Results 861-880 of 18,442 for speaker:Brendan Smith

Written Answers — Food Industry: Food Industry (13 May 2008)

Brendan Smith: The Regional Food Forum initiative was launched by my Department to build closer links between state agencies and food businesses and to develop regional and local foods. The Fora showcased local food and drinks products, research was presented on emerging market opportunities, regional food business and agency directories were published and successful local food entrepreneurs generously...

Written Answers — Waste Management: Waste Management (13 May 2008)

Brendan Smith: Waste management is primarily a matter for the Minister of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government. The control authorities for water, nitrates and integrated pollution are the Environmental Protection Agency and/or local authorities. Under the cross-compliance arrangements operated by my Department for certain schemes, including the Single Payment Scheme, checks on farms are...

Written Answers — Agricultural Colleges: Agricultural Colleges (13 May 2008)

Brendan Smith: A review of college infrastructure was undertaken by an outside consultancy body and was finalised early in 2008 and agreed by the Teagasc Authority. Four colleges (three Teagasc colleges and one private college), were prioritised in terms of future capital expenditure. The remaining four colleges of which three are private colleges and one Teagasc college will be required to deliver the...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (13 May 2008)

Brendan Smith: I am very anxious that all those farmers who have still not submitted their 2008 Single Payment application would do so immediately. I am concerned that so many applications are still outstanding from farmers who made an application in 2007. There is absolutely no scope to extend Thursday's closing date, which is the latest date for receipt of applications allowed under the governing EU...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (13 May 2008)

Brendan Smith: I propose to take Questions Nos. 385 and 386 together. At present, farmers can choose to have their payments made by cheque or electronic funds transfer directly into their bank account and this situation will continue during the 2008 EU financial year which ends on 15 October. However, as and from the 2009 EU financial year commencing on 16th October 2008, payment by cheque will no longer...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (13 May 2008)

Brendan Smith: The European Commission have confirmed the new rules for applications and payments under REPS 4. Payments will relate to the period in each calendar year during which a participant is in REPS 4 and will issue in two stages. The first, which will be 75% of the total, will issue when all administrative checks for REPS and the Single Payment Scheme are completed. In practice, this will be in...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (13 May 2008)

Brendan Smith: The European Commission have confirmed the new rules for applications and payments under REPS 4. Payments will relate to the period in each calendar year during which a participant is in REPS 4 and will issue in two stages. The first, which will be 75% of the total, will issue when all administrative checks for REPS and the Single Payment Scheme are completed. In practice, this will be in...

Written Answers — Land Acquisitions: Land Acquisitions (13 May 2008)

Brendan Smith: The files of the former Land Commission are retained in the Records Branch of my Department, which is currently located in the National Archives Building in Bishop Street. These files have not been formally handed over to the National Archives as they contain title documentation of all land acquired by the former Commission for distribution under the Land Purchase Acts. My officials...

Written Answers — Harbours and Piers: Harbours and Piers (13 May 2008)

Brendan Smith: Boat Cove at Ardmore, Co Waterford is owned by Waterford County Council and responsibility for its repair and maintenance rests with the Local Authority in the first instance. My Department provided funding of €106,860 towards the raising of the deck at this location in 2000 as well as a further €47,656 in funding in 2005. In December 2007, my Department invited Waterford County Council...

Written Answers — Fishing Industry Development: Fishing Industry Development (14 May 2008)

Brendan Smith: The Operational Programme (O.P) for Fisheries for Ireland has not been rejected by the Commission. As part of the normal consultative process for approval, the Commission adopts a negotiating position where it sets out how the OP should be improved and completed to meet the Commission's quality requirement for the programme. The Commission Negotiating position was received on the 22nd of...

Written Answers — Rural Environment Protection Scheme: Rural Environment Protection Scheme (14 May 2008)

Brendan Smith: In 2006, the European Commission classified willow as an agriculture crop. The Commission subsequently introduced Council Regulation 2012/2006 authorising Member States to grant national aid of up to 50% of the costs associated with establishing permanent crops (willow and miscanthus). This Regulation provides the legal basis of the Bioenergy Scheme, which my Department introduced in February...

Written Answers — Fisheries Industry Development: Fisheries Industry Development (14 May 2008)

Brendan Smith: Grant aid schemes for aquaculture and processing measures under the European Fisheries Fund Regulation 2007–2013 will be launched as soon as the relevant approvals are in place. For measures being partly supported with EU aid, the Commission must approve the national Operational Programme for Fisheries. The Operational Programme (O.P) for Fisheries for Ireland has been submitted to the...

Written Answers — Licence Applications: Licence Applications (14 May 2008)

Brendan Smith: I refer the Deputy to the response to Question No. 47 of 6 November 2007 which indicated, inter alia, that 254 applications were being processed as new applications, licence renewals or licences undergoing review. Since then, the Department has received 17 new applications, 10 applications to renew a licence and 3 applications to review a licence. The licensing procedure is lengthy and...

Written Answers — Fisheries Industry Development: Fisheries Industry Development (14 May 2008)

Brendan Smith: The Operational Programme (O.P) for Fisheries for Ireland has not been rejected by the Commission. As part of the normal consultative process for approval, the Commission adopts a negotiating position where it sets out how the OP should be improved and completed to meet the Commission's quality requirement for the programme. The Commission Negotiating position was received on the 22nd of...

Written Answers — Sheep Sector: Sheep Sector (14 May 2008)

Brendan Smith: I am aware of this report which contributes to the ongoing consideration of the future of the sheep sector in Europe. In that context my predecessor raised the issue at the EU Council of Agriculture Ministers last March. Commissioner Fisher Boel has indicated that the needs of the sector would be borne in mind in the CAP "Health Check". The mixed grazing supplementary measure under REPS 4...

Written Answers — Farm Inspections: Farm Inspections (14 May 2008)

Brendan Smith: The position is that a Commission report on the application of cross-compliance was presented to the April 2007 Agriculture Council and Council conclusions were adopted in June 2007. One of issues covered in the conclusions was advance notice of inspections. Council and Commission Regulations are now in place implementing the new arrangements with effect from 1 January 2008. Under the new...

Written Answers — Sheep Sector: Sheep Sector (14 May 2008)

Brendan Smith: This is one of the recommendations in the report by Liam Aylward, MEP, to the European Parliament on the future of the sheep and goat sectors, which is being examined. I support the principle of maximum price transparency at all levels. In Ireland producer prices at export meat plants are published weekly by An Bord Bia. This includes a comparison with EU lamb markets. One of the...

Written Answers — Registration of Entitlements: Registration of Entitlements (14 May 2008)

Brendan Smith: The rules governing the registration and transfer of payment entitlements are set out in Council Regulation 1782/2003, Commission Regulation 796/2004 and Commission Regulation 795/2004. The 40 standard entitlements in question were established by the first person named and his late brother as joint herd owners during the reference period. While the herd number previously held in the joint...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (14 May 2008)

Brendan Smith: REPS is an agri-environmental measure, and for that reason payments to farmers must be costed and justified on the basis of quantifiable environmental benefits that go beyond keeping land in good agricultural and environmental condition and observing the statutory management requirements of the Single Payment Scheme. No element of the REPS payment can be justified on the basis of a...

Written Answers — World Trade Negotiations: World Trade Negotiations (14 May 2008)

Brendan Smith: There is no doubt that the current round of WTO negotiations represents a significant challenge for EU and Irish agriculture. I am very concerned about some of the proposals being made in the WTO negotiations and with the lack of balance in the process. I want to assure the Deputy that I will take every opportunity to express my concerns in the strongest terms in the various EU and WTO...