Results 12,621-12,640 of 18,482 for speaker:Brendan Smith

Grant Payments. (29 Apr 2010)

Brendan Smith: I noticed Deputy Creed's statement on the Wednesday after Easter when I launched the scheme. I recall that he both welcomed it and criticised it the same sentence.

Grant Payments. (29 Apr 2010)

Brendan Smith: Of course I do. I introduced the €7 million upland sheep scheme last year. That was the totality of the funding available from the unused funds to which I had access in 2009. I stated I would dedicate that funding to the sheep sector because of the difficulties it has gone through. More than €5 million of that €7 million has been paid out. Queries were made to certain people. It...

Grant Payments. (29 Apr 2010)

Brendan Smith: The figure was €7 million in 2009.

Grant Payments. (29 Apr 2010)

Brendan Smith: We are discussing the upland sheep scheme now. More than €5 million has been paid down. We have introduced schemes that are altogether administratively simple, under which we do not have a necessary inspection process that costs money. I refer to the new €18 million scheme. Department officials were engaged in widespread consultation with each of the farming organisations. We sought...

Grant Payments. (29 Apr 2010)

Brendan Smith: We are providing assistance now. Sheep farmers and their representatives have warmly welcomed this investment, which is very important and will maintain an increased-----

Grant Payments. (29 Apr 2010)

Brendan Smith: I totally reject what Deputy Creed has said. I refer to genetics. We have established Sheep Ireland which will be very important for improving the genetics. People will not remain in a sector if they do not get an adequate return.

Grant Payments. (29 Apr 2010)

Brendan Smith: The market decides that as well. This is a support to help the industry to maintain a critical mass such that we have adequate product for the processing industry as well. We export two thirds of what we produce in this country. This very important sector is worth €250 million per annum. The targeted additional funding that is to be provided will arrest the decline in numbers that has...

Common Agricultural Policy. (29 Apr 2010)

Brendan Smith: I launched a consultation process with stakeholders in July 2009 to obtain their views on the EU agriculture policies which will serve Ireland and the EU best in the years to come. I am pleased with the responses I received, which will help to inform our position during the important negotiations that lie ahead. In this House last month, I announced my intention to establish a consultative...

Common Agricultural Policy. (29 Apr 2010)

Brendan Smith: My first meeting with the new Commissioner after his appointment was a week after he took office. I emphasised that the agricultural community throughout the EU should be transmitting a better message to the citizens of the Union. I said we need to remind those outside the agrifood sector that the Common Agricultural Policy benefits every citizen in the Union. I pointed out that the policy...

Common Agricultural Policy. (29 Apr 2010)

Brendan Smith: I suggest that the agrifood sector should derive more funding from the research, development and innovation directorate. We discussed that issue with the new EU Commissioner, Mrs. Máire Geoghegan-Quinn, quite recently. I did not respond to the point the Deputy made earlier about the importance of Pillar 1. I am totally committed to Pillar 1. If we ensure direct payments continue to be...

Cereal Sector. (29 Apr 2010)

Brendan Smith: I presume the Deputy is referring to recent reports of imports of malt from the UK by a major Irish brewer. This is a private commercial matter for the company in which I have no role. However, since my Department has had a long association with the malting barley industry in Ireland, I am naturally interested in developments in this area. With regard to its decision to use imported malt,...

Cereal Sector. (29 Apr 2010)

Brendan Smith: I agree with the Deputy that the cereal industry has gone through a difficult time. Top quality product is grown here. I spoke to the chief executive officer of Greencore regarding his company's termination of its interest in this business in Ireland. Greencore is still in negotiations with the IFA regarding redress for farmers whose contracts have been terminated and an appeals mechanism...

Cereal Sector. (29 Apr 2010)

Brendan Smith: One of the issues brought to my attention by farmers at one stage in regard to pricing is the disagreements between the farming organisations and Greencore Malt about the price paid for the crop over a number of years. Apart from considering the price to be too low, the fact that Greencore Malt only set the price at harvest time placed the farmer in a more vulnerable position than usual as...

Cereal Sector. (29 Apr 2010)

Brendan Smith: I am not privy to the negotiations and how they have progressed but I hope there will be redress for farmers whose contacts have been terminated. I understand consideration is being given to the establishment of an appeals mechanism. It is an important product for an important Irish brand. Any of us who sample the product can always attest to its quality. We are proud that the raw...

Cereal Sector. (29 Apr 2010)

Brendan Smith: I mean no disrespect to other good products.

Dairy Sector. (29 Apr 2010)

Brendan Smith: Milk supplies are subject to a number of variables, including price, climatic and other factors. On the 2009 to 2010 quota year, which ended on 31 March 2010, preliminary figures from the co-ops indicate that milk deliveries were 9.82% under-quota nationally for the year as a whole. Milk markets have been subject to extremes of volatility in recent years. From the high prices in 2007, world...

Dairy Sector. (29 Apr 2010)

Brendan Smith: Regarding the drop in production, even though we do not have official figures, we have made informal contacts with the industry. It has been suggested that in the first two weeks of April deliveries were considerably down, perhaps in excess of 6% compared to the same period last year, due primarily to restricted grass growth as a result of the prolonged cold spell. However, more recent...

Dairy Sector. (29 Apr 2010)

Brendan Smith: What Deputy Sherlock said is correct. It is often a case of supply and demand. Buoyancy will return to the market and that will ensure an adequate price will be returned right along the dairy chain. The market management measures put a floor under the price. Last year, we argued that they were extremely important but we would have liked to have had that floor at a higher level under the...

Rural Environment Protection Scheme. (29 Apr 2010)

Brendan Smith: The details requested are contained in a tabular statement which will be circulated to Members. Under EU regulations, the Department is required to carry out controls each year on 5% of participants in REPS. These controls involve a full check of the farm plan as well as an on-farm inspection. Where farmers are found to be in breach of their undertakings, a penalty must be imposed. The...

Rural Environment Protection Scheme. (29 Apr 2010)

Brendan Smith: I do not have an exact percentage breakdown between the reasons for the different types of penalty imposed. We will carry out a scoping exercise and provide the results to the Deputy. We did not have the time to gather that information in the time available as there is pressure to make payments in the REPS area. By and large the farmer undertakes to comply with a number of conditions of the...