Results 1,881-1,900 of 18,449 for speaker:Brendan Smith

Written Answers — Farm Waste Management: Farm Waste Management (30 Oct 2008)

Brendan Smith: I propose to take Questions Nos. 64, 68 and 89 together. 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 this deadline strictly.

Written Answers — Sheepmeat Sector: Sheepmeat Sector (30 Oct 2008)

Brendan Smith: The Sheep Strategy Implementation group recommended an agreed price reporting system for sheep to give full information to producers on prices achieved in different plants on a quality graded basis. This is however contingent on the implementation of an agreed pricing grid which is an important element in building producer confidence in the production of better quality animals. This is...

Written Answers — Rural Environment Protection Scheme: Rural Environment Protection Scheme (30 Oct 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 — Afforestation Programme: Afforestation Programme (30 Oct 2008)

Brendan Smith: The provision of 100% grants for the establishment costs of afforestation has been a key element of national forestry policy and is considered essential to overcome the traditional reluctance to plant and in recognition of the long-term commitment of land to forestry. However, the maximum grant aid available to applicants in Ireland for any afforestation scheme co-funded from EU and Exchequer...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (30 Oct 2008)

Brendan Smith: There are some 52 staff in my Department engaged in administering the Early Retirement and Young Farmers' Installation Schemes. My Department has reduced staff numbers by over 500 staff in the last four years and has redeployed another 500 from declining and discontinued schemes to new areas of work. Furthermore, my Department is committed to reducing overall numbers by another 250 to reach...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (30 Oct 2008)

Brendan Smith: The following is the value of payments issued in respect of the Single Payment Scheme for the years 2005, 2006 and 2007: 2005: €1,193 billion; 2006: €1,249 billion; 2007: €1,240 billion. 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...

Written Answers — Bovine Disease Controls: Bovine Disease Controls (30 Oct 2008)

Brendan Smith: The requirements in relation to BSE testing of cattle are provided for in Regulation (EC) No.999/2001 of the European Parliament and of the Council which lays down rules for the prevention, control and eradication of certain transmissible spongiform encephalopathies. The current prescribed age for testing cattle that are being slaughtered for human consumption is 30 months and I do not have...

Written Answers — Fishing Fleet Protection: Fishing Fleet Protection (30 Oct 2008)

Brendan Smith: Ireland submitted a detailed, costed set of proposals to the EU Commission on 12th September. In keeping with my previous stance on the matter, and supported by the Commission's policy document of 8 July, these proposals sought additional EU funding of €32m to support the restructuring of the fishing fleet in line with the provisions of EU Regulation 744/2008 instituting a temporary...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (30 Oct 2008)

Brendan Smith: Despite the deterioration in the public finances, funding of €1.8 billion gross is provided for my Department in the 2009 Budget. When combined with EU funding and co-funding of about €1.4 billion next year, this represents very substantial funding for the support and development of the agri-food sector. Nevertheless, difficult choices had to be made in allocating the resources available...

Written Answers — Farm Waste Management: Farm Waste Management (30 Oct 2008)

Brendan Smith: My Department endeavours to ensure that, as far as possible, payments under the Farm Waste Management Scheme are made to farmers in line with the commitments set out in the Charter of Rights to Farmers 2005-2007.

Written Answers — Flood Relief: Flood Relief (30 Oct 2008)

Brendan Smith: I am keenly aware of the problems being encountered by farmers as a consequence of the bad weather, particularly the harvesting of this year's cereal crops. In recognition of these problems, I wrote to the Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, Ms Fischer Boel, seeking approval for the early payment of the 2008 Single Payment. My request was for advance payment at a rate of 50%,...

Written Answers — Sheepmeat Sector: Sheepmeat Sector (30 Oct 2008)

Brendan Smith: The table shows the number of sheep from or through Northern Ireland slaughtered in the six named factories for the period requested. A small number of these would have originated in Great Britain or beyond. I am not in a position to supply a breakdown for each of the named plants individually as this is a commercial matter. The trade in sheep between both parts of the island of Ireland is a...

Written Answers — Greenhouse Gas Emissions: Greenhouse Gas Emissions (30 Oct 2008)

Brendan Smith: In January 2008, the European Commission published an impact assessment of the three key policy proposals for the implementation of a new, post Kyoto, climate change and renewable energy package. The assessment considered, inter alia, the impacts of a proposal relating to the sharing of efforts to meet the Community's independent greenhouse gas reduction commitment, in sectors not covered by...

Written Answers — Afforestation Programme: Afforestation Programme (30 Oct 2008)

Brendan Smith: Almost €128 million has been allocated to the forestry and bioenergy budget for 2009 which will allow for the operation of a range of forestry schemes next year. This substantial investment in forestry reflects the recognition by the Government of the importance of the forestry sector in terms of its contribution to the economic, environmental and social fabric of this country. The...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (30 Oct 2008)

Brendan Smith: The present provisions provide for the deduction of 5% modulation on all payments made under the Single Payment Scheme. The funds raised by this measure are transferred to Pillar II of the EU Budget and used to finance Rural Development measures. The Regulations require that Member States subsequently refund that element of modulation related to the first €5,000 of each payment. I...

Written Answers — Installation Aid Scheme: Installation Aid Scheme (30 Oct 2008)

Brendan Smith: I propose to take Questions Nos. 81 and 90 together. All fully completed applications made under the Young Farmers' Installation Scheme and received by my Department up to and including 14 October 2008 will be processed and, if in order, payment will be made.

Written Answers — Decentralisation Programme: Decentralisation Programme (30 Oct 2008)

Brendan Smith: The original Government decision on the decentralisation of my Department was that 600 headquarters posts would move to Portlaoise; some 100 posts in the local offices in Cork city would move to Fermoy; and up to 100 posts in the laboratories in Cork and Limerick would move to Macroom. Fisheries joined the Department in 2007 and the move of that function of my Department to Clonakilty is now...

Written Answers — Departmental Schemes: Departmental Schemes (30 Oct 2008)

Brendan Smith: Against the background of the deterioration in public finances, my approach in preparing the 2009 Estimates for my Department was to focus available resources on the measures that allow us to maintain and grow the productive capacity of the agri-food sector. Because I had chosen to protect expenditure in certain areas, expenditure in other areas had to be curtailed. In relation to the...

Written Answers — Food Labelling: Food Labelling (30 Oct 2008)

Brendan Smith: The Minister for Health and Children has overall responsibility for the general food labelling legislation. Under the general labelling Directive (2000/13/EC), the place of origin of the foodstuff must be given only if its absence might mislead the consumer to a material degree. The European Commission is currently undertaking a major review of all food labelling legislation. As part of...

Written Answers — European Council Meetings: European Council Meetings (30 Oct 2008)

Brendan Smith: The most recent Agriculture Council meeting took place in Luxembourg on Monday and Tuesday of this week and dealt with both agriculture and fisheries issues. As regards fisheries, the Council reached political agreement on proposals for Council Regulations fixing fishing opportunities and associated conditions for certain fish stocks in the Baltic and Black Seas for 2009 and for fishing...