Results 14,721-14,740 of 18,496 for speaker:Brendan Smith
- Written Answers — Common Agricultural Policy: Common Agricultural Policy (12 May 2009)
Brendan Smith: In the context of the reform of the EU sugar regime in 2006, EU restructuring aid was made available where a sugar processor renounced sugar quota and undertook to dismantle the associated sugar production facilities. The amount of the aid available was based on the size of the quota involved. The sugar processor concerned had to implement a restructuring plan including social commitments...
- Written Answers — Rural Environment Protection Scheme: Rural Environment Protection Scheme (12 May 2009)
Brendan Smith: The Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food: (Brendan Smith) Payment will issue to the person named within the next 15 days.
- Written Answers — Milk Quota: Milk Quota (12 May 2009)
Brendan Smith: The only record available in respect of the person named is of an application to purchase milk quota in the second stage of the 2007/2008 Milk Quota Trading Scheme. He applied as a new entrant under 35 years of age, but was over the qualifying age limit and his application was ruled ineligible by the Co-Operative. The rules regarding eligibility for new entrants over 35 years of age were...
- Written Answers — Consultancy Contracts: Consultancy Contracts (12 May 2009)
Brendan Smith: My Department has not employed consultants or lobbyists to act for it outside of the State in the past five years.
- Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (12 May 2009)
Brendan Smith: The persons named have 15 animals for consideration under the 2008 Suckler Welfare Scheme. There are errors regarding eight of the animals. A query letter recently issued regarding this matter, and an officer from my Department has also been in contact with a view to resolving the issue. The remaining seven animals have not yet been weaned.
- Written Answers — Rural Environment Protection Scheme: Rural Environment Protection Scheme (12 May 2009)
Brendan Smith: Payment will issue to the person named within the next 15 days.
- Written Answers — Rural Environment Protection Scheme: Rural Environment Protection Scheme (12 May 2009)
Brendan Smith: The person named began his REPS 4 contract on 1 January 2009. The question of a payment to him in respect of 2009 will not arise until all administrative checks on all 2009 applications for REPS 4 and the Single Payment Scheme are completed. In practice this is not likely to be earlier than October 2009.
- Written Answers — Rural Environment Protection Scheme: Rural Environment Protection Scheme (12 May 2009)
Brendan Smith: Payment will issue to the person named within the next 15 days.
- Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (12 May 2009)
Brendan Smith: The person named has 11 animals for consideration under the 2008 Suckler Welfare Scheme. Under the rules of the scheme, a gradual weaning procedure must be followed. As the applicant weaned the animals in one group, they do not qualify for payment. My Department has written to the person named with a view to resolving the issue.
- Written Answers — Legislative Programme: Legislative Programme (12 May 2009)
Brendan Smith: The following table sets out the Bills that were introduced and enacted into law and whether or not they gave effect to an EU Directive. Year Name of Act Information in relation to provisions to implement an EU Directive 2004 An Bord Bia (Amendment) Act 2004 No - Not applicable 2005 Veterinary Practice Act While the main purpose of the legislation was not driven by the need to implement...
- Written Answers — Departmental Investigations: Departmental Investigations (12 May 2009)
Brendan Smith: The terms of reference for the Review Group established to examine dioxin contamination of pork and beef in Ireland are: to examine and report on the sequence of events leading up to the discovery of the dioxin contamination of Irish pork and beef; to assess the actions taken by the relevant authorities leading up to the withdrawal of products from the market. In the light of experience...
- Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (12 May 2009)
Brendan Smith: At 1 January 2009, 17,397 payment claims remained to be processed to payment stage under the Farm Waste Management Scheme. To date in 2009, 8,703 payments totalling â¬120.3 million have been made to farmers under the Scheme. Processing of the remaining claims continues and it is not possible at this stage to provide estimates of the number of payments which remain to be made this year or...
- Written Answers — Rural Environment Protection Scheme: Rural Environment Protection Scheme (12 May 2009)
Brendan Smith: By 31 December 2008 my Department had received 12,146 applications for REPS 4. As of today, payments have issued in 9,332 cases and a further 418 are approved for payment. Some 350 applications have been determined to be ineligible, and the applicants in such cases have until 15 May to submit a corrected application in order to be eligible for payment in respect of 2009. Some 2,000...
- Written Answers — Common Fisheries Policy: Common Fisheries Policy (12 May 2009)
Brendan Smith: The Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) is the fisheries policy of the European Union which was first put in place in 1983 and has been subject to reviews every 10 years, the most recent was in 2002 and the next is formally scheduled for 2012. On 21 April 2009 The European Commission published a Green Paper on the latest reform of the CFP in order to launch a consultation with Member States and...
- Written Answers — Fallen Animal Collection Scheme: Fallen Animal Collection Scheme (12 May 2009)
Brendan Smith: My Department's contribution to the Fallen Animals Scheme ceased with effect from Tuesday 14th April 2009. This was as a result of budgetary constraints and also reflects the greatly reduced incidence of BSE in this country. The State will continue to provide financial support for the collection of certain dead animals, notably bovines over 48 months of age, for sampling, as required under...
- Written Answers — Common Agricultural Policy: Common Agricultural Policy (12 May 2009)
Brendan Smith: I announced earlier this year that unused funds available in 2009 from the Single Farm Payment National Reserve would be paid to hill sheep farmers in the form of an Uplands Sheep Payment. The amount in question is approximately â¬7 million in 2009. Under the final agreement on the Health Check of the CAP, Ireland will have access to additional funds of the order of â¬25 million annually...
- Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (12 May 2009)
Brendan Smith: There were 16,607 forestry premiums awarded in the 2009 annual premium payment run on 5 May 2009. There are 1,440 payments still outstanding. Of these, 783 are delayed because the applicants did not return the forms, and 657 have administrative queries outstanding.
- Written Answers — Rural Environment Protection Scheme: Rural Environment Protection Scheme (12 May 2009)
Brendan Smith: The withdrawal of the 17% increase in REPS 4 rates of payments was a necessary response to the pressures on the public finances and the number of applications for REPS 4 expected by the closing date of 15 May. The undertakings in the REPS 4 Scheme have been agreed with the European Commission and any changes to such undertakings can be introduced only with the approval of the Commission. I...
- Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (12 May 2009)
Brendan Smith: I have been in contact with the Minister for Finance and officials from the Department of Finance in relation to this matter. I have also facilitated contacts on this subject between farming representatives and the Department of Finance.
- Written Answers — Food Industry: Food Industry (12 May 2009)
Brendan Smith: The contractual relationship between retailers and suppliers is a matter in the first instance for the contracting parties themselves and not one in which governments can intervene. However the Competition Acts do prohibit unfair practices and the Competition Authority established under these Acts has a statutory role in ensuring that markets including the retail sector operate freely. If...