Results 1,081-1,100 of 18,449 for speaker:Brendan Smith
- Written Answers — Fishing Industry Development: Fishing Industry Development (24 Jun 2008)
Brendan Smith: Having carefully listened to specific issues raised by the Federation of Irish Fishermen (FIF) at our meeting on the 13th June, I established the Irish Seafood Market Initiative under the Chair of Jason Whooley CEO of BIM, to discuss and identify and maximize the opportunities for domestic seafood supply to the Irish Seafood market. I also established the Irish Fisheries Science...
- Written Answers — Departmental Agencies: Departmental Agencies (24 Jun 2008)
Brendan Smith: Coillte Teoranta was established as a private commercial company under the Forestry Act, 1988 and day-to-day operational matters are the responsibility of the company. The issue you refer to is an operational matter for Coillte. I understand that the Courts have ruled on this issue and I therefore consider that it is not appropriate for me to intervene in the matter.
- Written Answers — Fishing Industry Development: Fishing Industry Development (25 Jun 2008)
Brendan Smith: Bord Iascaigh Mhara (BIM), the Irish Sea Fisheries Board, is the independent, statutory agency with responsibility for developing sustainable Irish Sea Fishing and Aquaculture industries. The deployment of staff within the agency is a matter for BIM exclusively, in which the Minister has no role.
- Written Answers — Fishing Industry Development: Fishing Industry Development (25 Jun 2008)
Brendan Smith: The escalation of fuel costs is a result of global economic, market and political conditions. The Common Fishery Policy (CFP) has no remit as regards the pricing of fuel in the market place. It is important to note that the fishing industry in Ireland already receives favourable treatment in the form of a full rebate on excise and VAT on marine fuel, if the enterprise concerned is registered...
- Written Answers — Foreshore Licences: Foreshore Licences (25 Jun 2008)
Brendan Smith: The information requested by the Deputy is not immediately available and will require an extensive examination of the Department's files, which has been commenced. When this has been completed, the information will be communicated to the Deputy without delay.
- Written Answers — Foreshore Licences: Foreshore Licences (25 Jun 2008)
Brendan Smith: My Department currently has no function in relation to the development of marine leisure facilities (including marinas).
- Written Answers — European Council Meetings: European Council Meetings (25 Jun 2008)
Brendan Smith: Minister Killeen and I yesterday attended the Council of Fisheries meeting in Luxembourg where we conveyed in the strongest possible terms the depth of feeling of Irish fishermen on this matter and the seriousness of the situation facing them. We outlined a strong case for a package of EU-funded measures to address the current difficulties experienced by fishermen across Europe but,...
- Written Answers — Farm Retirement Scheme: Farm Retirement Scheme (25 Jun 2008)
Brendan Smith: It is a requirement of the EU Council Regulations under which the Early Retirement Schemes were introduced that the Early Retirement pension can be paid only as a supplement to any national retirement pension to which the participant, and his or her spouse or partner in a joint management arrangement, is entitled. This means that the value of any such national retirement pension must be...
- Written Answers — Farm Retirement Scheme: Farm Retirement Scheme (25 Jun 2008)
Brendan Smith: One of the requirements for entrants to the Early Retirement Scheme is that they undertake to cease all commercial farming activity definitively. As Scheme participants can no longer be regarded as active farmers for the purposes of forestry grants, any lands planted by them after the date they join the Early Retirement Scheme can only attract grants or premiums at the non-farmer rate....
- Written Answers — Farm Retirement Scheme: Farm Retirement Scheme (25 Jun 2008)
Brendan Smith: The maximum level of pension payable under the current Early Retirement Scheme, which is â¬15,000 per annum, was agreed with the farming organizations in the context of the negotiations on the partnership agreement Towards 2016.
- Written Answers — Fisheries Protection: Fisheries Protection (25 Jun 2008)
Brendan Smith: The domestic conservation measures for sea bass are kept under review on a regular basis, in light of scientific assessments by the Central Fisheries Board and the Marine Institute on the state of sea bass stocks. There are three measures in place to protect sea bass: The (Bass (Conservation of Stocks) Regulations 2006 (S.I. No. 203 of 2006)) prohibits Irish sea-fishing boats from fishing...
- Written Answers — EU Directives: EU Directives (25 Jun 2008)
Brendan Smith: All EC Directives issued since 1973 and relevant to this Department have been transposed and thus implemented into national legislation with the exception of Council Directive 2006/88/EC and those that were recently issued and not yet due for transposition. The outstanding Directive will be transposed shortly and it is intended that all recently issued Directives will be transposed and...
- Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (26 Jun 2008)
Brendan Smith: The information sought by the Deputy is as follows: Organisation Grant-in-aid Grant-in-aid Grant in Aid 2008 (â¬'000) (â¬'000) (â¬'000) Bord Bia 27,705 27,505 13,752 Teagasc 128,050 132,514 60,000 Bord Iascaigh Mhara (BIM) 27,753 49,045 13,142 Marine Institute 28,980 32,339 13,460 Sea Fisheries Protection Authority (SFPA) 10,954 14,410 7,472
- Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (26 Jun 2008)
Brendan Smith: The person concerned is an applicant for aid under the Installation Aid Scheme. His application is currently being examined within my Department and the outcome will be notified to the person concerned as soon as possible.
- Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (26 Jun 2008)
Brendan Smith: The herd number quoted is registered in the sole name of the second person named. The second person named applied to be considered for an allocation of entitlements under Category A of the 2005 National Reserve which catered for farmers who inherited land or received land free of charge or for a nominal sum from a farmer who had retired or died by 16 May, 2005 and who had leased out his/her...
- Written Answers — Fishing Industry Development: Fishing Industry Development (26 Jun 2008)
Brendan Smith: I am currently involved in a series of meetings with the Federation of Irish Fishermen (FIF) regarding the very difficult issues facing the Irish fishing industry. Minister Killeen and I attended the Council of Fisheries meeting in Luxembourg where we conveyed in the strongest possible terms the depth of feeling of Irish fishermen on these issues and the seriousness of the situation facing...
- Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (26 Jun 2008)
Brendan Smith: Applications received under the Farm Improvement Scheme prior to its suspension on 31 October 2007 are being processed by my Department up to the level of funding made available for the Scheme by the 2006 Partnership agreement, Towards 2016.
- Direct Payment Schemes. (1 Jul 2008)
Brendan Smith: For payments in excess of â¬5,000, additional compulsory modulation at a rate of 2% per year is proposed from 2009 to 2012. This would bring the modulation rate to 13% by 2012. A further 3% modulation is proposed on payments in excess of â¬100,000, an additional 6% is proposed on payments over â¬200,000 and an additional 9% is proposed on payments above â¬300,000. The objective is to...
- Direct Payment Schemes. (1 Jul 2008)
Brendan Smith: I agree with the Deputy. The statement he quoted from me was issued immediately after the publication of the Commissioner's proposals on 27 May, which was the first time I had sight of them. I repeat that Ireland is strongly opposed to increased rates of compulsory modulation. The CAP health check process has just begun. I responded previously to a parliamentary question tabled by the...
- Direct Payment Schemes. (1 Jul 2008)
Brendan Smith: As for the Deputy's point on the visit by President Sarkozy, he is aware I have met the French Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries, Michel Barnier, on a number of occasions when we discussed issues of common concern and interest. I will continue to so do within the Council of Ministers with like-minded Ministers. A variety of views have been expressed by Ministers from various member...