Results 14,741-14,760 of 18,341 for speaker:Brendan Smith

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (22 Apr 2009)

Brendan Smith: The person named has 16 animals for consideration under the 2008 Suckler Welfare Scheme. Payment totalling €400.00 has issued in respect of 5 eligible animals. There were queries on the remaining 11 animals, and 10 of these have now been resolved and payment will issue shortly. On 20 April 2009, a query letter issued to the applicant regarding the final animal, and for which the sire...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (22 Apr 2009)

Brendan Smith: Grant-aid under the Farm Improvement Scheme was issued by my Department to the person concerned on 16 April 2009.

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (22 Apr 2009)

Brendan Smith: The following table sets out the information requested by the Deputy: 2007 2008 2009 to date* No. of uncertified Sick Days 3426 3095 730.3 No. of employees who have taken 1-10 uncert. Sick Days in year in question 2469 2156 465 No. of employees who have taken more than 10 uncert. Sick Days in year in question 0 1 0 No. of uncert. Sick days taken on a Friday 317 255 82 No. of uncert....

Written Answers — Fisheries Protection: Fisheries Protection (22 Apr 2009)

Brendan Smith: The current regime on sea bass management in Ireland, based on consistent scientific advice, provides for a complete ban on commercial landings of sea bass and a daily bag limit for anglers of 2 fish. This has been in place since the early 1990s. At the request of the Federation of Irish Fishermen, I am currently reviewing these measures in consultation with the Minister for Communications,...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (22 Apr 2009)

Brendan Smith: Payment will issue to the person within the next 10 days.

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (22 Apr 2009)

Brendan Smith: REPS 4 is a measure under the current Rural Development Programme 2007-13 and is subject to EU Regulations which require detailed administrative checks on all applications to be completed before the first payments issue. The first payments for 2008 REPS 4 applications issued in the last week of January to those whose applications required no correction following the administrative checks....

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (22 Apr 2009)

Brendan Smith: Payment will issue to the person named within the next 10 days.

Written Answers — Fallen Animal Collection Scheme: Fallen Animal Collection Scheme (22 Apr 2009)

Brendan Smith: My Department has put arrangements in place to provide financial support for the collection of certain animals, notably bovines over 48 months of age, for sampling, as required under the ongoing national BSE surveillance programme. The law requires that other animals which die on farms must also generally be disposed of through rendering plants. Farmers may continue to use the existing...

Written Answers — Rural Environment Protection Scheme: Rural Environment Protection Scheme (22 Apr 2009)

Brendan Smith: Given the level of participation in REPS 4 and the pressures on the public finances and having considered other alternatives I have decided to reverse the 17% increase in REPS 4 payments. Applications received in 2007 and 2008 will, if valid, be paid at existing rates in respect of those years. REPS applications will continue to be accepted up to the predetermined closing date of 15th May...

Written Answers — Rural Environment Protection Scheme: Rural Environment Protection Scheme (22 Apr 2009)

Brendan Smith: Under cross compliance requirements, a farmer in receipt of direct payments, including Single Payment Scheme (SPS), Disadvantaged Areas Scheme (DAS), Rural Environment Protection Scheme 4 (REPS4) and Organics must respect the various statutory management requirements set down in EU legislation (Directives and Regulations) on the environment, food safety, animal health and welfare, and plant...

Written Answers — Animal Feedstuffs: Animal Feedstuffs (22 Apr 2009)

Brendan Smith: The German Agriculture Minister announced last week that Germany was placing a ban on the further growing of the GM maize MON 810 by invoking a safeguard clause in the context of a potential danger to the environment. The ban does not affect the importation into the EU of maize or maize by-products which may contain MON 810 for animal feed.

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (22 Apr 2009)

Brendan Smith: My officials have been in touch with the persons named and are currently reviewing the plan submitted with their application.

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (22 Apr 2009)

Brendan Smith: The person named has appealed this Department's decision to reject his REPS 4 application. The case is currently being reviewed and he will be notified of the outcome as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (22 Apr 2009)

Brendan Smith: My officials have been in touch with the person named and are currently reviewing the plan submitted with his application.

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (22 Apr 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 (22 Apr 2009)

Brendan Smith: The application for payment in this case was received in my Department on 6 April 2009 and is being processed in accordance with the timeframes agreed with the farming organizations.

Written Answers — Rural Environment Protection Scheme: Rural Environment Protection Scheme (22 Apr 2009)

Brendan Smith: There are a small number of applications in which penalties were applied for minor technical breaches such as that described. These cases are currently being reviewed in my Department.

Written Answers — Rural Environment Protection Scheme: Rural Environment Protection Scheme (22 Apr 2009)

Brendan Smith: The information requested is not readily available. As its provision would require staff to be diverted from urgent work in expediting REPS 4 Payments for a significant period,I believe that official time would be better employed in continuing to process payments.

Written Answers — Animal Welfare: Animal Welfare (9 Apr 2009)

Brendan Smith: Primary responsibility for issues relating to the safety and welfare of circus animals lie with the owner or keeper of such animals. The Protection of Animals Acts 1911 and 1965 is the principal legislation governing the welfare of all animals in this country and this legislation is enforced by An Garda Síochána. While my Department's responsibility in the area of animal welfare currently...

Written Answers — On-farm Investment Schemes: On-farm Investment Schemes (9 Apr 2009)

Brendan Smith: The 12,675 applications received by my Department under the Farm Improvement Scheme prior to its suspension for new applications on 31 October 2007 are being processed up to the level of funding provided for the Scheme in the 2006 Partnership agreement, Towards 2016.