Results 11,941-11,960 of 18,326 for speaker:Brendan Smith

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (29 Sep 2010)

Brendan Smith: The person named applied for 17 animals under the 2008 Suckler Welfare Scheme and 11 animals under the 2009 Scheme. The herd owner has been paid in full for these animals.

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (29 Sep 2010)

Brendan Smith: An application under the 2009 Disadvantaged Areas Scheme was received from the person named on 22 April 2009. Following processing, it was found that the reference area of one parcel was over-claimed by 9.06%. Under the governing EU regulations, where the over-declaration between the total area declared and total area determined is greater than 3%, but not more than 20%, the area determined...

Written Answers — Rural Environment Protection Scheme: Rural Environment Protection Scheme (29 Sep 2010)

Brendan Smith: Further participation in the new Agri-environment Options Scheme will be determined by the level of funding available to my Department. All EU funding for the scheme up to the end of 2013 is now fully committed. Any further support in that period will have to be funded entirely by the Exchequer and this is a matter that will be considered in the context of the annual Estimates process.

Written Answers — Agri-environmental Scheme: Agri-environmental Scheme (29 Sep 2010)

Brendan Smith: Letters of approval have issued to almost 6,000 applicants for the Agri-Environment Options Scheme (AEOS), giving farmers a start date in the scheme from 1 September 2010. This represents almost two-thirds of all applicants and the processing of these applications was carried out within a challenging time-frame. My officials are giving priority to processing the remaining applications with a...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (29 Sep 2010)

Brendan Smith: An application under the Single Payment/Disadvantaged Areas Scheme was received from the person named on 23 April 2010. In relation to the Disadvantaged Areas Scheme, the Terms and Conditions governing the Scheme require, inter alia, that applicants maintain a minimum stocking density on their holding of 0.15 livestock units per forage hectare declared, for at least three consecutive months,...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (29 Sep 2010)

Brendan Smith: An application under the 2010 Single Payment Scheme was received by my Department on 1 June 2010. However, as the closing date for receipt of applications under this Scheme was 17 May 2010, with the facility of the receipt of late applications up to 12 June 2010, subject to the regulatory penalty of 1% per working day, an 11% late penalty was applicable to the application of the person named....

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (29 Sep 2010)

Brendan Smith: The person named applied for 36 animals under the 2009 Suckler Welfare Scheme. Under the Terms and Conditions of the Suckler Welfare Scheme, for herds with more than 10 cows the calves must be weaned in at least two separate groups with each group being removed at a minimum interval of five days. The person named weaned all his animals on the same date, and therefore did not comply with the...

Written Answers — Rural Environment Protection Scheme: Rural Environment Protection Scheme (29 Sep 2010)

Brendan Smith: I understand that the appeal from the persons named was received in the Agriculture Appeals Office on 14th September 2010. The Appeals Officer has asked my Department for the appellants' file and it will be sent to them without delay.

Written Answers — Harbours and Piers: Harbours and Piers (29 Sep 2010)

Brendan Smith: The pier at Doolin is the property of Clare County Council and responsibility for its repair and upkeep rests with the Local Authority in the first instance. My Department has not allocated any funding in respect of development works at Doolin in 2010.

Written Answers — Farm Retirement Scheme: Farm Retirement Scheme (29 Sep 2010)

Brendan Smith: The application from the person named is currently being examined in the Department. The applicant will be informed of the decision once this examination is complete.

Written Answers — Afforestation Programme: Afforestation Programme (29 Sep 2010)

Brendan Smith: Coillte Teoranta has reported that 749 hectares of forest were destroyed. Full information on the extent of the loss among private forest owners is not available.

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (29 Sep 2010)

Brendan Smith: The introduction of direct income support to farmers in the early 1990s resulted in the implementation of the Area Aid application system. This system involved the obligatory submission by farmers, who wished to apply for Livestock Premia (Suckler Cow Premium, Ewe Premium etc.) and Arable Aid of an Area Aid application form each year detailing the land they were farming. Since the system...

Written Answers — Afforestation Programme: Afforestation Programme (29 Sep 2010)

Brendan Smith: My Department has granted approval for a 48 hectare pilot afforestation project on industrial cutaway peatland owned by Bord na Mona. The project is not eligible for forestry premiums.

Written Answers — Afforestation Programme: Afforestation Programme (29 Sep 2010)

Brendan Smith: The role of forestry in relation to climate change forms part of the ongoing review of State forestry policy. The Review Group is scheduled to report by the end of the year.

Written Answers — Afforestation Programme: Afforestation Programme (29 Sep 2010)

Brendan Smith: The Government has approved the heads of the Forestry Bill, and discussions are continuing between my Department and the Office of the Attorney General with a view to finalizing the text of the Bill. It would be my intention to publish the Bill in the current Parliamentary Session. A comprehensive review of the Forestry Act, 1988, establishing Coillte Teoranta, is not proposed at present.

Written Answers — Afforestation Programme: Afforestation Programme (29 Sep 2010)

Brendan Smith: National calculations of greenhouse gas emissions and uptake in peatland afforestation include changes in soils below ground as well as biomass. Five carbon pools are reported: above ground biomass, below ground biomass, litter, dead organic matter and soils. Calculations are in accordance with the Common Reporting Formats of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change and the greenhouse...

Written Answers — Afforestation Programme: Afforestation Programme (29 Sep 2010)

Brendan Smith: Felling licence applications do not make reference to the soil type in which trees are planted. Therefore the Department does not collate the information requested.

Written Answers — Afforestation Programme: Afforestation Programme (29 Sep 2010)

Brendan Smith: Analysis has been done by my Department, through COFORD (National Council for Forest Research and Development), on the environmental effects of forestry operations, including forest replanting, on peatland. The PEnrich project (Forestry Operations and Eutrophication), was a joint COFORD/EPA funded project which examined the influence of forestry and forest operations on water quality. The...

Written Answers — Nitrates Directive: Nitrates Directive (29 Sep 2010)

Brendan Smith: The definition of peat soils used by my Department is taken from Peatlands of Ireland, Soil Survey Bulletin by R.F. Hammond (1979). It constitutes a peat layer greater than 30 cm on drained peats and greater than 45 cm on undrained peats. It is not proposed to change this. The soil classification criterion used in the Nitrates regulations, the European Communities (Good Agricultural...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (29 Sep 2010)

Brendan Smith: Details of the amount spent during the requested periods are shown in the table below: Year Total € 2007 924,019.60 2008 1,008,088.10 2009 701,944.06 2010 — (first six months) 261,296.20 My Department currently has 1,644 active mobile phone accounts, the supply of which is split between Vodafone and O The framework agreement is intended to maximise volume discounts and provide for...