Results 11,861-11,880 of 18,326 for speaker:Brendan Smith

Written Answers — Farm Retirement Scheme: Farm Retirement Scheme (6 Oct 2010)

Brendan Smith: My Department received an application from the person named on 30 October 2009 but unfortunately he died on 12 November 2009 and the issue then arose of the entitlement of his widow to payment of the pension if his application was found to have been valid. My Department is not at present in a position to grant the continuation of a deceased participant's pension to his or her dependants....

Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (6 Oct 2010)

Brendan Smith: I propose to take Questions Nos. 300 and 302 together. Preparation of the Animal Health and Welfare Bill which gives effect to commitments in the Programme for Government and the Renewed Programme for Government on issues relating to animal health and welfare is ongoing in my Department. The new bill will consolidate and update a wide range of existing legislation to ensure that the welfare...

Written Answers — Irish Language: Irish Language (6 Oct 2010)

Brendan Smith: In 2009, the amount spent on Irish language training by my Department was €4,815, covering a total of thirty five participating staff. In 2010, the amount spent on Irish language training to date by my Department is €3,570, covering a total of fifteen participating staff.

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (6 Oct 2010)

Brendan Smith: An application under the 2010 Single Payment Scheme/Disadvantaged Areas Scheme was received from the person named on 13 May 2010. Payments under the Disadvantaged Areas Scheme commenced on 22 September, with an advance payment of 75% issuing in respect of those cases cleared for payment at that stage. The application of the person named is now fully processed and the advance payment will...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (5 Oct 2010)

Brendan Smith: The person named applied for 12 animals under the 2009 Suckler Welfare Scheme. Payment issued to the applicant in respect of one animal issued on 23 August 2010 and payment for the remaining 11 animals has been processed and will issue shortly

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (5 Oct 2010)

Brendan Smith: An application under the 2010 Single Payment Scheme/Disadvantaged Areas Scheme was received from the person named on 26 April 2010. Payments under the Disadvantaged Areas Scheme commenced on 22 September, with an advance payment of 75% issuing in respect of those parcels cleared for payment at that stage. The required digitising of the balance of the land declared has now been completed, as...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (5 Oct 2010)

Brendan Smith: The EU Regulations governing REPS 4 and other area-based schemes provide that payments issue in two instalments. The first instalment of 75% may be paid once all administrative checks on all applications, as well as cross-checks against areas declared on Single Payment Scheme applications, have been completed. This process is underway and while my objective is to make all payments as soon...

Written Answers — Legislative Programme: Legislative Programme (5 Oct 2010)

Brendan Smith: Preparation of the Animal Health and Welfare Bill which gives effect to commitments in the Programme for Government and the Renewed Programme for Government on issues relating to animal health and welfare is ongoing in my Department. The new bill will consolidate and update a wide range of existing legislation to ensure that the welfare of all animals, including non-farm animals is properly...

Written Answers — Disadvantaged Areas Scheme: Disadvantaged Areas Scheme (5 Oct 2010)

Brendan Smith: My entire focus is to make the maximum permissible payments to farmers under each of the relevant Direct Payment Schemes, at the earliest possible dates, having due regard to the governing regulations. In this regard, I am confident that almost €1.5 billion will be paid to Irish farmers before 31 December 2010. In relation to the 2010 Disadvantaged Areas Scheme, I have exercised the option...

Written Answers — Disadvantaged Areas Scheme: Disadvantaged Areas Scheme (5 Oct 2010)

Brendan Smith: In relation to the 2010 Disadvantaged Areas Scheme, I have exercised the option of making an advance payment of 75% of DAS beginning on 22 September, with the balancing 25% payment commencing 20 October. I have taken this option because of the EU requirement to entirely process applications before payment can be made in full. However, this approach is ensuring the maximum number of farmers...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (5 Oct 2010)

Brendan Smith: An application under the 2010 Single Payment Scheme/Disadvantaged Areas Scheme was received from the person named on 12 May 2010. Payments under the Disadvantaged Areas Scheme commenced on 22 September, with an advance payment of 75% issuing in respect of those parcels cleared for payment at that stage. As the person named listed four plots on his application, the advance payment issued in...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (5 Oct 2010)

Brendan Smith: The entire Direct Payments made by my Department are dependent on the operation by my Department of an up to date Land Parcel Identification System. That system must, as required by EU legislation, in particular the Integrated Administrative and Control System (IACS), be kept fully updated each year reflecting the annual return of maps by farmers applying under the various Direct Payment...

Written Answers — Pension Provisions: Pension Provisions (5 Oct 2010)

Brendan Smith: Preserved pension benefits for staff with at least 5 years service who leave the civil service before minimum retirement age were introduced for established staff serving on or after 1 June 1973 and for un-established staff serving on or after 1 October 1975. As the person named left my Department in 1970, she is therefore not entitled to a pension. If she subsequently served in another...

Written Answers — Afforestation Programme: Afforestation Programme (5 Oct 2010)

Brendan Smith: To put the question, and my reply, in context, the correspondence provided by the Deputy relates to the proposed felling by Coillte of a coniferous forest at Townleyhall, Co. Louth. Coillte Teoranta was established as a private commercial company under the Forestry Act, 1988. While the control of felling is a regulatory matter for my Department, once a felling licence has been granted, the...

Written Answers — Domestic Abattoirs: Domestic Abattoirs (5 Oct 2010)

Brendan Smith: Slaughterhouses and meat processing plants operate under the approval of my Department in accordance with the terms of EU Regulations which are collectively known as the 'Hygiene Package'. These plants are supervised by veterinary inspectors employed by the Department, assisted in their duties by technical staff and by temporary veterinary inspectors (TVIs) drawn from private practice on a...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (5 Oct 2010)

Brendan Smith: An application under the 2010 Single Payment Scheme/Disadvantaged Areas Scheme was received from the person named on 17 May 2010. Payments under the Disadvantaged Areas Scheme commenced on 22 September, with an advance payment of 75 per cent issuing in respect of those cases cleared for payment at that stage; the application of the person named was one of those who received the full advance...

Written Answers — Decentralisation Programme: Decentralisation Programme (5 Oct 2010)

Brendan Smith: The original Government decision on the decentralisation of my Department provided for the decentralisation of some 600 headquarter posts to Portlaoise. Since the decentralisation programme began some 300 posts in my Department have been decentralised bringing the total there to almost 500 posts.

Written Answers — Farm Incomes: Farm Incomes (5 Oct 2010)

Brendan Smith: The latest farm income data available, produced by Teagasc in its National Farm Survey for 2009, estimated that average farm income for 2009 was €11,968. Full-time farms, as defined by Teagasc, had an average farm income of €24,214. Comparison with 2010 is not yet possible as this data will not be available until next year. When compared with prices for July 2009, the latest CSO...

Written Answers — Veterinary Services: Veterinary Services (5 Oct 2010)

Brendan Smith: Over the past year, my Department has been engaged in a comprehensive reconfiguration of the local office structure, as part of which sixteen enhanced regional offices are being developed. This process is designed to ensure that the Department continues to provide an efficient and effective service to the Department's clients. The Department's office in Ballybay is continuing to provide a...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (5 Oct 2010)

Brendan Smith: The person named did not draw down any premia payments during the reference period (2000-2002) and therefore did not establish Single Payment Entitlements. A 2010 application to transfer entitlements from the person named was received by my Department; however this application was rejected as there were no entitlements in the account of the person named.