Results 11,881-11,900 of 18,461 for speaker:Brendan Smith

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (21 Oct 2010)

Brendan Smith: Staff in my Department work in a large number of functional areas and the majority are involved in enforcement of regulation and policy to varying degrees. Current staffing levels in the various streams are as follows: Administrative: 1,901.3 Agricultural Inspectorate: 190.4 Veterinary: ...

Written Answers — Environmental Schemes: Environmental Schemes (21 Oct 2010)

Brendan Smith: Under the EU Regulations governing the Agri-Environment Options Scheme and the NATURA 2000 Scheme comprehensive administrative checks, including cross-checks with the Land Parcel Identification System, must be completed as part of the approval process. These checks are underway and a decision will issue at the earliest possible date to the person named once they have been completed.

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (21 Oct 2010)

Brendan Smith: An application under the 2010 Single Payment Scheme/Disadvantaged Areas Scheme was received from the person named on 6 May 2010. This application has now been fully processed and payment will issue shortly.

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (21 Oct 2010)

Brendan Smith: The information requested by the Deputy in respect of staff in my Department is given in 4 separate Tables. The full years' savings generated in 2009 due to staffing reductions was 7.4 million when compared to the 2008 outturn. Comparison between my Department's salary and overtime outturn at end-September 2010 and end-September 2009 shows savings of €18 million. It should be noted that...

Food Harvest 2020 Report: Statements (21 Oct 2010)

Brendan Smith: I welcome the opportunity to discuss the Food Harvest 2020 report in Dáil Éireann. This is the first opportunity I have had to congratulate Deputy Andrew Doyle on his appointment as Fine Gael spokesperson on agriculture, fisheries and food. I look forward to working with him over the next few years. I also take the opportunity to compliment Deputy Michael Creed on his work as...

Written Answers — Afforestation Programme: Afforestation Programme (20 Oct 2010)

Brendan Smith: The following is the number of hectares planted, by species, in each of the past three years: Year Broadleaf Conifer Total 2007 2,182 4,765 6,947 2008 2,227 4,022 6,249 2009 2,473 4,175 6,648

Written Answers — Afforestation Programme: Afforestation Programme (20 Oct 2010)

Brendan Smith: All tree species grant-aided by my Department under the forestry grant schemes achieve high levels of carbon-sequestration. The potential of different tree species to sequester carbon dioxide from the atmosphere depends mainly on their rate of growth. Some conifer species grow rapidly and will begin to sequester considerable amounts of carbon early in their life. Other species, including...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (20 Oct 2010)

Brendan Smith: An application under the 2010 Single Payment Scheme/Disadvantaged Areas Scheme was received from the person named on 29 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. A number of parcels listed on the application required re-digitisation to ensure...

Written Answers — Milk Quota: Milk Quota (20 Oct 2010)

Brendan Smith: A Milk Production Partnership consists of at least one person from category (i) below and one or more person(s) from any of the categories (i) to (iv): (i) a milk producer who has produced and delivered milk in each of the two milk quota years preceding the milk quota year in which the partnership is established; (ii) a new entrant(s) with the appropriate qualifications, who is participating...

Written Answers — Direct Payment Schemes: Direct Payment Schemes (20 Oct 2010)

Brendan Smith: EU Commission approval for the introduction of five targeted modernisation schemes focused on supporting productive investment in the agricultural sector was received earlier this year. Due to the relatively short time-frames for completion of the investment works concerned, priority was given to the introduction of the Sow Welfare and Poultry Welfare Schemes which were launched on 16 June...

Written Answers — Fisheries Protection: Fisheries Protection (20 Oct 2010)

Brendan Smith: The Sea-Fisheries Protection Authority is an independent statutory authority responsible for the enforcement of sea fisheries and food safety law. The information sought by the Deputy is a matter for the Authority. However, the Department has forwarded the request to the SFPA for its consideration and for a direct reply to the Deputy.

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (20 Oct 2010)

Brendan Smith: The person named registered 16 animals in the 2009 Suckler Welfare Scheme. Under the Terms and Conditions of the Welfare Scheme one of the primary requirements for applicants with herds of more than 10 cows is that the animals must be weaned in at least two separate groups with at least five days between the weaning of each group. The applicant declared that he had weaned all of the animals...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (20 Oct 2010)

Brendan Smith: Approx. 17,600 farmers are due to receive the final instalment of grant-aid under the Farm Waste Management Scheme early next year. As far as the circumstances referred to by the Deputy are concerned, I am aware of a case which is currently the subject of an appeal to the Agriculture Appeals Office in which the applicant has not provided the necessary quality certificates for some of the...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (20 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. The person named declared amendments to land parcels declared on his application which...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (20 Oct 2010)

Brendan Smith: The number of applicants and the average payments made in respect of the main schemes operated by my Department for 2009 are as follows: Name of Scheme Number of successful applicants Average Payment 2009 Single Payment 123,920 €10,146 2009 Disadvantaged Areas 100,765 €2,224 Upland Sheep Payment 13,582 €514 Suckler Welfare* 31,158 €620 REPS3 35,476 €6,777 REPS4 18,935...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (20 Oct 2010)

Brendan Smith: The functions of my Department are divided into 5 main areas as listed in the Table below. The table provides a breakdown of staff by grade in each of these areas, as requested by the Deputy. Staffing in the bodies under the aegis of my Department is a matter for the bodies themselves as part of their day-to-day activities. FULL-TIME EQUIVALENT STAFF NUMBERS BY GRADE IN EACH OF THE 5 AREAS...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (20 Oct 2010)

Brendan Smith: Year No. of persons employed on temporary contract Cost - € 2008 310 3,268,584.54 2009 134 1,848,922.88 The above figures include 13 student placements over the two years in question as a result of long standing arrangements with various 3rd level institutions.

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (20 Oct 2010)

Brendan Smith: The exercise referred to by the Deputy in the earlier Parliamentary Question related to the operation of the Single Payment Scheme and Disadvantaged Areas Scheme in Ireland. In particular, the exercise related to the exclusion from land parcels of ineligible features, which were not eligible to benefit from payment under one or both of these Schemes. The ineligible features were identified by...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (19 Oct 2010)

Brendan Smith: The Sheep Fencing and Handling Facilities Scheme will open for applications on 1 November next.

Written Answers — Farm Retirement Scheme: Farm Retirement Scheme (19 Oct 2010)

Brendan Smith: As outlined in the reply to Parliamentary Question 10960 of 7 April 2004, the application from the person named under the 1994 scheme was rejected for a number of reasons which were notified to the applicant. At the time the application was examined, my Department was not aware that she had her land let on the conacre system in the years from 1996 and, as a result, this issue was not included...