Results 13,241-13,260 of 18,338 for speaker:Brendan Smith

Written Answers — Farm Household Incomes: Farm Household Incomes (27 Jan 2010)

Brendan Smith: All foodstuffs imported into Ireland are highly regulated and must meet minimum standards established in accordance with EU food safety and traceability regulations. The increasing concentration of retail power in the hands of a few large supermarket chains is an international phenomenon, which has fundamentally changed the balance of market negotiating power in the food chain. I have...

Written Answers — Alternative Farm Enterprises: Alternative Farm Enterprises (27 Jan 2010)

Brendan Smith: Part of the outcome of the CAP Health Check negotiations was the decision to abolish the compulsory set aside of tillage land, effective from the 2009 Scheme, thereby doing away with the complex management rules attached to it. I warmly welcomed the decision at the time, one of a number of changes introduced as part of the simplification process. Previously, agreement had been reached in...

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

Brendan Smith: The €9.5 million provided in the 2010 Budget will be provided in the 2010 Revised Estimates and comprises €7 million to support a range of measures geared to improving the competitiveness of the food industry, which will be operated by Enterprise Ireland, and €2.5 million to support Bord Bia marketing initiatives.

Animal Identification Scheme. (27 Jan 2010)

Brendan Smith: The introduction of EID for sheep was agreed at EU level in late 2003. At that time, it was agreed to defer the implementation date until January 2008. The Council of Agriculture Ministers revisited this issue in December 2007 when it was agreed that the deadline for the compulsory introduction of EID should be set for 31 December 2009, six years after the original decision was taken. I...

Animal Identification Scheme. (27 Jan 2010)

Brendan Smith: In regard to Britain, Northern Ireland has not applied for the derogations we received and it is intended to implement the mandatory scheme, as it is outlined by the European Commission. I mentioned earlier - maybe nobody was listening, as Deputy Doyle said - that the Department-----

Animal Identification Scheme. (27 Jan 2010)

Brendan Smith: -----is involved in consultations with all the farm organisations and all stakeholders in regard to the practical implementation of the scheme. I have consistently outlined, at meetings of the Joint Committee on Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and in this House, that we totally opposed the mandatory introduction of the EID, that we had no support around the table of the Council of Ministers,...

Animal Identification Scheme. (27 Jan 2010)

Brendan Smith: There will be a requirement regarding the new numbering system. It will have a different number of characters. Some years ago the 13 digit sheep tag system was introduced. That will be incompatible, but there will be a period where there will be a crossover. The new 12 digit number will be introduced with the country code. A 12 digit code containing much of the elements of the whole...

Pigmeat Sector. (27 Jan 2010)

Brendan Smith: A total of 2,465 farmers are involved in pig production. Details of the number of farmers on a county by county basis are set out in the table. The pig sector accounts for approximately 6% of gross agricultural output. It is a significant employer both directly and indirectly, accounting for more than 7,000 jobs, many of which are in rural areas and small towns. The sector has the...

Pigmeat Sector. (27 Jan 2010)

Brendan Smith: I thank Deputy Crawford for his comments on the re-opening of the Russian market. We hope that will help to improve prices and grow the market. The Russian market available to our exporters is of substantial importance overall. Regarding young persons, as Deputy Crawford will be aware, some months ago I launched a Teagasc pig husbandry scheme in Ballyhaise agricultural college. The course...

Pigmeat Sector. (27 Jan 2010)

Brendan Smith: As the Deputy will be aware, some considerable time ago we put forward a proposal to the European Commission in respect of country of origin labelling for pigmeat, sheepmeat and poultrymeat. Unfortunately, the European Commission rejected our proposals and we were not allowed to proceed with them. Now the issue of adequate labelling is again under discussion in the Commission and we have...

Pigmeat Sector. (27 Jan 2010)

Brendan Smith: Regarding Deputy Crawford's point and speaking of individual producers and about the industry in general, there are now much better on-farm facilities for pig production. Some years ago the sow-housing scheme was introduced and has been very successful. The farm waste management scheme was made applicable to the pig industry for the first time. During the course of the coming year we will...

Written Answers — Fishing Industry Development: Fishing Industry Development (26 Jan 2010)

Brendan Smith: I propose to take Questions Nos. 546 and 558 together. At the moment there are no specific plans in place to allow a resumption of commercial fishing for sea bass. However, the Federation of Irish Fishermen (FIF) has made a proposal regarding the possibility of a limited offshore Sea Bass fishery to my colleague Minster Killeen. Minister Killeen is giving careful consideration to this...

Written Answers — Harbours and Piers: Harbours and Piers (26 Jan 2010)

Brendan Smith: Kerry County Council proposes to construct a new pier at Cromane. The proposed pier will be the property of that Local Authority who will be responsible for its development, maintenance and repair. Under the Fishery Harbour and Coastal Infrastructure Development Programme my Department has, in previous years, allocated funding to Kerry County Council to progress works at Cromane. This...

Written Answers — Animal Carcase Disposal: Animal Carcase Disposal (26 Jan 2010)

Brendan Smith: Regulation (EC) No. 1774 of 2002 and Statutory Instrument No. 252 of 2008, as amended, lay down strict controls for the safe use and disposal of animal by-products, with a view to safeguarding human and animal health. In November 2009, my Department received a completed application for the approval under these Regulations of a Category 3 intermediate plant for the storage of hides and skins....

Written Answers — Aquaculture Licences: Aquaculture Licences (26 Jan 2010)

Brendan Smith: Aquaculture licences are issued in accordance with the provisions of the Fisheries (Amendment) Act 1997, as amended, and Regulations made thereunder. The privileges and obligations associated with an aquaculture licence rest with the holder of that licence and can only be changed following a process of assignment to another party if approved by the Minister. The use of a licensed site by a...

Written Answers — Rural Environment Protection Scheme: Rural Environment Protection Scheme (26 Jan 2010)

Brendan Smith: The information requested is set out in the table. County Number of participants leavingREPS 3 in 2010 and2011 REPS 3 participants who havenot applied for REPS 4 Carlow 347 340 Cavan 1,274 1,259 Clare 1,830 1,786 Cork 2,210 2,079 Donegal 2,932 2,913 Dublin 62 60 Galway 4,047 3,991 Kerry 2,105 2,063 Kildare 379 371 Kilkenny 927 913 Laois 557 534 Leitrim 1,076 1,036 Limerick...

Written Answers — Animal Welfare: Animal Welfare (26 Jan 2010)

Brendan Smith: Drafting of the Animal Health and Welfare Bill, which gives effect to commitments in the Programme for Government and the Renewed Programme for Government is ongoing in my Department. The legislation will amend and consolidate legislation in the area of animal health, particularly to reflect the changed disease status of our animals. Existing legislation will also be updated, including...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (26 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 in the course of those checks...

Written Answers — Rural Environment Protection Scheme : Rural Environment Protection Scheme (26 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 applicants whose applications cleared the administrative checks. However, queries arose on a significant number of applications in the course...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (26 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 in the course of those checks...