Results 14,361-14,380 of 18,341 for speaker:Brendan Smith

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (27 May 2009)

Brendan Smith: Payment issued to the person named on 21 May 2009.

Written Answers — Farm Waste Management: Farm Waste Management (27 May 2009)

Brendan Smith: The arrangements for payment of grants under the Farm Waste Management Scheme on a phased basis have been confirmed with 40 per cent being paid this year as claims are approved. A further 40 per cent will be paid in early January 2010 and the remaining 20 per cent in January 2011. I have also announced that a special ex-gratia payment not exceeding 3.5 per cent of the value of the deferred...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (27 May 2009)

Brendan Smith: The person concerned is an applicant for grant-aid under the Farm Improvement Scheme. My Department is currently processing the application concerned and a farm inspection will be arranged as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (27 May 2009)

Brendan Smith: The person concerned is an applicant under the Farm Improvement Scheme. Applications under this Scheme are being processed by my Department up to the level of funding provided for the Scheme in the 2006 Partnership agreement, Towards 2016.

Written Answers — Fisheries Protection: Fisheries Protection (27 May 2009)

Brendan Smith: I understand that the Deputy's question relates to the possible expansion of the Pacific oyster (Crassostrea gigas) in areas where native oysters exist. The Pacific oyster (Crassostrea gigas) is included in Annex IV of Council Regulation (EC) 708/2007 concerning use of alien and locally absent species in aquaculture. Article 2(5) of the Regulation specifically exempts those species listed...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (27 May 2009)

Brendan Smith: Under EU rules all payments in respect of REPS 4 are to be made in two instalments. The first instalment consists of 75% of the total payment due for the year and is paid once all administrative checks on all plans have been completed. The person named has received the first instalment of his payment and my officials expect to release the remaining 25 % shortly.

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (27 May 2009)

Brendan Smith: The application from the person named could not be processed with until all information requested in a letter sent to him on 13 November 2008 was received. My officials received this information on 13 May 2009 and are currently reviewing the file.

Written Answers — Child Abuse: Child Abuse (27 May 2009)

Brendan Smith: I am not aware of any withdrawal of funding for counselling services for survivors of institutional abuse. The National Counselling Service (NCS) was established in September 2000 to provide counselling services to those who have been abused in childhood, particularly those abused in institutional care. I understand from the HSE that counselling is provided to clients who have...

Written Answers — Departmental Agencies: Departmental Agencies (26 May 2009)

Brendan Smith: Under the terms of the recent Government moratorium on recruitment and promotion in the Public Sector, it was made clear that the prior sanction of the Minister for Finance is required for any exceptions. The recruitment of contract research staff is an area where some exceptions may arise in research institutions including Teagasc, and the matter is currently under discussion with the...

Written Answers — Bovine Disease Controls: Bovine Disease Controls (26 May 2009)

Brendan Smith: Subsequent to the submission of the formal request that the herd number in question be Registered in the joint names of the persons named, the person in whose sole name the herd number is currently registered contacted the Department directly and requested that no change be made in regard to the herd number registration, i.e. that the herd number should not be registered in the joint names....

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (26 May 2009)

Brendan Smith: My Department's Employee Assistance Service provides advice and assistance to staff experiencing difficulties. My Department does not otherwise fund or provide financial assistance to staff receiving treatment for alcohol or drug use.

Written Answers — International Agreements: International Agreements (26 May 2009)

Brendan Smith: Currently talks on a new WTO Agreement are stalled following the failure to reach agreement at the Ministerial meeting in July of last year and the decision to defer indefinitely a second Ministerial meeting planned for last December. In consequence, at present there are no new proposals to analyse. However, I am in a position to call upon the wealth of research that has been conducted prior...

Written Answers — Departmental Offices: Departmental Offices (26 May 2009)

Brendan Smith: A date has not been set for the official opening of the new offices in Drumshanbo. The number of staff will be determined by the outcome of the current review of the Department's local offices.

Written Answers — Departmental Offices: Departmental Offices (26 May 2009)

Brendan Smith: My Department is currently reviewing its local office structure. No decisions have been taken regarding the future of any local office, other than the Dublin local office, already announced.

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (26 May 2009)

Brendan Smith: On the 22 May 2009 my officials received additional information from the person named and they are currently reviewing his agri-environmental plan in the light of this information.

Written Answers — Landowner Compensation: Landowner Compensation (26 May 2009)

Brendan Smith: The IFA and the ESB entered into an agreement in relation to the manner in which landowners would be compensated as a result of the presence of an ESB line. Landowners reserve the right to negotiate their own deal with the ESB and my Department does not enter into any mediation process to determine the compensation farmers should obtain from them. My Department provides a statement of the...

Written Answers — Disadvantaged Areas Scheme: Disadvantaged Areas Scheme (26 May 2009)

Brendan Smith: The Commission is currently conducting a review of Disadvantaged Areas across the Community, having been mandated by the Council of Ministers to conduct the review. The object of the exercise is to establish a Community-wide system which will allow comparisons between regions, on the basis of eight bio-physical criteria, rather than the socio-economic criteria which were used when defining...

Written Answers — Food Safety Standards: Food Safety Standards (26 May 2009)

Brendan Smith: Countries approved by the EU for export of animal products must operate residue controls that provide appropriate guarantees as regards compliance with the Community's feed and food law, including that banning the use of hormones in the production of meat. Health certification as to compliance with EU standards with regard to microbiological levels and residues is a requirement for import....

Written Answers — Herd Number Transfers: Herd Number Transfers (26 May 2009)

Brendan Smith: Three applications were received on the 12 May 2009 from the person named requesting the transfer of 5.54, 7.0 and 4.0 Standard (National Reserve) entitlements to other farmers. Upon review, it was noted that two of these applications involve transfers to herd numbers that are held in joint names but only one person has signed as transferee. Copies of the application forms have been returned...

Written Answers — Pigmeat Sector: Pigmeat Sector (26 May 2009)

Brendan Smith: My Department has two separate schemes in place dealing with aspects of the Recall. One is the Pigmeat Recall Scheme, which deals with affected product; the other is the Pig and Cattle Disposal Scheme which deals with affected live animals. Under the Pigmeat Recall Scheme, my Department has paid out a total of €55m to date. Some €17m has been paid to primary processors, and €34m to...