Results 12,501-12,520 of 18,331 for speaker:Brendan Smith

Written Answers — Live Exports: Live Exports (29 Apr 2010)

Brendan Smith: Live exports continue to be an important outlet for Irish cattle, providing an essential element of competition with the beef trade. Following the abolition of Export Refunds on live animals, other than for breeding, this trade is now almost exclusively with other EU Member States. Live cattle exports surged to over 286,000 head in 2009 – almost double the level recorded in 2008. The main...

Written Answers — Fishing Industry Development: Fishing Industry Development (29 Apr 2010)

Brendan Smith: I have been asked by the Federation of Irish Fishermen (FIF) to consider a proposal to allow a limited Commercial Sea Bass fishery in the Celtic Sea. The FIF has specifically proposed that vessels would be permitted to land only Sea Bass caught south of (fifty one degrees thirty minutes North) in area VII, which is an area approximately 50 KM off the South East coast of Ireland. Irish...

Written Answers — Single Payment Scheme: Single Payment Scheme (29 Apr 2010)

Brendan Smith: My Department, in the context of delivering the Direct Payment Schemes, is required to carry out on-the-spot inspections on a number of farms covering such issues as eligibility under the Scheme, compliance with EU legislation in the areas of the environment, food safety, animal health and welfare and plant health and ensuring that the farm is maintained in good agricultural and environmental...

Written Answers — Cereal Sector: Cereal Sector (29 Apr 2010)

Brendan Smith: The maintenance of an efficient and viable cereals sector in Ireland is clearly very important. Not only does it generate an income to our tillage farmers but it is also a key source of feedingstuffs for our livestock sector. Annual cereals production in Ireland has fluctuated around 2 million tonnes in recent years and it is desirable to try and sustain this level of production in order to...

Written Answers — Carbon Tax: Carbon Tax (29 Apr 2010)

Brendan Smith: The implementation of a carbon tax on fossil fuels is, in the first instance, a matter for my colleagues, the Minister for Finance and the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government. The Finance Bill, 2010, introduced carbon taxation of mineral oils which will apply to petrol, auto-diesel, kerosene, marked gas oil, liquid petroleum gas, fuel oil and natural gas. These...

Written Answers — Single Payment Scheme: Single Payment Scheme (29 Apr 2010)

Brendan Smith: By way of general comment, it is clearly evident that the Single Farm Payment, under which over €1.25 billion is paid annually to Irish farmers, is an extremely important Scheme not just to the agricultural industry, but also to the rural economy as a whole. With regard to the specific issue raised by the Deputy, I wish firstly to emphasise that no changes have been made with regard to the...

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

Brendan Smith: The processing of REPS 4 payments is governed by EU Regulations which require exhaustive administrative checks and on-the-spot inspections. In most parts of the country, the processing of payments is well advanced and the majority of participants have received their full payments for 2009. In a significant number of cases, however, the administrative checks raised issues and queries which...

Written Answers — Dairy Sector: Dairy Sector (29 Apr 2010)

Brendan Smith: 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 instruments in place and the importance of the...

Written Answers — Fertiliser Use: Fertiliser Use (29 Apr 2010)

Brendan Smith: I want to compliment Teagasc on the work carried out by their National Farm Survey Unit and their Environmental Research Centre in order to publish their Survey of Fertilizer Use in Ireland from 2004 to 2008 for Grassland and Arable Crops. I am especially pleased to note that the survey demonstrates that the national usage of the major nutrients such as nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium on...

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

Brendan Smith: To date in 2010, €97 million has been paid to participants in REPS 3 and REPS 4.

Written Answers — Beef Industry: Beef Industry (29 Apr 2010)

Brendan Smith: I propose to take Questions Nos. 25 and 35 together. I wish to assure the Deputy that the mechanical classification system for beef carcases continues to operate well within the performance criteria provided for in the relevant EU Regulations. Officials of my Department carry out regular checks on each of the 23 machines operating in beef processing plants. The classification results,...

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

Brendan Smith: My Department received 175 applications following the temporary reopening of the Early Retirement Scheme from 23 September to 30 October, 2009. Sixteen of the applications have been approved for payment. Another 133 applications are currently being examined in my Department. Twelve of the applications could not be accepted for processing as they did not satisfy all of the Scheme...

Written Answers — Carbon Tax: Carbon Tax (29 Apr 2010)

Brendan Smith: I propose to take Questions Nos. 27 and 81 together. The implementation of a carbon tax on fossil fuels is, in the first instance, a matter for my colleagues, the Minister for Finance and the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government. The Finance Bill, 2010, introduced carbon taxation of mineral oils which will apply to petrol, auto-diesel, kerosene, marked gas oil, liquid...

Written Answers — Rural Development: Rural Development (29 Apr 2010)

Brendan Smith: My Department recently received EU Commission approval for the various targeted on-farm investment schemes announced by my Department in 2009. Due to the relatively short time-frames for completion of the investment works concerned, my priority is to introduce the Sow Welfare and Poultry Welfare Schemes first. Arrangements will then be made to introduce the three remaining schemes,...

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

Brendan Smith: The application procedure for the Agri-Environment Options Scheme has been simplified as much as possible, within regulatory and audit restraints, and will allow the majority farmers applying for the scheme to select actions suitable to their farm from a menu of options available by means of a simple tick box application form. There is no requirement to draw up a plan, except in cases where...

Written Answers — Horse Breeding Industry: Horse Breeding Industry (29 Apr 2010)

Brendan Smith: As the Deputy may be aware, the studbook for the Irish Draught Horse breed in Ireland is maintained by Horse Sport Ireland, which is approved by my Department in accordance with EU and national legislation to do so. In addition, my Department has received two applications to maintain studbooks for the Irish Draught Horse breed from the Irish Draught Horse Society Co-Op Ltd and the Irish...

Written Answers — Common Agricultural Policy: Common Agricultural Policy (29 Apr 2010)

Brendan Smith: I propose to take Questions Nos. 31, 67 and 87 together. I launched a consultation process in July last year with stakeholders to obtain their views on what EU agriculture policies would serve Ireland and the EU best in the years to come. I am very pleased with the responses received. These responses will help to inform our position in the very important negotiations that lie ahead. In...

Written Answers — Electricity Generation: Electricity Generation (29 Apr 2010)

Brendan Smith: The issue of micro generation of electricity is a matter in the first instance for my colleague the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources. The Deputy may be aware that in February 2009 Minister Ryan announced measures to encourage the on-site generation of electricity in homes and farms across Ireland. The Micro Generation Programme is being operated by ESB Customer...

Written Answers — Common Agricultural Policy: Common Agricultural Policy (29 Apr 2010)

Brendan Smith: The Common Agricultural Policy will provide the main policy framework for development of the primary agriculture and agri-food industries in Ireland and the EU to 2020 and beyond and it is of the utmost importance that it continues to underpin the development of a competitive and vibrant agricultural sector. My overarching aim is for a strong and properly resourced CAP guided by the twin...

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

Brendan Smith: Details of the REP 4 plans that have been rejected are listed in the table below. My officials are in contact with applicants whose plans have been rejected to inform them of their right to appeal the decision. Alternatively, unless the application has been found to be fundamentally ineligible, the applicant may submit a new REPS 4 plan and application form on or before 17 May 2010. If an...