Results 11,161-11,180 of 18,325 for speaker:Brendan Smith

Milk Quota (1 Dec 2010)

Brendan Smith: In mid-October I announced the ninth milk quota trading scheme, which is the first of two trading schemes to allocate quota in respect of the 2011-12 milk quota year. The closing date for receipt of applications was Friday, 5 November 2010. The structure of the scheme is largely unchanged from previous years. It operates in respect of each co-operative area and is comprised of a priority...

Milk Quota (1 Dec 2010)

Brendan Smith: As Deputy Sherlock is aware, I introduced a national component to the scheme this year, the first time this has been done. The Food Harvest report stated that we would review the existing milk quota trading scheme and I have already done so. Let us consider the line north from Dublin to Galway. The co-operatives in this area, including Connacht Gold, Lakeland Dairies and Town of Monaghan,...

Milk Quota (1 Dec 2010)

Brendan Smith: As part of the Food Harvest 2020 report I established a dairy activation group, chaired by Dr. Seán Brady. I have given the group until the end of November to report to me on several issues.

Milk Quota (1 Dec 2010)

Brendan Smith: Yes, it is completed. The group is comprised of representatives of Teagasc and some processors and farmers, especially young farmers, from various parts of the country. I have not seen the report yet but one issue is to ensure we maximise the plant and machinery in place for processing. There must be co-operation among the plants. I have met the various processors, the farm organisations...

Agri-Environment Options Scheme (1 Dec 2010)

Brendan Smith: A total of 9,236 applications were received by my Department under the agri-environment options scheme, AEOS, by the closing date of 17 May 2010. All of these applications have been recorded and examined by my Department. To date 5,706 applications have been found to be fully compliant with scheme requirements and the applicants have received notification from the Department approving their...

Agri-Environment Options Scheme (1 Dec 2010)

Brendan Smith: Yes.

Agri-Environment Options Scheme (1 Dec 2010)

Brendan Smith: Approximately 10,000 farmers - I say this without having checked the figures recently - will exit REPS 3 between now and the middle of next May, which is equivalent to the number of people who joined the new AEOS scheme on 17 May last. The original allocation for the REPS schemes in 2009 was €330 million. With reallocation from other subheads I was able to pay out €341 million. The...

Agri-Environment Options Scheme (1 Dec 2010)

Brendan Smith: Capital expenditure for next year will be of the order of €329 million. I do not know from where Deputy Doyle got the figure of €100 million. The four year plan states that €75 million in savings is to be achieved in 2011. This will be achieved under a number of subheads. An area in respect of which we have made substantial savings in the past 18 months is administration, in...

Sugar Beet Industry (1 Dec 2010)

Brendan Smith: As part of the reform of the EU sugar regime in 2006 a temporary restructuring scheme was introduced with the aim of the EU Commission reducing EU sugar production in order to comply with WTO and other international obligations. The scheme provided an incentive for sugar processors to renounce sugar quota and dismantle the associated sugar processing plant and it provided compensation for...

Sugar Beet Industry (1 Dec 2010)

Brendan Smith: As I have said previously, the sugar quota was renounced by Greencore plc and not by the Government. The entire quota was held by the company and not the State. The sugar regime in its present format runs to 2015, not 2017. I say that from memory but I will double check that. The regime was not changed between 1968 and 2006 and there is no indication from the Commission that it proposes to...

Sugar Beet Industry (1 Dec 2010)

Brendan Smith: The rationalisation of the industry undertaken by the Commission resulted in a reduction of 6 million tonnes in production under a voluntary scheme. Greencore was the quota holder. I stated in the House clearly, as did the Tánaiste who was Minister at the time, that she was extremely active along with 13 other member states in opposing the Commission's proposals. As the process went along...

Sugar Beet Industry (1 Dec 2010)

Brendan Smith: The quota regime is in place until 2015. There is no indication from the Commission that it proposes to revisit it then. Naturally, if the Commission decides to do so, that will be a different scenario.

Sugar Beet Industry (1 Dec 2010)

Brendan Smith: I am outlining the facts.

Sugar Beet Industry (1 Dec 2010)

Brendan Smith: We have a question about ethanol production later.

Common Agricultural Policy (1 Dec 2010)

Brendan Smith: I propose to take Question Nos. 10 and 11 together. I must first underline some fundamental points that we should bear in mind in this CAP reform. Now, more than ever, we need to focus on ensuring security of supply of safe, high quality and sustainably produced food - at reasonable prices for our consumers, and with reasonable returns to our farmers and processors. In order to achieve...

Written Answers — Farm Incomes: Farm Incomes (30 Nov 2010)

Brendan Smith: Teagasc's National Farm Survey provides estimates of average farm income in Ireland every year. The following table shows these figures for the years in question, 2005 to 2009. Average Family Farm Income by System of Farming € 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 All Farms 22,459 16,680 19,687 16,993 11,968 Full-time farms 40,483 34,486 43,938 37,950 24,214 Part-time farms 11,372 7,899 7,993 7,580...

Written Answers — Farm Incomes: Farm Incomes (30 Nov 2010)

Brendan Smith: Teagasc's National Farm Survey provides estimates of average farm income in Ireland every year and, while it does not provide data on a county basis, they are available per region. The following table shows the figures for what is classified as Region 6 - Carlow, Kilkenny, Wexford, Tipperary South, Waterford - for the years in question, 2005 to 2009. Figures for the whole of Ireland are...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (30 Nov 2010)

Brendan Smith: The application submitted by the person named is currently being reviewed by my officials. This review is due to be finalised within the next 10 days and my officials will be in contact with the applicant notifying him of the outcome.

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (30 Nov 2010)

Brendan Smith: I propose to take Questions Nos. 262 and 263 together. Given that the matters involved are quite complex, in that it concerns a Trust under the Will of the deceased, I have made arrangements for an official of my Department to make direct contact with the persons named with a view to the early resolution of the queries raised.

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (30 Nov 2010)

Brendan Smith: An application under the 2010 Single Payment Scheme/Disadvantaged Areas Scheme was received from the person named on 13 May 2010. A number of parcels listed on the application of the person named required digitisation; immediately this process is complete, provided no errors are identified, the payments due will issue to the person named.