Results 13,841-13,860 of 18,341 for speaker:Brendan Smith

Written Answers — Horticultural Production: Horticultural Production (15 Oct 2009)

Brendan Smith: My Department consistently supports the Horticulture sector with its grant aid schemes. The EU Scheme of Aid for Producer Organisations (POs) in the Fruit and Vegetables Sector encourages producers to organise themselves into Producer Organisations (PO) in order to strengthen their position in the market. More flexible terms and conditions were introduced for the PO Scheme from 2008 under...

Written Answers — Milk Quota: Milk Quota (15 Oct 2009)

Brendan Smith: When I announced recently the allocation of milk quota to 70 new entrants to dairying, which arose from the first of five annual increases of one per cent in milk quotas agreed under the CAP Health Check, I stated my intention to consider what further scope might be available to allocate quota to young farmers when the next one per cent falls due for allocation in 2010. This process will be...

Written Answers — Adventure Courses: Adventure Courses (15 Oct 2009)

Brendan Smith: Following approaches from a number of potential aerial trail operators interested in operating such facilities on Coillte lands, the company examined the issue of locating aerial trail adventure systems in a small number of appropriate locations across the country. An operator was chosen as the preferred operator and planning permission was granted to operate such a facility at Lough Key...

Written Answers — Greenhouse Gas Emissions: Greenhouse Gas Emissions (15 Oct 2009)

Brendan Smith: I propose to take Questions Nos. 39 and 75 together. The Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change aims to finalise an international agreement on global greenhouse gas emissions reductions in Copenhagen in December. The Government supports the EU commitments to reduce overall greenhouse gas emissions to at least 20% below 1990 levels by 2020 and...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (15 Oct 2009)

Brendan Smith: Under the agreement reached in November 2008 on the Health Check of the CAP, I secured approval to use previously inaccessible unspent Single Payment Scheme funds to address, among other things, specific disadvantages affecting certain sectors in economically vulnerable or environmentally sensitive areas. Member states may also provide support to farmers for specific agricultural activities...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (15 Oct 2009)

Brendan Smith: Agreement was reached in the Council of Ministers in June to allow for an advance of the single payment scheme payments to begin issuing on 16 October, a full six weeks earlier than the 1 December commencement date provided for under the rules of the scheme. As well as earlier payments, the level set for the amount of the advance payable was set at an unprecedented 70%. While some member...

Written Answers — Sugar Beet Production: Sugar Beet Production (15 Oct 2009)

Brendan Smith: As part of the reform of the EU sugar regime in 2006, a temporary restructuring scheme was introduced with the aim of reducing EU sugar production in order to comply with WTO and other international obligations. The scheme provided an incentive for sugar processors to renounce sugar quota and dismantle the associated sugar processing plant and it provided compensation for affected...

Written Answers — Dairy Sector: Dairy Sector (15 Oct 2009)

Brendan Smith: I propose to take Questions Nos. 42 and 47 together. 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...

Written Answers — Aquaculture Development: Aquaculture Development (15 Oct 2009)

Brendan Smith: The National Seafood Development Operational Programme 2007-2013, which provides for grant aid support to develop the aquaculture industry, was advertised for public consultation in October 2008. Following this consultation process issues were raised by the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government and the Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources on...

Written Answers — Equine Diseases: Equine Diseases (15 Oct 2009)

Brendan Smith: I propose to take Questions Nos. 42, 62 and 84 together. Equine Piroplasmosis is a tick-borne protozoal disease of horses and other equidae that is common in most parts of the world but not normally found in Ireland. Samples submitted by the private veterinary practitioner attached to a racing stable in County Meath to a UK reference laboratory indicated serological positives for...

Written Answers — Food Labelling: Food Labelling (15 Oct 2009)

Brendan Smith: The EU regulations on food law require that food business operators have systems in place to be able to identify any person from whom they have been supplied with a food. They must also have a system in place to identify the other businesses to which their product has been supplied. In other words a food business operator at each and every stage in the food chain must be able to identify...

Written Answers — Rural Environment Protection Scheme: Rural Environment Protection Scheme (15 Oct 2009)

Brendan Smith: There were 3,381 penalties applied to farmers under the REP scheme in 2008. These are listed in the following table. The number of farmers affected is smaller, however, as multiple breaches of the scheme were detected in a number of instances. Reason Number Adjustment for area change 1,294 Any other reason 312 Undertakings in respect of farmyard not carried out as planned 205...

Written Answers — Dairy Sector: Dairy Sector (15 Oct 2009)

Brendan Smith: I propose to take Questions Nos. 49, 53, 86 and 92 together. The Common Agricultural Policy contains support measures to help us manage the market. During the Health Check negotiations last year I fought hard to keep the important measures in place. Since the start of the current crisis I have pressed the Commission to use all appropriate market instruments. Most of these supports have now...

Written Answers — EU Directives: EU Directives (15 Oct 2009)

Brendan Smith: I consulted with my colleague, the Minister for Environment Heritage and Local Government, Deputy John Gormley, and there is on-going regular contact between officials of both Departments on a number of issues related to the Nitrates Regulations (SI No. 101 of 2009). The prohibited period for the spreading of slurry commences on 15 October in all parts of the country as required by the...

Written Answers — Sheep Production: Sheep Production (15 Oct 2009)

Brendan Smith: I propose to take Questions Nos. 51 and 91 together. The sheep sector is already a significant beneficiary from the main schemes operated by my Department, which include the single farm payment, the disadvantaged areas scheme and REPS. In recognition of the difficulties faced by this sector, I have also allocated €7 million from this year's single farm payment national reserve to hill...

Written Answers — Fishing Industry Development: Fishing Industry Development (15 Oct 2009)

Brendan Smith: In agreement with the European Commission, a new regulatory regime was developed in relation to wild fisheries following a European Court of Justice finding that Ireland was not in compliance with its obligations under the EU Birds and Habitats Directives. The new regime sets out a process involving the submission of a Fisheries Management Plan, usually by the local fishermen assisted by...

Written Answers — Common Fisheries Policy: Common Fisheries Policy (15 Oct 2009)

Brendan Smith: As the Deputy is aware, the European Commission published a Green Paper last April on the reform of the Common Fisheries Policy. The launch of this paper was aimed at stimulating broad public debate on the future of the CFP ahead of the next review of the Policy, scheduled for 2012. The Policy, which was first put in place in 1983, has been subject to reviews every ten years. The most...

Written Answers — Value for Money Reviews: Value for Money Reviews (15 Oct 2009)

Brendan Smith: This Value for Money (VFM) review relates to the use of the services of TVIs in slaughter plants which are under the supervision of my Department. TVIs are engaged, as and when required, to assist the Department's official veterinarians in the performance of ante mortem and post mortem tasks at approved plants. The Department expects to be in a position to publish this review in the near...

Written Answers — Infectious Diseases: Infectious Diseases (15 Oct 2009)

Brendan Smith: On 29 September 2009 the first case of pandemic influenza A/H1N1 was confirmed in Ireland in a pig breeding herd in County Cork. A second case in a breeding/fattening unit in County Cavan was subsequently notified to the Department on 9 October. In both cases, the disease was mild, had low impact on production and has no significance as regards food safety. It is believed that the most...

Written Answers — Bovine Diseases: Bovine Diseases (15 Oct 2009)

Brendan Smith: I propose to take Questions Nos. 57 and 57 together. Following the recent EU Commission decision granting Ireland officially brucellosis-free status, I announced a series of significant changes to the Brucellosis Eradication Scheme on 8 September 2009 as follows: an increase in the age threshold for annual round testing to 24 months; an increase in the validity period of the pre-movement test...