Results 14,861-14,880 of 18,496 for speaker:Brendan Smith

Written Answers — Veterinary Payments: Veterinary Payments (28 Apr 2009)

Brendan Smith: The payments received by my Department from the meat and poultry industries, for the past five years, in respect of the veterinary controlled meat inspection service provided to those industries were as follows: Year Income (million) 2004 € 15.776 2005 € 17.627 2006 ...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (28 Apr 2009)

Brendan Smith: Payment issued to the person named on 23rd April 2009.

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (28 Apr 2009)

Brendan Smith: My Department concluded that this application was ineligible. That decision is currently under appeal and my officials will contact the person named directly.

Written Answers — Rural Environment Protection Scheme: Rural Environment Protection Scheme (28 Apr 2009)

Brendan Smith: Subject to remaining within the level of resources available to Teagasc the delivery of a REPS service is an operational matter for Teagasc itself. The moratorium on recruitment and promotion in the Public Service announced by the Minister for Finance on 27 March 2009 prevents Teagasc from renewing temporary fixed term contracts including those for temporary REPS planners. I understand that...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (28 Apr 2009)

Brendan Smith: A total of 1,855 staff in my Department are in receipt of long service increments at a cost of approximately €5.58million in the current year.

Written Answers — Rural Environmental Protection Scheme: Rural Environmental Protection Scheme (23 Apr 2009)

Brendan Smith: A number of applications in which penalties were applied for minor technical breaches, including the case in question, are currently being reviewed in my Department. The outcome in this case will be communicated to the person named in the near future.

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (23 Apr 2009)

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

Written Answers — Herd Numbers: Herd Numbers (23 Apr 2009)

Brendan Smith: In order for the person in question to obtain a herd number, he must complete an ER1 form and comply with the following criteria which are used to assess applications for a herd number. These criteria include: Independent management of the holding Separate housing and fodder The availability of adequate testing facilities No intermixing with cattle from any other herd and the animals must...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (23 Apr 2009)

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

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (23 Apr 2009)

Brendan Smith: An application for afforestation grant aid by the person in question is currently being processed by my Department. Pending completion of the necessary consultation process it is not possible at this stage to determine the final outcome.

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (23 Apr 2009)

Brendan Smith: An application was received on the 5 March 2009 requesting the transfer of 27.21 standard entitlements by way of lease to the person named from his son under the 2008 Single Payment Scheme year. As the son of the person named is not the registered owner of a herd-number, and consequently is not the owner of any Single Payment Scheme entitlements, the application was rejected on the 3 April...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (23 Apr 2009)

Brendan Smith: I propose to take Questions Nos. 192 to 194, inclusive, together. My Department operates the Career Break Scheme in accordance with guidelines laid down by the Department of Finance Circular 18/98. No circulars or direct communications have been issued to staff within my Department regarding returning to work early from a Career Break or after a Career Break as the terms of Department of...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (23 Apr 2009)

Brendan Smith: There are currently 17 expense account credit cards held by staff in my Department in connection with their official duties. The credit limit on these cards is €10,000 and the total expenses on the credit card accounts for the period 2004 to 2009 to-date amounts to €229,080. My Department's librarian also holds a credit card used for the purchases of books and other materials for the...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (23 Apr 2009)

Brendan Smith: This herd owner applied for 5 animals under the Suckler Welfare Scheme. Payment has been approved for 2 animals and will issue shortly. Queries are being resolved on a further 2 animals which should be approved for payment soon. Payment will not be made for 1 animal because it was sold before it was weaned, which is contrary to the terms of the scheme.

Written Answers — Equal Opportunities Employment: Equal Opportunities Employment (23 Apr 2009)

Brendan Smith: My Department is complying with the statutory target for the employment of people with a disability and currently just over 3% of employees have declared that they have a disability. My Department is committed to providing the supports necessary to enable staff with disabilities to participate fully in the workplace and it is also supportive of initiatives to provide work experience...

Written Answers — Alternative Energy Projects: Alternative Energy Projects (22 Apr 2009)

Brendan Smith: The company to which the Deputy refers made an application in March 2009 for a 200 turbine offshore windfarm on the Codling Bank. This application is currently under consideration by my Department and, in accordance with standard procedures, will shortly be sent forward to external consultees, including the National Parks and Wildlife Service, for consideration. The assessment procedures...

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: 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 — Bovine Disease Controls: Bovine Disease Controls (22 Apr 2009)

Brendan Smith: The above herd number has been dormant herd number since June 2005 following the removal of all of the stock from the holding. In order for this herd number to be re-activated, an application for registration as a keeper of animals under the Disease Eradication Schemes must be submitted on Form ER1 to the District Veterinary Office (this form is available from DVO). No such application...

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

Brendan Smith: An application under the 2009 Single Payment Scheme was received from the person named on 7 May 2008. Following initial validation of this application, one parcel was identified as having also been claimed by another scheme applicant. In accordance with standard procedures, both applicants were written to and requested to confirm their entitlement to claim the parcel in question. In...