Results 13,761-13,780 of 18,496 for speaker:Brendan Smith

Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (17 Nov 2009)

Brendan Smith: Drafting of the Animal Health and Welfare Bill, which gives effect to commitments in the area of animal health and welfare contained in the Programme for Government and the renewed Programme for Government is continuing in my Department. Membership of the Farm Animal Welfare Advisory Council (FAWAC) comprises representatives from my Department and from the following organisations: Committee...

Written Answers — Departmental Bodies: Departmental Bodies (17 Nov 2009)

Brendan Smith: The Consumer Liaison Panel is a standing committee independent of my Department and representative of general consumers. The Panel determines the frequency of its meetings depending on issues arising of direct interest to its member. The number of meetings of the Consumer Liaison Panel and the cost of the Panel to my Department from 2002 to date is set out in the following table. It should...

Written Answers — Departmental Bodies: Departmental Bodies (17 Nov 2009)

Brendan Smith: The work of the National Council for Forest Research and Development (COFORD) was subsumed into my Department with effect from 1 August 2009, in line with the Government decision as announced in the Budget in October 2008. The Council of COFORD continues to act in an advisory capacity to my Department on the areas of forestry development and research.

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (17 Nov 2009)

Brendan Smith: 125 applications have been received from staff in my Department under the incentivised scheme of early retirement. 117 have been approved, 7 have been withdrawn and 1 has been refused.

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (17 Nov 2009)

Brendan Smith: An application under the 2009 Single Payment Scheme/Disadvantaged Areas Scheme was received from the person named on 8 May 2009. A ground inspection was conducted on 14 October 2009, following issues raised via a satellite inspection of the area declared. T his ground inspection confirmed the issues highlighted via satellite i.e. while the person named declared an area of 8.82 hectares, the...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (17 Nov 2009)

Brendan Smith: The person named has 21 animals for consideration under the 2008 Suckler Welfare Scheme. Payment has issued in respect of 9 eligible animals. A further 3 animals have been cleared for payment, following the resolution of a query regarding the feeding of meal. The remaining 9 animals have not been cleared for payment because their births were registered outside the 27-day statutory limit....

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (17 Nov 2009)

Brendan Smith: I understand that payment to the person in question will be made within the next two weeks.

Written Answers — Value for Money Reviews: Value for Money Reviews (17 Nov 2009)

Brendan Smith: A value for money review of the 2001-2006 Dairy Hygiene Scheme was completed by my Department in late 2007 and published in early 2008. In addition, an expenditure review of the 2001-2006 Farm Waste Management Scheme was completed by my Department in June 2007 and published in the same year. Copies of both reviews are available on my Department's website.

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (17 Nov 2009)

Brendan Smith: An application from the person named has been received in my Department. 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 notified of the outcome.

Written Answers — Animal Welfare: Animal Welfare (17 Nov 2009)

Brendan Smith: I propose to take Questions Nos. 431 and 433 together. Officials of my Department attended the Workshop on Horse Health and Welfare in Ireland held recently at University College Dublin, which was organised by its Faculty of Agriculture, Food Science and Veterinary Medicine and included participants drawn from a cross-section of industry, government, education and welfare sectors. The...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (17 Nov 2009)

Brendan Smith: An application under the 2009 Single Payment Scheme/Disadvantaged Areas Scheme was received from the person named on 15 May 2009. Following initial processing of the application, it was found that the applicant made an over-declaration on the land parcel declared. Following correspondence with the person named, this issue has been resolved. While the person named had declared 23.80...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (17 Nov 2009)

Brendan Smith: The application under the 2009 Single Payment Scheme, received from the person named on 15 April 2009, included some commonage land. The 70% advance payment did not issue, as the additional processing which was required in respect of these commonage parcels to deal with some over-declarations of eligible areas has only just been completed. However, as processing of the application is now...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (17 Nov 2009)

Brendan Smith: REPS 4 is a measure under the current Rural Development Programme 2007-2013. It is subject to EU Regulations which require detailed administrative checks on all applications, including plan checks, to be completed before the first 2009 payments issue. Processing of applications, including the application from the person named, has commenced to facilitate the release of payments at the...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (17 Nov 2009)

Brendan Smith: An application under the 2009 Single Payment Scheme/Disadvantaged Areas Scheme was received from the person named on 24 April 2009. Payments under the Disadvantaged Areas Scheme commenced on 22 September, with payments issuing in respect of those cases cleared for payment at that stage. Payments have continued to issue, as outstanding issues are resolved. The application of the person...

Written Answers — Food Safety: Food Safety (17 Nov 2009)

Brendan Smith: I am not aware of any bacterial testing on imported poultry meat having been carried out at my Department's laboratory in Kilkenny. If the Deputy can provide any further information, I will be glad to pursue the matter. Responsibility for ensuring the safety of food rests in the first place with the food business operator that places it on the market. Compliance is monitored by the...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (17 Nov 2009)

Brendan Smith: REPS 4 is a measure under the current Rural Development Programme 2007-2013. It is subject to EU Regulations which require detailed administrative checks on all applications, including plan checks, to be completed before the first 2009 payments issue. Processing of applications, including the application from the person named, has commenced to facilitate the release of payments at the...

Written Answers — Installation Aid Scheme: Installation Aid Scheme (17 Nov 2009)

Brendan Smith: Some 941 applications were received by my Department under the Young Farmers' Installation Scheme prior to its suspension for new applications on 14 October 2008. A further 149 applications have been received in my Department since the suspension of the scheme. Some 670 applications have been approved for payment under the scheme since its introduction in June 2007. Expenditure to date in...

Written Answers — Farm Retirement Scheme: Farm Retirement Scheme (17 Nov 2009)

Brendan Smith: The total number of Early Retirement Scheme applications received by my Department before the suspension of the scheme on 14 October 2008 was 467. When the Early Retirement Scheme was suspended, it became apparent that a certain number of farmers had their applications completed or close to completion at the time when entry to the scheme was suspended. Consequently, I took the decision to...

Written Answers — Rural Environment Protection Scheme: Rural Environment Protection Scheme (17 Nov 2009)

Brendan Smith: There are 36,526 active REPS 3 participants and 12,695 active participants in REPS 4. My officials are processing approximately 17,000 applications for REPS 4 that were received in 2009.

Written Answers — Rural Environment Protection Scheme: Rural Environment Protection Scheme (17 Nov 2009)

Brendan Smith: The following table sets out the number of REPS contracts that expire each year: Scheme Number (approximately) Last year of contract Cost per year (approximately) REPS 3 8,000 2009 â'¬ 49.6 million REPS 3 10,600 2010 â'¬ 65.7 million REPS 3 23,900 2011 â'¬ 148.1 million REPS 4 550 2012 â'¬ 3.4 million REPS 4 12,100 2013 â'¬ 105.5 million The figures in the table do not...