Results 11,981-12,000 of 18,326 for speaker:Brendan Smith

Written Answers — Horse and Greyhound Racing Industries: Horse and Greyhound Racing Industries (8 Jul 2010)

Brendan Smith: Funding for the horse and greyhound racing industries will continue to be provided through the Horse and Greyhound Fund. The level of funding to be provided in 2011 will be determined in the context of the preparation of next year's estimates. In the meantime, work is progressing on how best to give effect to the commitment set out by the Taoiseach in relation to the application of betting...

Written Answers — Bovine Diseases: Bovine Diseases (8 Jul 2010)

Brendan Smith: My Department's overall national strategy for the eradication of TB provides for a comprehensive range of measures, including the mandatory annual testing for all cattle in the national herd, the restriction of holdings where reactors are disclosed, risk-based testing of herds contiguous to infected herds, the early removal of reactors, a wildlife programme involving the targeted removal of...

Written Answers — Agri-Environment Options Scheme: Agri-Environment Options Scheme (8 Jul 2010)

Brendan Smith: Under EU Regulations, all applications for the Agri-Environment Options Scheme must be administratively checked for eligibility before approval can issue. This process is under way and will be completed as quickly as possible. My Department has already written to all applicants acknowledging receipt of their applications, and advising them that once all applications have been assessed they...

Written Answers — Agri-Environment Options Scheme: Agri-Environment Options Scheme (8 Jul 2010)

Brendan Smith: Provision has been made for the launch of the Agri-Environment Options Scheme at a rate of up to €5,000 for approximately 10,000 participants. By the closing date of 17 May 2010, my Department had received over 9,000 applications. My officials are currently examining these applications, and until this process is completed it will not be possible to determine what costs will arise in...

Written Answers — Rural Environment Protection Scheme: Rural Environment Protection Scheme (8 Jul 2010)

Brendan Smith: Farmers in REPS 3 are paid at the start of each year of their contracts. There are still 24,753 farmers in REPS 3. Of these, 10,601 will finish their contracts between now and the end of 2010 and received their last payments during 2009. The other 23,693 will finish their contracts in 2011, and are receiving their last payments this year. At an average annual payment of €6,200 per...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (8 Jul 2010)

Brendan Smith: The REPS 4 applications received for North Tipperary are set out in the following table: Des is inserting this table. All of these 854 participants who applied in 2007, 2008 and 2009 are entitled to a REPS 4 payment for the 2009 scheme year. Up to 1 July 2010, 805 had received their payments. In all the other cases there are issues to be resolved before payments can be released. Farmers in...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (8 Jul 2010)

Brendan Smith: Details of applications under the Single Payment Scheme are maintained on a county basis and, therefore, my Department's statistics relate to the entire county of Tipperary and are as follows: 2007: 7,339 applications, of which 6,984 have been paid a total of €105,645,716, to date; 2008: 7,287 applications, of which 6,936 have been paid a total of €106,183,892, to date; 2009: 7,274...

Written Answers — Marine Industry: Marine Industry (8 Jul 2010)

Brendan Smith: BIM has provided estimated figures for employment in the seafood processing sector. There has been a decrease in the numbers employed in the fish processing sector from 2,205 full-time and 1302 part-time employed in 2005 to 2,150 full-time and 380 part-time employed at the end of 2009. This ongoing reduction is mainly in part-time employment due to less fish being processed, process plant...

Written Answers — Food Industry: Food Industry (8 Jul 2010)

Brendan Smith: The data below on employment in the manufacture of food and beverages is taken from the CSO's Quarterly National Household Survey (QNHS). The QNHS does not enumerate the number of jobs created or lost in any given sector, rather it presents the level in terms of the numbers employed in the sector. The following table give details in terms of the numbers employed for the most recent complete...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (8 Jul 2010)

Brendan Smith: The person named has submitted an application for support under the Agri-Environment Options Scheme. Under EU Regulations, all applications for the Agri-Environment Options Scheme must be administratively checked for eligibility before approval can issue. This process is under way and will be completed as quickly as possible. My Department has already written to all applicants acknowledging...

Written Answers — Farming Sector: Farming Sector (8 Jul 2010)

Brendan Smith: Number of Farmers The following table 1 shows recent data on the number of farmers from the CSO's Farm Structure Survey for 2005 and 2007 and the importance of farm work to them in terms of being either a major or subsidiary occupation. Between 2005 and 2007, the number of farm holders decrease by 3.3% while the numbers reporting farming as their sole occupation declined by 9.4%. Table 1....

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (8 Jul 2010)

Brendan Smith: Over the past five years, six members of staff at Assistant Secretary level retired from my Department. The total amount paid in lump sums to these staff was €1,317, 352.19, this represents an average of 149.54% of final salary.

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (7 Jul 2010)

Brendan Smith: The Irish Government Offsetting Scheme (IGOS) for greenhouse gas emissions from official air travel, is administered by the Department of the Environment, Heritage & Local Government and payment is made annually to the Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Partnership (REEEP). The Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food have made the following payments to REEEP: For the first year of...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (7 Jul 2010)

Brendan Smith: The following table sets out expenditure by the Department on travel and subsistence expenses which were paid to staff in the Department's decentralised offices in Castlebar, Cavan, Clonakilty, Portlaoise and Wexford in respect of attendance at meetings and other official business in Dublin and Brussels. Year Travel & Subsistence Expenditure 2008 € 299,951.69 2009 € 191,277.91 2010...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (7 Jul 2010)

Brendan Smith: The Government announcement of 8 July 2008 required that all expenditure by Departments on consultancies, advertising and public relations would be significantly reduced for the remainder of that year and by at least 50% in 2009 compared with 2008. In 2008 my Department spent €1.196m on public advertising in national and local print media. The details sought by the Deputy in relation to...

Written Answers — Afforestation Programme: Afforestation Programme (7 Jul 2010)

Brendan Smith: An applicant for the farmer rate of forestry premium must be engaged in farming activities within the State and must own, lease or be involved in the joint management of at least 3 hectares of an agricultural holding. In addition, the applicant must supply evidence of farming activity in one of the following forms:- an active REPS number, herd number, registration number under the disease...

Written Answers — Complaints Procedures: Complaints Procedures (7 Jul 2010)

Brendan Smith: None of the State Agencies under the aegis of my Department fall under the remit of the Ombudsman.

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (7 Jul 2010)

Brendan Smith: A review of the land declared by the person named under the Single Payment Scheme suggested that ineligible areas had been included, contrary to the governing Terms and Conditions of the Scheme. Following direct contact by an official of my Department with the person named regarding this matter, the person named has agreed to submit maps of the land parcels in question, in order to allow a...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (7 Jul 2010)

Brendan Smith: In January 2009, the person named applied for grant-aid under the 2009 Bio Energy Scheme, to plant 9.47 hectares of miscanthus. Following an assessment of the application, approval was issued for the planting of 9.40 hectares. Following an inspection of the crop in September 2009 the inspecting officer advised the applicant that payment of the first instalment grant was deferred until 2010...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (7 Jul 2010)

Brendan Smith: The availability of land for the Single Farm Payment and other schemes are clearly set out in the Terms and Conditions governing the 2010 Single Payment Scheme which advise applicants as follows, insofar as land declared under the 2010 Scheme is concerned: 'You are legally required to declare ALL the land that will form part of your holding on 31 May 2010, excluding any land that you have...