Results 1,581-1,600 of 18,449 for speaker:Brendan Smith

Written Answers — Coastal Erosion: Coastal Erosion (7 Oct 2008)

Brendan Smith: My Department is currently responsible for the administration of the Coastal Protection Programme. The total budget for the 2008 Coastal Protection Programme is €3.037 million. The projects that are approved for funding under the 2008 Coastal Protection Programme were announced by my Department on 30 April 2008.

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (7 Oct 2008)

Brendan Smith: Payments under the Single Payment Scheme are governed by a number of factors: while payment entitlements were initially calculated by reference to scheme participation of individuals during one or more of the three reference years, farmers were subsequently free to trade entitlements, some farmers obtained additional entitlements from the National Reserve, others forfeited entitlements to the...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (7 Oct 2008)

Brendan Smith: An application under the 2007 Single Payment Scheme was received from the person named on 15 May 2007. As part of the control procedures under EU rules governing the Scheme, the application was selected for an on-farm inspection, during the course of which discrepancies were found in relation to seven of the land parcels declared by the person named. As a result of this discrepancy, the...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (7 Oct 2008)

Brendan Smith: Modulated funds of €225.5m are an integral part of the overall funding available for the 2007-2013 Rural Development Programme. The total funding for this programme amounts to €5.778bn from three sources: EU co-funding €2.114bn, Modulation €0.225bn, Exchequer €3.439bn. The Programme addresses three priorities, competitiveness, the environment and the wider rural economy, and...

Written Answers — Farm Waste Management: Farm Waste Management (7 Oct 2008)

Brendan Smith: The deadline of 31 December 2008 for completion of work by farmers under the revised Farm Waste Management Scheme introduced by my Department in March 2006 is a condition of the EU state aid approval for the Scheme. The European Commission has since reaffirmed that it expects Ireland to respect strictly this deadline.

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (7 Oct 2008)

Brendan Smith: Payments under the 2008 Disadvantaged Areas Scheme commenced on 24 September, with payments issuing in respect of all applicants whose applications were clear for payment at that stage. Payments worth in excess of €203 million issued to over 82,000 farmers in the initial payment run. Payments continue to issue as further cases subsequently become clear on a daily basis; to date, payments...

Written Answers — Aquaculture Development: Aquaculture Development (7 Oct 2008)

Brendan Smith: Bord Iascaigh Mhara and Údarás na Gaeltachta are the relevant agencies with responsibility for the development of aquaculture in Ireland. I am advised by BIM that indications of interest in investment proposals for fish farming projects have been received from seven applicants in the South Kerry area, with a proposed total investment value in the region of €1 million.

Written Answers — Aquaculture Development: Aquaculture Development (7 Oct 2008)

Brendan Smith: On Friday 3rd October a Statutory Instrument providing for the opening of the mussel seed fishery in Cromane permitting vessels to collect and relay mussel seed in the bay for the remainder of the current 2008 fishing season was signed. The fishery opened on Sunday 5th October 2008.

Written Answers — Farm Waste Management: Farm Waste Management (7 Oct 2008)

Brendan Smith: The information requested by the Deputy in relation to the Farm Waste Management Scheme is as follows: Number Summary Applications 48,580 Completed Applications 46,132 Approvals Issued to Commence Work (To Date) 42,350 Completed and Paid (To Date) 10,495

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (7 Oct 2008)

Brendan Smith: The deadline of 31 December 2008 for completion of work by farmers under the revised Farm Waste Management Scheme introduced by my Department in March 2006 is a condition of the EU state aid approval for the Scheme. The European Commission has since reaffirmed that it expects Ireland to respect strictly this deadline.

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (7 Oct 2008)

Brendan Smith: An application under the 2008 EU Single Payment Scheme and Disadvantaged Areas Scheme was received from the person named on 22 April 2008. During processing of this application, an issue arose regarding the area claimed on one of the land parcels. The person named has been written to in relation to this matter and immediately a reply is received, the application will be processed further.

Written Answers — Rural Environment Protection Scheme: Rural Environment Protection Scheme (7 Oct 2008)

Brendan Smith: The number of farmers participating in REPS in Co Clare at the end of each of the last 4 years and the number that had penalties applied in those years is as follows: Year Number of farmers in REPS in Co. Clare Number of farmers in Number of farmers in 2004 1996 65 1 2005 2086 86 28 2006 2842 33 60 2007 2659 11 88

Written Answers — Genetically Modified Organisms: Genetically Modified Organisms (7 Oct 2008)

Brendan Smith: The high level group, also referred to as the 'Sherpa Group', was established last May at the initiative of President Barroso. The purpose of the group is to allow a discussion among senior officials from each Member State, each official representing the overall policy of their government on GMOs. The discussion would cover such topics as current legislation, increased food/feed prices, WTO...

Written Answers — Animal Diseases: Animal Diseases (7 Oct 2008)

Brendan Smith: I propose to take Questions Nos. 443 to 448, inclusive, together. As the Deputy is aware, the farm in question is currently the subject of an investigation being carried out by the Centre for Veterinary Epidemiology and Risk Analysis (CVERA) at UCD. This comprehensive investigation, which is being undertaken to the highest scientific standards, was commissioned by my Department at an...

Written Answers — Common Fisheries Policy: Common Fisheries Policy (8 Oct 2008)

Brendan Smith: I am not aware of the apparently historical issue raised by the Deputy. In any case this would not appear to impact upon access arrangements which are currently in place which were set down in the basic CFP Regulations of 1983, 1992 and 2002.

Written Answers — Common Fisheries Policy: Common Fisheries Policy (8 Oct 2008)

Brendan Smith: The Common Fisheries Policy is up for review in 2012 at the latest. An informal discussion, involving Fisheries Ministers, to mark the start of the debate on the reform of the Common Fisheries Policy took place in Brussels on the 29th September 2008. This debate on the reform of the Common Fisheries Policy, in which I actively participated, is at a very early stage. The Commission will...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (8 Oct 2008)

Brendan Smith: Under the 2008 Single Payment Scheme/Disadvantaged Areas Scheme, the person named applied for 31.47 hectares, which was an increase of 8.24 hectares from 2007. These land parcels were found to be slightly over-claimed and when the applicant was queried about this, he agreed that the area determined by the Department, 7.92 hectares, was correct. As this error had not been rectified when the...

Written Answers — Animal Diseases: Animal Diseases (8 Oct 2008)

Brendan Smith: While there has been an increase in reactor numbers and herd incidence in Galway this year, the herd incidence for Galway remains below the national average. Studies to date have failed to demonstrate any association between enhancements to infrastructure and deteriorating levels of animal disease. In the same way that my Department is required to negotiate permissions to capture badgers...

Written Answers — Agriculture Appeals Office: Agriculture Appeals Office (8 Oct 2008)

Brendan Smith: The penalty in this case arose as a result of an inspection carried out by an Assistant Agricultural Inspector (AAI) and was appealed locally in accordance with standard procedures. Again, following these procedures, the local appeal was dealt with by the Regional Inspector (RI) who is the next higher grade. Both the AAI and the RI attended the Agriculture Appeals Office appeal in Loughrea....

Written Answers — Natural Heritage Areas: Natural Heritage Areas (8 Oct 2008)

Brendan Smith: Land designated as a Natural Heritage Area (NHA) by the National Parks and Wildlife Service of the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government is paid at the higher NATURA 2000 payment rate in REPS 4. Land that is currently at proposal stage for NHA designation is paid at the standard REPS payment rate. When proposed NHA sites are formally designated by the NPWS the higher...