Results 20,881-20,900 of 21,588 for speaker:Denis Naughten

Written Answers — Farm Retirement Scheme: Farm Retirement Scheme (25 May 2005)

Denis Naughten: Question 152: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food her plans to implement the recommendations of the report on the early retirement scheme of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Agriculture and Food; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17442/05]

Written Answers — Afforestation Programme: Afforestation Programme (25 May 2005)

Denis Naughten: Question 161: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food her Department's plans to achieve the national forestry planting target of 20,000 hectares per annum; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17583/05]

Written Answers — Visa Applications: Visa Applications (25 May 2005)

Denis Naughten: Question 176: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the reason for the refusal of a visa to a person (details supplied). [17502/05]

Written Answers — Registration of Title: Registration of Title (25 May 2005)

Denis Naughten: Question 177: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the position in regard to an application to the Land Registry Office (details supplied); when this application will be completed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17503/05]

Written Answers — Residency Permits: Residency Permits (25 May 2005)

Denis Naughten: Question 189: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, further to Parliamentary Question No. 689 of 12 April 2005, the status of the residency application; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17600/05]

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (25 May 2005)

Denis Naughten: Question 204: To ask the Minister for Education and Science, further to Parliamentary Question No. 137 of 7 October 2004, the reason a dependant of an elderly couple who are both in receipt of a non-contributory pension at the maximum rate is not eligible for the top-up grant; if she has satisfied herself that this complies with equality legislation; and if she will make a statement on the...

Grant Payments. (25 May 2005)

Denis Naughten: I thank the Minister for her response. Perhaps I might focus on the fact that the Minister claims to have raised this issue several times with the Commissioner. Why did she know nothing about it when the Commissioner was interviewed here? If the Minister had raised the matter on not only one but several occasions, surely, when the Commissioner arrived in Ireland, she would have been up to...

Grant Payments. (25 May 2005)

Denis Naughten: The Minister met the Commissioner on three occasions. What did she say about the case the Minister put forward? Did she agree, disagree or did she express any opinion? By the time the Minister spoke to her on the third occasion, she surely must have checked out the situation.

Legal Settlement. (25 May 2005)

Denis Naughten: I thank the Minister of State for his response. How did the Department get it wrong? The Department defended this case but subsequently settled it out of court. Why did it proceed with the case if it got additional legal information from the State counsel? Did the sands shift during the case? What are the legal costs involved in proceeding as far as we did before a settlement was agreed? Why...

Legal Settlement. (25 May 2005)

Denis Naughten: Is it not the case that the Department felt that it was on a strong footing when the initial challenge was taken? The Department was going to contest this vigorously right to the bitter end. On 6 December 2004, a settlement was suddenly reached. How did that come about? Why did the Department change its tack? The public needs to know the answer to that question, even if the Minister is not...

Legal Settlement. (25 May 2005)

Denis Naughten: I know the Minister cannot disclose the details of legal advice and I am not looking for that. Can he clarify if the original opinion of the State counsel changed prior to the settlement?

Legal Settlement. (25 May 2005)

Denis Naughten: Did that happen during the case?

Legal Settlement. (25 May 2005)

Denis Naughten: The opinion changed, therefore, during the case.

Grant Payments. (25 May 2005)

Denis Naughten: I thank the Minister for her second reply on this issue. Will farmers be informed in advance of the category under which they will be inspected? Will they be inspected in regard to identification or under the single farm payment or will the category be decided by the inspectors when they arrive on site? We have been told that the majority of inspections in regard to cross-compliance, most of...

Grant Payments. (25 May 2005)

Denis Naughten: Will farmers know in advance the category under which they will be inspected?

Grant Payments. (25 May 2005)

Denis Naughten: Will farmers be aware whether the inspections of their farms come under the category of cross-compliance or identification?

Food Safety Standards. (25 May 2005)

Denis Naughten: What happens in reality if premises or countries do not come up to standards? In this context, will the Minister of State explain what has happened since last October in regard to Brazilian beef coming into the EU? Brazil abandoned its tagging and traceability scheme at that time. Does this mean Brazilian beef is no longer being imported into the EU? I have two difficult questions for the...

Food Safety Standards. (25 May 2005)

Denis Naughten: That is not happening in practice.

Food Safety Standards. (25 May 2005)

Denis Naughten: Is consideration given at EU or WTO level to set the limits based on the number of carcases rather than tonnage imported? It appears that premium cuts rather than carcases are imported.

Research Funding. (25 May 2005)

Denis Naughten: On the rights issue raised by Deputy Upton, has the Minister investigated the strategies of the other big players in the United States and Japan? China's research and development budgets have gone through the roof, with significant implications. We are lagging behind not only the US and Japan but dramatically so in the case of China. Greater investment should be made at EU level. We need to...