Results 12,241-12,260 of 18,328 for speaker:Brendan Smith

Written Answers — Common Agricultural Policy: Common Agricultural Policy (26 May 2010)

Brendan Smith: I support the continuation of a two-pillar structure. My view is that the core purpose of pillar 1 funding is to provide income support to farmers to allow them to maintain family farming and to produce food competitively in an environmentally sustainable manner. In this context, there is a direct link between the income stabilisation role of direct payments and the market stabilisation...

Written Answers — Trade Negotiations: Trade Negotiations (26 May 2010)

Brendan Smith: I conveyed our Government's serious reservations about the decision to re-engage in negotiations with Mercosur directly to Commissioner Ciolos when I spoke to him on Monday, 17 May. In my discussion with him, I expressed our deep concerns over the decision to re launch the negotiations and the threat which these negotiations could pose for Irish and European agriculture, at a time of great...

Written Answers — Food Industry: Food Industry (26 May 2010)

Brendan Smith: Bord Bia hosted the recent Food and Drink Summit – "Building Ireland's largest indigenous industry" – at Farmleigh House on Thursday, 6th May. The summit marked the culmination of a process whereby Bord Bia, in co-operation with Harvard Business School, had engaged with the leaders of the Irish food and drink industry to develop proposals to inform the 2020 agri-food sector strategy...

Written Answers — Agri-Environment Options Scheme: Agri-Environment Options Scheme (26 May 2010)

Brendan Smith: My Department has submitted proposals to the European Commission for a number of amendments to the provisions for the Agri-Environment Options/Natura Scheme under the revised Rural Development Programme, 2007–13. The proposals are being pursued as a matter of urgency but, in accordance with regulatory procedures, the Commission is permitted a period of four months in which to deliberate...

Written Answers — On-farm Investment Schemes: On-farm Investment Schemes (26 May 2010)

Brendan Smith: Under the final agreement on the Health Check of the CAP Ireland secured access to additional funds of €25 million annually from unspent CAP funds for three year from 2010. Following wide consultation with interested stakeholders and having regard to the provisions of the Regulations, I decided to allocate the funds to three schemes, details of which I announced over the last number of...

Written Answers — Afforestation Programme: Afforestation Programme (26 May 2010)

Brendan Smith: The Supplementary Budget introduced by the Minister for Finance in April 2009 reduced the funding available for the Forestry programme in 2009 and difficult decisions were taken by the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food to make the maximum use of these funds. Maintaining an active afforestation programme was an important consideration in this decision-making process given its...

Written Answers — Rural Environment Protection Scheme: Rural Environment Protection Scheme (26 May 2010)

Brendan Smith: A total of 29,376 applications were received for participation in REPS 4 for payment in 2009. The acceptance of REPS 4 applications is governed by EU Regulations which require exhaustive administrative checks and on-the-spot inspections. In a significant number of the applications received, the administrative checks raised issues and queries which required further detailed examination. My...

Written Answers — Common Fisheries Policy: Common Fisheries Policy (26 May 2010)

Brendan Smith: The European Commission issued a Green Paper on the reform of the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) in April 2009 and sought responses to their proposals. Minister Killeen, who had responsibility for the Fisheries portfolio at that time, appointed Dr. Noel Cawley to chair a nationwide public consultation process. The result of these consultations contributed in no small way to Ireland's response...

Written Answers — Cereal Sector: Cereal Sector (26 May 2010)

Brendan Smith: It is important that producers and merchants continue to explore ways in which harvest prices can be determined in advance to allow for cost-effective forward planning by all sectors of the industry. Grain prices are strongly influenced by both the world and EU markets and indeed Ireland accounts for around only 1% or so of the EU market. The maintenance of an efficient and viable crops...

Written Answers — Food Industry: Food Industry (26 May 2010)

Brendan Smith: The Renewed Programme for Government contains a specific commitment to "implement a Code of Practice for doing business in the Grocery Goods sector to develop a fair trading relationship between retailers and their suppliers" and "to review progress of the Code and if necessary to put in place a mandatory code". The Government will give effect to this commitment by including a specific...

Written Answers — Fishing Industry Development: Fishing Industry Development (26 May 2010)

Brendan Smith: Under the National Seafood Development Operational Programme 2007-2013 capital funding of €1.5m has been allocated for fish processing. However a delay has been experienced in the adoption of the Programme due to concerns raised by the Department of Environment, Heritage and Local Government and the Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources regarding environmental issues...

Written Answers — Common Agricultural Policy: Common Agricultural Policy (26 May 2010)

Brendan Smith: The Commission has developed a template for calculating the costs of implementing EU funded schemes under the Common Agricultural Policy for the purposes of showing comparisons between Member States. The comparison shows that the administrative costs in Ireland are significantly lower than the EU average. The latest data submitted for the purposes of the EU comparison shows that the cost to...

Written Answers — Harbours and Piers: Harbours and Piers (26 May 2010)

Brendan Smith: Kerry County Council proposes to construct a new pier at Cromane. The proposed pier will be the property of that Local Authority who will be responsible for its development, maintenance and repair. No arrangements have been put in place for a visit to Cromane in the near future.

Written Answers — Access to Credit: Access to Credit (26 May 2010)

Brendan Smith: I recently met with representatives of the Irish Banking Federation and impressed upon them the credit requirements of the agri-food sector, including the pig sector. While it is reported that there has been some easing of the restrictions on the flow of credit, there are still individual cases of difficulty. Therefore I will continue my dialogue with the banks on the issue. Following the...

Written Answers — Trade Negotiations: Trade Negotiations (26 May 2010)

Brendan Smith: I propose to take Questions Nos. 60 and 100 together. I conveyed our Government's serious reservations about the decision to re-engage in negotiations with Mercosur directly to Commissioner Ciolos when I spoke to him on Monday, 17 May. In my discussion with him, I expressed our deep concerns over the decision to re launch the negotiations and the threat which these negotiations could pose...

Written Answers — Single Payment Scheme: Single Payment Scheme (26 May 2010)

Brendan Smith: My starting point is that I see no compelling reason to change from the current historical model for determining single payments. I believe that the historical model has a distinct advantage in linking the payment with level of farming activity, albeit activity in 2000-2002. I have made my views on the benefits of the historic model clear at meetings of the Council of Ministers and in...

Written Answers — EU Directives: EU Directives (26 May 2010)

Brendan Smith: This concerns a Letter of Formal Notice received from the Commission on 5th May 2010 indicating that Ireland has not adequately implemented measures necessary to comply with the judgement of the European Court of Justice in case C-66/06, Commission v Ireland. Specifically, the Commission wants Ireland to apply the criteria in Annex 3 of the Environmental Impact Assessment Directive...

Written Answers — Food Industry: Food Industry (26 May 2010)

Brendan Smith: The farmhouse cheese sector makes a valuable contribution to the local food economy, to exports and enhances the local food culture. The sector receives support from my Department and from Agencies under the aegis of my Department. Additional milk quota is provided to support the development of high value and specialist milk products including farmhouse cheese. Specialist advice and...

Written Answers — Dairy Industry: Dairy Industry (26 May 2010)

Brendan Smith: I propose to take Questions Nos. 64 and 105 together. The EU Common Agriculture Policy (CAP) provides a range of measures that can be used to manage the dairy market, and these were modified in the CAP reforms of 1999 and 2003. In the Health Check negotiations in 2008 there was pressure to remove or weaken the support measures significantly. At that time I fought hard to keep the key market...

Written Answers — National Laboratory: National Laboratory (26 May 2010)

Brendan Smith: The vast majority of the buildings of DAFF Laboratories, at Backweston are completely operational and functioning as intended. Amelioration works on some areas of the laboratories are required prior to they coming on stream. These are expected to be completed during 2011. The move to and the concentration of laboratory facilities at Backweston has provided state of the art facilities to DAFF...