written Answers — Agri-environment Scheme: Agri-environment Scheme (11 Mar 2010)

Brendan Smith: The deadline for applications of 17 May is in accordance with EU Regulations. It is not possible to accept applications for the new scheme from farmers who will still be participating in REPS on that date. I will be reviewing the situation in relation to those participants in REPS whose contracts expire after the closing date of 17 May to determine when they can apply for entry into the new...

Written Answers — Bovine Disease Controls: Bovine Disease Controls (11 Mar 2010)

Brendan Smith: Responsibility for the authorisation of veterinary medicines rests with the Irish Medicines Board. Accordingly, it will be a matter for that body, on the basis of applications to vary marketing authorisations from pharmaceutical companies, to determine in specific cases if and when the restrictions, which have recently been placed on the use of certain flukicides in dairy cows producing milk...

Written Answers — Animal Welfare Regulation: Animal Welfare Regulation (11 Mar 2010)

Brendan Smith: The transport of animals is governed by Council Regulation (EC) No 1 of 2005 on the protection of animals during transport and related operations. The Commission is undertaking a review of this legislation. However it may take some time before the Commission prepares a proposal. A draft proposal developed in 2009 failed to obtain the agreement of the outgoing Commission. I wish to assure...

Written Answers — Afforestation Programme: Afforestation Programme (11 Mar 2010)

Brendan Smith: Due to industrial action by staff in my Department, I am unable to provide a reply to this question.

Written Answers — Agri-environment Scheme: Agri-environment Scheme (11 Mar 2010)

Brendan Smith: The preparation of documents relating to the new agri-environment scheme is at an advanced stage and I hope to be in a position to publish them and to launch the scheme shortly. My officials have already had discussions with the farming organisations and I envisage that there will be further consultation before the final details are determined.

Written Answers — Food Industry: Food Industry (11 Mar 2010)

Brendan Smith: The increasing concentration of retail power in the hands of a few large supermarket chains is an international phenomenon, which has fundamentally changed the balance of market negotiating power in the food chain. I have emphasised at EU and national level the necessity for a reasonable balance between granting price reductions to consumers and giving a fair return to suppliers and...

Written Answers — Afforestation Programme: Afforestation Programme (11 Mar 2010)

Brendan Smith: 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 Department also provides grants to encourage forest owners to actively manage their...

Written Answers — Agri-environment Scheme: Agri-environment Scheme (11 Mar 2010)

Brendan Smith: To secure the agreement of the European Commission to the new agri-environment scheme, it was necessary to design it for land other than Natura or commonage as a menu of closely targeted actions which would contribute in a measurable and verifiable way towards the targets of biodiversity, water quality and climate change as set out in the CAP Health Check. It was not possible to negotiate a...

Written Answers — Food Labelling: Food Labelling (11 Mar 2010)

Brendan Smith: I am fully committed to ensuring that consumers have full confidence in the organic food they buy. For that reason, since 2007 my Department has assigned additional resources to the Organic Unit and the staff involved are now systematically inspecting retail outlets, including supermarkets, shops and farmers markets, checking to ensure that all product identified as organic has been produced...

Written Answers — Agri-environment Scheme: Agri-environment Scheme (11 Mar 2010)

Brendan Smith: The preparation of documents relating to the new agri-environment scheme is at an advanced stage and I hope to be in a position to launch the scheme and to publish all relevant documentation shortly.

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

Brendan Smith: Formal negotiations have yet to commence on the future of the CAP and in that respect there are no proposals as yet to change the calculation method of the single farm payment. However policy debates have begun in a number of Member States, including Ireland, and at EU level on the shape and direction of future EU agricultural policy. Among the issues that are being debated are the shape...

Written Answers — Departmental Correspondence: Departmental Correspondence (11 Mar 2010)

Brendan Smith: Due to industrial action by staff in my Department, I am unable to provide a reply to this question.

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

Brendan Smith: The Farm Improvement Scheme was launched by my Department in July 2007 with funding of €79 million as agreed under the 2006 Partnership Agreement, Towards 2016, as part of an overall programme of investment in the agri-food sector. It was indicated, at the time of its launch, that the Scheme would be terminated when this financial ceiling had been reached and this was also specifically...

Written Answers — Beef Sector: Beef Sector (11 Mar 2010)

Brendan Smith: The Government is committed to working with the beef sector, including suckler farmers, to meet evolving market challenges and to provide a sound framework for the development of the sector. To this end a number of policy initiatives are being implemented. In terms of direct aid to suckler farmers, and notwithstanding the current constraints of the public finances, I am continuing to make...

Written Answers — Horse Racing Industry: Horse Racing Industry (11 Mar 2010)

Brendan Smith: In relation to the number of thoroughbred horses in Ireland and having regard to statistics published by Horse Racing Ireland, I am aware there has been a reduction in the number of mares being covered from a peak of 20,700 in 2007 to 18,851 in 2009. In relation to the numbers of stallions registered for thoroughbred breeding, the number for 2009 is not finalised, but for the period from...

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

Brendan Smith: It is not possible to isolate the cost of processing an individual Single Farm Payment. However, my Department operates an extremely efficient processing system for the payment of the Single Farm Payment and other area-based Schemes. Payment is generally made to the vast majority of farmers in the immediate time period following the earliest date for the commencement of payments. In a study...

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