Results 13,181-13,200 of 18,338 for speaker:Brendan Smith
- Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (27 Jan 2010)
Brendan Smith: Mindful of the hardship and distress caused by the recent widespread flooding, on 27 November 2009 I announced the introduction of the fodder aid scheme, targeted directly at those farmers who encountered damage to fodder in the affected areas. While I was very anxious that the funding reach the affected farmers as quickly as possible, it was essential that farmers demonstrate that their...
- Written Answers — Agri-Food Sector: Agri-Food Sector (27 Jan 2010)
Brendan Smith: The 5% land area target is a national objective as part of the Programme for Government. I have taken various initiatives, and there are a number of measures in place, with a view to achieving this objective. The appointment of a new EU Commissioner for Agriculture will not impact directly on these initiatives. Nevertheless, I look forward to working closely with the new Commissioner on...
- Written Answers — Rural Development: Rural Development (27 Jan 2010)
Brendan Smith: Ireland's amended rural development programme, including a new agri-environment scheme, was presented to the EU Rural Development Management Committee in Brussels on 20 January. This followed detailed and protracted discussions with the Commission. The committee agreed the programme and the Commission will now proceed to take a formal decision to approve it. This procedure is expected to...
- Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (27 Jan 2010)
Brendan Smith: Mindful of the hardship and distress caused by the recent widespread flooding, on 27 November 2009 I announced the introduction of the fodder aid scheme, targeted directly at those farmers who encountered damage to fodder in the affected areas. While I was very anxious that the funding reach the affected farmers as quickly as possible, it was essential that farmers demonstrate that their...
- Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (27 Jan 2010)
Brendan Smith: My Department introduced a pilot bioenergy scheme in 2007 to grant aid the cultivation of miscanthus and willow crops to produce feedstock for use in the bioenergy market. The maximum grant available to miscanthus growers is â¬1,450 per hectare (â¬587.04/acre) up to a ceiling of 30 hectares per applicant. The average payment made to miscanthus growers under the scheme was â¬9,800. In...
- Written Answers — Dairy Sector: Dairy Sector (27 Jan 2010)
Brendan Smith: The international dairy industry continues to face serious challenges at present. Over the past couple of years we have witnessed extremes of volatility in dairy product prices on an unprecedented scale. Markets for dairy products remain fragile, primarily due to a collapse in demand caused by the global economic downturn. During 2007 dairy prices reached record high levels during the...
- Written Answers — Organic Farming: Organic Farming (27 Jan 2010)
Brendan Smith: The renewed programme for Government includes a commitment to meeting the growing demand for domestically produced organic produce by providing adequate resources and supports for the achievement of the target of 5% land area in organic production, with a focus on import substitution in areas where Ireland is under-producing at present. The organic farming scheme, which was reopened at the...
- Written Answers — Rural Development: Rural Development (27 Jan 2010)
Brendan Smith: The revised rural development programme setting out, inter alia, the details of the schemes referred to by the Deputy was approved by the EU Rural Development Management Committee at its meeting on 20 January 2010. The revised programme must now be formally approved by the European Commission and this is expected by the end of February. The roll-out of the various investment schemes will be...
- Written Answers — Grocery Industry: Grocery Industry (27 Jan 2010)
Brendan Smith: As signalled by the Tánaiste, the intention is to implement a national code of practice for doing business in the grocery goods sector with a view to ensuring a fair trading relationship between retailers and their suppliers. The code will be initially on a voluntary basis. The EU Commission has also issued a communication on a better functioning food supply chain in Europe. As I said at...
- Written Answers — Horticulture Sector: Horticulture Sector (27 Jan 2010)
Brendan Smith: Since Christmas Ireland has experienced very severe frost conditions which have resulted in losses to vegetable crops. The extent of losses is difficult to quantify at this stage. It would be influenced by the nature of the crop, its location and the extent to which it was exposed. My Department has received representations on behalf of growers in relation to the losses incurred and the...
- Written Answers — Dairy Sector: Dairy Sector (27 Jan 2010)
Brendan Smith: Ireland's revised Rural Development Programme provides a number of new on farm investment schemes, including a new â¬45 million investment support scheme for young dairy farmers. These will be co-funded by the National Exchequer and from additional modulation arising from the CAP Health Check and from the European Economic Recovery Package. The Programme was approved by the EU Rural...
- Written Answers — Cattle Prices: Cattle Prices (27 Jan 2010)
Brendan Smith: As the Deputy is aware, cattle prices are a matter for the processing industry and the farmers who supply it. Cattle prices are influenced by a variety of factors and it is impossible to definitively forecast how all these factors will interact over a given period. However, the key factors expected to influence the market environment for Irish beef in 2010 are the level of consumer demand and...
- Written Answers — Rural Development: Rural Development (27 Jan 2010)
Brendan Smith: The amended Rural Development Programme which included proposals for the new agri-environment scheme, was agreed by the EU's Rural Development Management Committee on 20 January and I hope to secure formal approval from the European Commission for the scheme in the next few weeks. The new scheme will focus on the priority objectives of biodiversity, climate change and water management. The...
- Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (27 Jan 2010)
Brendan Smith: Mindful of the hardship and distress caused by the recent widespread flooding, on 27 November 2007 I announced the introduction of the Fodder Aid Scheme, targeted directly at those farmers who encountered damage to fodder in the affected areas. While I was very anxious that the funding reach the affected farmers as quickly as possible, it was essential that farmers demonstrate that their...
- Written Answers — Crop Losses: Crop Losses (27 Jan 2010)
Brendan Smith: I am aware that due to very wet conditions in November 2009 a proportion of the total national area of potatoes remained unharvested at the end of the year. Since Christmas Ireland has experienced very severe frost conditions which have resulted in losses to potatoes. The extent of losses is difficult to quantify at this stage. It would be influenced by location and the extent to which the...
- Written Answers — Sheep Losses: Sheep Losses (27 Jan 2010)
Brendan Smith: I am aware that there have been some sheep lost due to the recent adverse weather conditions. This has also been brought to my attention by farmer representatives. However I have not been informed of any significant losses arising from the recent severe weather by individual farmers.
- Written Answers — Rural Environment Protection Scheme: Rural Environment Protection Scheme (27 Jan 2010)
Brendan Smith: The proposed new agri-environmental scheme, which is part of the amended Rural Development Programme was agreed by the EU Rural Development Management Committee in Brussels on 20 January. The Commission will now proceed to take a formal decision to approve it. This procedure is expected to take a number of weeks. The new scheme will be focused on the priority areas of biodiversity, water...
- Written Answers — Farm Assist Scheme: Farm Assist Scheme (27 Jan 2010)
Brendan Smith: The Farm Assist is directly a matter for the Minister for Social and Family Affairs. However, my Department keeps in regular contact with the Department of Social and Family Affairs regarding developments of relevance to both Departments.
- Written Answers — Rural Development: Rural Development (27 Jan 2010)
Brendan Smith: The proposed new agri-environmental scheme, which is part of the amended Rural Development Programme was agreed by the EU Rural Development Management Committee in Brussels on 20 January. The Commission will now proceed to take a formal decision to approve it. This procedure is expected to take a number of weeks. The new scheme will be focused on the priority areas of biodiversity, water...
- Written Answers — Common Fisheries Policy: Common Fisheries Policy (27 Jan 2010)
Brendan Smith: The Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) is the fisheries policy of the European Union which was first put in place in 1983 and has been subject to reviews every 10 years, the most recent was in 2002 and the next is formally scheduled for 2012. On 21 April 2009 the European Commission published a Green Paper on the latest reform of the CFP in order to launch a consultation with Member States and...