Results 14,401-14,420 of 18,341 for speaker:Brendan Smith

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (21 May 2009)

Brendan Smith: The person concerned is an applicant for grant-aid under both the Farm Waste Management and Farm Improvement Schemes. My Department is currently processing the applications concerned and a decision will be made as soon as possible.

Job Protection. (20 May 2009)

Brendan Smith: The agrifood sector is Ireland's most important indigenous sector, providing hundreds of thousands of jobs throughout every county at producer and processor level. The sector was never more important to the Irish economy than it is now. We are justifiably proud of our reputation as "Ireland the Food Island" and, notwithstanding current economic difficulties, the Government is continuing to...

Job Protection. (20 May 2009)

Brendan Smith: I share Deputy Creed's concerns. Indeed, I heard him express on another fora his concerns in regard to the returns to primary producers and, in many instances, processors. I want to reiterate that while recent reductions in prices will undoubtedly be welcomed by consumers and will help to address the difference in price between here and Northern Ireland, the Government appreciates and is...

Job Protection. (20 May 2009)

Brendan Smith: I referred in my earlier remarks to the questions posed by Deputy Creed in regard to the primary producers and processors. I discussed yesterday with the Minister of State, Deputy Sargent, and my officials the operation of the UK code, which I understand has been subject to ongoing criticism, in particular by suppliers in terms of its effectiveness. The Tánaiste told the House yesterday...

Milk Prices. (20 May 2009)

Brendan Smith: The EU Common Agricultural Policy provides a range of measures that can be used to assist the dairy market. In the health check negotiations last year there was pressure to remove or weaken these considerably. At the time I fought hard to keep the key market instruments in place and these are now being used to help support the market. Dairy farmers' incomes are made up of the market price...

Milk Prices. (20 May 2009)

Brendan Smith: Apart from the €7 million that I allocated to sheep farmers, which will be distributed in December, we do not have access to the unused funds until 2010. One of the areas identified as a potential recipient is the dairy sector. However, that is not applicable until 2010. The European Union has not yet outlined to us the specific schemes on which we will be able to draw down unused funds....

Milk Prices. (20 May 2009)

Brendan Smith: The provision of additional quota does not in any way contribute to current difficulties because Europe will be more than 4% to 5% under quota this year. Quotas will be abolished in 2015. We have argued for increased quotas so that there will not be a hard landing in 2015. For the primary producers and processors the dairy sector is very sophisticated and has the potential to grow. The...

Animal Carcase Disposal. (20 May 2009)

Brendan Smith: My Department's contribution to the fallen animals scheme ceased with effect from Tuesday, 14 April 2009 as a result of budgetary constraints and in reflection of the greatly reduced incidence of BSE in this country. However, I provided continued financial support for the collection of certain dead animals, notably bovines over 48 months of age, for sampling as required under the ongoing...

Animal Carcase Disposal. (20 May 2009)

Brendan Smith: There is an onus on farmers to notify the Department of the death of an animal. I do not have figures of on-farm deaths for 2007 but the equivalent figure for 2008 was 298,000, which varies significantly from the figure given by the Deputy.

Animal Carcase Disposal. (20 May 2009)

Brendan Smith: We have entered discussions on the scheme with all farming bodies. I have met representatives from each of the three main organisations at least once and my officials have met them on a number of occasions. They agree that the costs had to be taken out of the system. The scheme was introduced to deal with the severe difficulties we were experiencing in respect of BSE and it was never...

Animal Carcase Disposal. (20 May 2009)

Brendan Smith: We all know that competition generally has the effect of reducing prices. It has already had an effect even with a limited amount of product going North of the Border. We have also issued draft proposals to the renderers regarding the possibility of collecting carcasses directly. If they are in a position to collect, we will be able to allow individual farmers to bring products to...

Dairy Sector. (20 May 2009)

Brendan Smith: Other than the introductory paragraph, my response to this question is much the same as that given to Question No. 43. My Department carries out analysis of the dairy sector on an ongoing basis. The causes of the current predicament are widely known at this stage. The past year has been challenging for the EU dairy sector. During 2008 international dairy markets fell from the record high...

Dairy Sector. (20 May 2009)

Brendan Smith: I fully appreciate the concerns expressed by Deputies Creed and Sherlock and other colleagues on both sides of the House regarding the serious difficulties facing the dairy sector. I am aware of these difficulties having spoken to farmers and processors in the various sectors. We have argued with the Commissioner at Union level that we need to use the market mechanism measures effectively...

Dairy Sector. (20 May 2009)

Brendan Smith: Quantifying the value of the supports in place is not straightforward. The one way to increases prices is to remove product from the market. The Deputy correctly said the processors have not had it all their own way because they are not achieving prices on the world market, according to the dairy board and individual processors. At the April Council meeting, I specifically tabled an item...

Animal Carcase Disposal. (20 May 2009)

Brendan Smith: I propose to take Questions Nos. 47 and 51 together. My Department's contribution to the fallen animals scheme ceased with effect from Tuesday, 14 April 2009. This was as a result of budgetary constraints and also reflects the greatly reduced incidence of BSE in this country. However, I provided continued financial support for the collection of certain dead animals, notably bovines aged...

Animal Carcase Disposal. (20 May 2009)

Brendan Smith: With regard to sending material to Northern Ireland, ten knackeries have been approved by the Department and, to date, six licences have issued to companies in the North. Some product has been transported to Northern Ireland for rendering. I also understand that another knackery intends to start sending material to Northern Ireland shortly. Applications that were submitted by enterprises...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (20 May 2009)

Brendan Smith: At the time of the Supplementary Budget, in April, I indicated that, given the pressures on the public finances and having considered other alternatives, I had decided to reverse the seventeen per cent increase in REPS 4 payments. The effect of this decision is to bring REPS 4 payment levels back to the current REPS 3 levels. This reduced level of payment will be applied to REPS 4 payments...

Written Answers — EU Funding: EU Funding (20 May 2009)

Brendan Smith: Under the Health Check agreement €120 million in additional modulation funds will be allocated to Ireland's Rural Development Programme over a four year period beginning in 2010. This funding may only be spent on measures addressing the new and ongoing challenges of climate change adaptation and mitigation, renewable energies, water management, biodiversity, innovation measures relating to...

Written Answers — EU Directives: EU Directives (20 May 2009)

Brendan Smith: Inspections to meet the requirements of the Nitrates Regulations are undertaken by my Department. The Department's inspectors currently undertake all on-farm cross-compliance inspections, including checks for compliance with the Nitrates Regulations and have considerable expertise in this area. On-farm inspections are also required under the EU Water Framework Directive which is the...

Written Answers — Food Industry: Food Industry (20 May 2009)

Brendan Smith: While the relationship between the food industry and the retail trade is essentially a matter between the parties themselves, there are specific provisions in competition law that extend to business relationships, including relationships between suppliers and retailers. These provisions prohibit various anti-competitive practices, including price-fixing, abusing a dominant position,...