Results 13,221-13,240 of 18,338 for speaker:Brendan Smith

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (27 Jan 2010)

Brendan Smith: All applications received up to the closing date for the scheme of 30 October 2009, including the application from the person named, are being examined in my Department at present. I intend to make an early decision on all of the applications received and the person named will be notified once the decision has been made on his application.

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (27 Jan 2010)

Brendan Smith: Only fully completed applications made under the young farmers' installation scheme and received by my Department up to and including 14 October 2008 are being processed.

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (27 Jan 2010)

Brendan Smith: REPS 4 is a measure under the current Rural Development Programme 2007–13 and is subject to EU regulations which require detailed administrative checks on all applications to be completed before the first payments issue. Payments have issued to those whose applications required no further examination following the administrative checks. However, queries arose on a significant number of...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (27 Jan 2010)

Brendan Smith: REPS 4 is a measure under the current Rural Development Programme 2007–13 and is subject to EU regulations which require detailed administrative checks on all applications to be completed before the first payments issue. Payments have issued to those whose applications required no further examination following the administrative checks. However, queries arose on a significant number of...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (27 Jan 2010)

Brendan Smith: REPS 4 is a measure under the current Rural Development Programme 2007–13 and is subject to EU regulations which require detailed administrative checks on all applications to be completed before the first payments issue. Payments have issued to those whose applications required no further examination following the administrative checks. However, queries arose on a significant number of...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (27 Jan 2010)

Brendan Smith: Payment will issue to the person named within the next 15 days.

Written Answers — Agricultural Exports: Agricultural Exports (27 Jan 2010)

Brendan Smith: Beef exports and outlook The market performance of meat and dairy products is a function of supply and demand, and has of course been affected by the global economic downturn, exchange rates and other factors. In relation to beef, despite the current difficult economic climate, Irish beef exports were relatively resilient in holding their position in European markets and over 200,000 tonnes...

Written Answers — Food Industry: Food Industry (27 Jan 2010)

Brendan Smith: Irish beef exports in recent years have been targeted at the high value UK and Continental EU markets, with these markets accounting for over 99% of exports in 2008 and 2009. Exports of Irish beef are estimated to have fallen by 8% in 2009, whereas exports of live cattle increased by 93%. Last year, access to new markets for Irish beef was secured in Indonesia and the United Arab Emirates,...

Written Answers — Sugar Beet Industry: Sugar Beet Industry (27 Jan 2010)

Brendan Smith: The total package negotiated in the context of the 2006 reform of the EU sugar regime, as modified in 2007, was worth about €353m to Ireland. All elements of the package have now been implemented. The first element of the package was the compensation for the reduction in the minimum price of beet. This has been incorporated in the Single Payment with effect from 2006, with an estimated...

Written Answers — Food Industry: Food Industry (27 Jan 2010)

Brendan Smith: My Department has contributed significantly to the support of the horticulture industry through its grant aid scheme of Investment Aid for the Development of the Commercial Horticulture Sector under the National Development plan 2007-2013. The scheme assists capital investment on farms to promote the specialisation and diversification of on- farm activities, improve the quality of products...

Written Answers — Deer Farming: Deer Farming (27 Jan 2010)

Brendan Smith: The number of deer slaughtered at plants approved by the Department during the period 2002 to 2009 is as set out in the following table. It should be noted that there is also a cross-border trade in deer with Northern Ireland which is not reflected in these figures. According to the 2000 Census of Agriculture conducted by the CSO, there were 12,055 head of farmed deer on Irish farms in June...

Written Answers — Sugar Beet Industry: Sugar Beet Industry (27 Jan 2010)

Brendan Smith: The 2006-2009 scheme for the restructuring of the European sugar industry, which was implemented as part of the reform of the EU sugar regime, resulted in the EU sugar quota being reduced by 5.2 million tonnes to 13.3 million tonnes. EU sugar production is now concentrated in 18 Member States (as opposed to 23 before the reform) which enjoy favourable agronomic conditions. They are Austria,...

Written Answers — Food Prices: Food Prices (27 Jan 2010)

Brendan Smith: Dairy farmers incomes are comprised of the market price paid for milk and direct income support from the EU. Market forces have a major influence on the price paid to farmers for milk. World market prices determine the returns received by dairy processors and these in turn are reflected in the price paid to farmers. In essence, farm gate prices normally reflect the returns from...

Written Answers — Food Prices: Food Prices (27 Jan 2010)

Brendan Smith: The price paid to meat producers is a function of supply and demand, which has of course been influenced by the global economic downturn, exchange rates and other factors. My Department does not compile data on consumer prices across Europe. In relation to beef, officially recorded factory prices for R3 grade steer prices in 2009 averaged 287 cents per kilo liveweight. In 2007 and 2008 this...

Written Answers — Laboratory Testing: Laboratory Testing (27 Jan 2010)

Brendan Smith: The vast majority of the buildings of my Department's 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 2010. As indicated in responses to Parliamentary Questions, the Irish multi-annual national control plan (MANCP)...

Written Answers — Food Labelling: Food Labelling (27 Jan 2010)

Brendan Smith: The Minister for Health & Children has overall responsibility for the general food labelling legislation. Responsibility for the enforcement of this legislation rests with the Food Safety Authority of Ireland (F.S.A.I.). This is done through service contracts with other relevant agencies, including the Health Service Executive, the Local Authority Veterinary Service and my Department. I am...

Written Answers — Food Safety Standards: Food Safety Standards (27 Jan 2010)

Brendan Smith: My Department in co-operation with Customs service monitors and operates animal and public health controls at EU approved Border Inspection Posts (BIP) on all direct imports into Ireland of products of animal origin coming from non-EU (or third) countries. Controls are also carried out on postal parcels and passenger baggage coming from third countries. EU rules stipulate that food products...

Written Answers — Alternative Energy Projects: Alternative Energy Projects (27 Jan 2010)

Brendan Smith: Less than 0.2% of the agricultural land in Ireland is under non-food crops made up of oilseeds, miscanthus, willow and small quantities of wheat and oats used for energy purposes. A table details the areas sown since 2005 in hectares. Year Willow Miscanthus Oilseed rape Hemp & switch grass Total Hectares 2005 13 2,577 2,590 2006 67 122 4,267 4,456 2007 65 630 7,959 90 8,744 2008 127...

Written Answers — Farm Waste Management: Farm Waste Management (27 Jan 2010)

Brendan Smith: Grant-aid was provided by my Department in regard to various investments in relation to agricultural pollution control by the Farm Waste Management Scheme which, under the revised version of the Scheme introduced in 2006, provided a standard grant-rate of 60 per cent (70 per cent in the four Zone C counties) for the construction of animal housing, slurry storage facilities and related items....

Written Answers — Food Security: Food Security (27 Jan 2010)

Brendan Smith: "Food Security" is a concept that traditionally refers to the lack of access to food in developing countries due to poverty. People in poverty in developing countries are unable to buy or grow sufficient food. People are food insecure when they do not have physical, social and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food that meets their dietary needs and food preferences for an...