Results 12,301-12,320 of 18,328 for speaker:Brendan Smith

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

Brendan Smith: The EU 7th Framework Programme (FP7) is the largest public good research programme in the world. It is playing a very significant role in strengthening the scientific and technological base of European industry and in encouraging international competitiveness while also promoting research that supports EU policies. FP7 provides a major opportunity for Irish research institutions and...

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

Brendan Smith: The mechanical classification system has been in operation for over five years and operates well within the statistical tolerances provided for in EU legislation. It has always classified beef carcases on the fifteen-point scale (i.e. including sub-classes within each main class for both conformation and fat). Officials of my Department have always checked the machine performance using the...

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

Brendan Smith: The performance of the beef carcase classification machine in each beef processing plant is monitored by regular unannounced inspections by officials of my Department. The purpose of these inspections is to determine whether the machines operate within the statistical parameters laid down by EU Regulations. The performance of the machine is determined using the scoring criteria laid down in...

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

Brendan Smith: The Informal Meeting of Fisheries Ministers in Vigo, Spain at the start of this month was attended by Sean Connick TD, Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries & Food. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss the reform of the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP). Discussions at the meeting were to inform a working document concerning reform options which will be prepared by...

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

Brendan Smith: Based on CSO provisional statistics, Bord Bia estimate that the value of food imports (excluding live animals) declined by six per cent in 2009 from €2.4billion euro to €2.3billion euro, however there was an increase in the underlying volumes primarily due to the weakness of sterling.

Written Answers — Farm Retirement Scheme: Farm Retirement Scheme (26 May 2010)

Brendan Smith: Since the first Scheme of Early Retirement from Farming was introduced in 1994, it has been the Department's practice to continue to pay the pension to dependants of participants who died before the period of their pension had elapsed. However, following recent audits of the Scheme by both the European Court of Auditors and the European Commission, the Commission has informed my Department...

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

Brendan Smith: Viability is affected by considerations such as geography, land quality, technical and management skills and market conditions, in addition to size and scale. The focus must therefore be on the achievement of the maximum possible efficiency in the production of milk by all producers. By producing milk at the lowest possible cost under whatever constraints or limitations may prevail, every...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (26 May 2010)

Brendan Smith: The Young Farmers' Installation Scheme was suspended for new applications on 14 October 2008 against the background of the deterioration in the national finances. 941 applications for grant-aid were received by my Department under the Scheme prior to its suspension and these applications are being processed to payment stage as the claims are approved. An allocation of €4.5 million has...

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

Brendan Smith: I have continually pressed the Commission to take all appropriate measures to deal with the dairy market situation, and in 2009 Public Intervention, Aids to Private Storage and Export Refunds helped to stabilise the market for dairy products. With regard to intervention for butter and skimmed milk powder, last October Commissioner Fischer Boel gave a commitment to manage the release of...

Written Answers — Health and Safety Regulations: Health and Safety Regulations (26 May 2010)

Brendan Smith: Farmers in receipt of direct payments (Single Payment Scheme, Disadvantaged Areas' Scheme and Rural Environmental Protection Scheme) must comply with a total of 18 Statutory Management Requirements (SMRs) in the areas of Environment, Public, Animal and Plant Health, and Animal Welfare. This is known as cross-compliance. Any change to the existing cross-compliance arrangements would require...

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 — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (26 May 2010)

Brendan Smith: The new Grassland Sheep Scheme, which has a total budget of €54 million, will operate for three years: 2010, 2011 and 2012. This funding, which comes from the unused Single Payment funds, will provide a very important and timely boost to support incomes in the sheep sector over the next three years. The Scheme has been kept administratively simple, which will facilitate the Department in...

Written Answers — Greenhouse Gas Emissions: Greenhouse Gas Emissions (26 May 2010)

Brendan Smith: Irish farmers have clearly demonstrated their willingness to embrace new technologies and farming methods that are friendly to our environment. Consequently, Ireland's agriculture sector has played and will continue to play, a very significant role in reducing national emissions of greenhouse gas. Under the Kyoto Protocol, Ireland agreed to limit our emissions to 13% above 1990 emission...

Written Answers — Irish National Stud: Irish National Stud (26 May 2010)

Brendan Smith: The Irish National Stud Company Limited (INS) is a commercial State Body and a company registered under the Companies Act. As such, the Board is responsible for the operations of the company. My Department monitors compliance of the Irish National Stud with the terms of the Code of Practice for the Governance of State Bodies. This includes the submission by the company of their annual report,...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (26 May 2010)

Brendan Smith: There has been considerable interest in this scheme, which was a Supplementary Measure under REPS 4. The Heritage Council, which has responsibility for assessing applications on behalf of my Department, acknowledged the application from the person named on 26 April 2010. This letter explained that he would be informed of the outcome of his application at the end of July 2010.

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (26 May 2010)

Brendan Smith: Under REPS 4, grants were available to carry out approved conservation works to the exterior of farm outbuildings and associated structures, as a supplementary measure to the Scheme. The grant covers up to 75% of the cost of the works and grant awards vary between €5,000 and €25,000. The smallest project that could be funded would cost €6,700. The traditional farm building must have...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (26 May 2010)

Brendan Smith: A letter requesting an adjusted plan issued to the person named on 21 May 2010.

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (26 May 2010)

Brendan Smith: An application submitted by the person named under the 2009 Single Payment Scheme was received after the deadline for receipt of applications for the Scheme. Following direct contact between an official of my Department and the person named, evidence was provided by the person named, which, following clarification, allowed the application form to be processed for payment. Payment in full was...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (26 May 2010)

Brendan Smith: I propose to take Questions Nos. 230 and 232 together. As has been mentioned in answer to recent parliamentary questions there are no appreciable delays in issuing of payments to farmers under the various schemes operated by the Department with the exception of the REPS scheme and the Young Farmers Installation Scheme. REPS By the closing date of 15 May, 2009 my Department received 29,376...

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

Brendan Smith: My Department continues to support the development of the horticulture sector. Support has been provided through the grant aid scheme of Investment Aid for the Development of the Commercial Horticulture Sector under the National Development Plan 2007-2013. Under this scheme, my colleague Mr. Ciarán Cuffe TD, Minister of State at the Department with special responsibility for Horticulture,...