Results 13,561-13,580 of 18,341 for speaker:Brendan Smith

Written Answers — Animal Welfare: Animal Welfare (24 Nov 2009)

Brendan Smith: Statutory Instrument No. 14 of 2008, European Communities (Welfare of Farmed Animals) Regulations 2008 gives effect to a series of European Directives concerning the protection of animals including Council Directive 98/58/EC of 20 July 1998 which lays down minimum standards for the protection of animals bred or kept for farming purposes. Among the issues covered in Council Directive 98/58/EC...

Written Answers — Departmental Properties: Departmental Properties (24 Nov 2009)

Brendan Smith: The leasing arrangements for all of my Departments' offices are a matter for the Office of Public Works.

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (24 Nov 2009)

Brendan Smith: The question seeks data on projects going back to 1980. The files on many of these projects have been placed in storage at an archive facility by BIM, the agency that reports to my Department on these matters. As soon as the information has been retrieved, it will be forwarded to the Deputy.

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (24 Nov 2009)

Brendan Smith: There have been a number of queries concerning calf births and registrations in the herd of the person named. My Department is in contact with the person named in this regard. Payment will issue as soon as these queries have been resolved.

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (24 Nov 2009)

Brendan Smith: An application from the person named was received in my Department on 24 September 2009. All applications received up to the closing date of 30 October are being examined in my Department at present. The details of the application from the person named, as well as the funding available, will be taken into account in reaching a decision. As soon as the decision has been made, he will be...

Written Answers — Fallen Animal Collection Scheme: Fallen Animal Collection Scheme (24 Nov 2009)

Brendan Smith: The disposal of fallen animals is subject to EU Regulations, notably Regulation (EC) No 1774 of 2002. These regulations require that animals which die on-farm must generally be disposed of through approved knackeries and rendering plants. My Department's contribution to the Fallen Animals Scheme ceased with effect from 14th April 2009. This was as a result of budgetary constraints and also...

Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (24 Nov 2009)

Brendan Smith: The Foreshore and Dumping at Sea Amendment Bill now before the Oireachtas will transfer certain foreshore functions from my Department to the Department of Environment, Heritage and Local Government. In addition, the Bill will transfer responsibility for the Dumping at Sea Acts to the Environmental Protection Agency. Other than the transfer of functions, there are no significant amendments...

Written Answers — Animal Diseases: Animal Diseases (24 Nov 2009)

Brendan Smith: The holding of the person concerned has been restricted since 2 April 2008 following a post mortem check on animals sent for slaughter which disclosed TB infection in two animals. A TB skin test was carried out in May 2008 on the animals remaining in the herd and a further 9 reactors were identified. Further tests in the herd have resulted in a total of 25 reactor animals being removed....

Written Answers — Poultry Industry: Poultry Industry (24 Nov 2009)

Brendan Smith: My Department had analyses conducted at the Irish Equine Centre on samples of imported poultry this year. This was specifically in the context of the gas flushing of poultrymeat. The results of these analyses are presently being assessed and any follow-up action, including dissemination of information, that is considered necessary will be taken. My Department is working in close liaison...

Written Answers — Genetically Modified Organisms: Genetically Modified Organisms (24 Nov 2009)

Brendan Smith: While animal feed protein derived from non-GM crop varieties is available on the world market, protein feed materials derived from non-GM soya and maize are more expensive than their GM counterparts. This is due to reduced cultivation level of the non-GM varieties, and the extra costs associated with 'identity preservation' i.e. the process of segregating non-GM from GM crops. While the...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (24 Nov 2009)

Brendan Smith: The Young Farmers' Installation Scheme was closed to new applicants on 14 October 2008 and I have no immediate plans to reopen entry to the Scheme at this time. I have, however, made provision of €9.75 million in 2009 to meet the existing commitments under the Young Farmers' Installation Scheme and the preceding equivalent schemes.

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (24 Nov 2009)

Brendan Smith: There are 5,594 County Galway farmers in the Suckler Welfare Scheme. These farmers had 75,887 animals eligible for payment in 2008. The number of animals payable for 2009 will not be known until all the measures have been completed and all the information has been returned by the farmers and processed by my Department. Under the 2009 Disadvantaged Areas Scheme, 3,485 farmers in Co.Galway...

Written Answers — Animal Identification Scheme: Animal Identification Scheme (24 Nov 2009)

Brendan Smith: The introduction of electronic identification (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 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, 6 years after the original decision was taken. I...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (24 Nov 2009)

Brendan Smith: Expenditure under the Farm Waste Management Scheme in County Galway since 2007 is set out in the following table: Year Amount (€m) 2007 8.771 2008 33.159 2009 (to date) 11.978 Total 53.908 Payments under the Scheme in 2009 (excluding payments under the Scheme which preceded the Nitrates version of the Scheme introduced in March 2006) have been made on an instalment basis with 40 per...

Written Answers — Animal Carcass Disposal: Animal Carcass Disposal (24 Nov 2009)

Brendan Smith: The burial of dead animals on farms is not generally permitted under EU Regulations, notably Regulation (EC) No. 1774/2002. The basic legal requirement is that animals which die on farms must generally be disposed of through approved knackeries and rendering plants. Burial of fallen animals is only permissible under licence in remote areas i.e. islands and listed mountain or bog land areas....

Written Answers — Rural Environment Protection Scheme: Rural Environment Protection Scheme (24 Nov 2009)

Brendan Smith: The following are the numbers of REPS contracts in County Galway and the years in which they expire: Scheme Number (approximately) Last year of Contract Cost per year (approximately) REPS 3 1,253 2009 € 7.7 million REPS 3 1,057 2010 € 6.5 million REPS 3 3,147 2011 € 19.5 million REPS 4 25 2012 € 0.1 million REPS 4 1,237 2013 € 7.6 million REPS 4 1,473 2014 € 9.1 million...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (24 Nov 2009)

Brendan Smith: The Young Farmers' Installation Scheme was closed to new applicants on 14 October 2008 and I have no immediate plans to reopen entry to the Scheme at this time. I have, however, made provision of €9.75 million in 2009 to meet the existing commitments under the Young Farmers' Installation Scheme and the preceding equivalent schemes. When the Early Retirement Scheme was suspended it became...

Written Answers — On-farm Investment Schemes: On-farm Investment Schemes (24 Nov 2009)

Brendan Smith: In Building Ireland's Smart Economy A Framework for Sustainable Economic Renewal, the Government recognized that major on-farm investment in infrastructure would ensure more efficient and sustainable production methods in Irish agriculture. As part of this strategy, my Department has continued to make very substantial payments under the following on-farm investment schemes since the...

Written Answers — On-farm Investment Schemes: On-farm Investment Schemes (24 Nov 2009)

Brendan Smith: Increasing the efficiency and competitiveness of milk production includes getting milk quota into the hands of those best placed to use it effectively, at reasonable cost. The Milk Quota Trading Scheme has been very successful on both fronts. Since its inception, the Trading Scheme has allowed more than 2,800 sales of quota to be conducted, accounting for the trade of 375 million litres of...

Written Answers — Agri-Food Sector: Agri-Food Sector (24 Nov 2009)

Brendan Smith: Details of the projects to be supported under a capital investment aid scheme for the beef and sheepmeat primary processing sectors were announced in May of this year. 15 projects were approved for grant assistance of over €69 million. The grant awards, which are part of a strategy to ensure the long-term competitiveness of the industry, will contribute to total investment in the region of...