Results 14,921-14,940 of 18,341 for speaker:Brendan Smith

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (24 Mar 2009)

Brendan Smith: The total number of applications for REPS 4 received in 2007 and 2008 was 12,292. As of today, REPS 4 payments have been made to 6,194 applicants or just over 50% of the total. These payments amount to some €20.5 million. REPS 4 is a measure under the current Rural Development Programme 2007–13 and is subject to different EU Regulations from the preceding versions of REPS. Under REPS...

Written Answers — Common Fisheries Policy: Common Fisheries Policy (24 Mar 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. Work has already commenced in preparation for the review with the publication of a Commission Working Paper in September 2008 and the launch of a phase of...

Written Answers — Common Fisheries Policy: Common Fisheries Policy (24 Mar 2009)

Brendan Smith: Refunds of Modulation under the 2008 Single Payment Scheme began issuing to farmers last week and, to date, refunds amounting to some €24 million have issued to over 122,000 applicants. Modulation is the process whereby a percentage of each farmer's Single Payment is transferred to fund rural development measures in Pillar 2 of the CAP. In excess of 80% of the sum deducted is used to fund...

Written Answers — Bovine Diseases: Bovine Diseases (24 Mar 2009)

Brendan Smith: As part of its contingency arrangements to control the spread of bluetongue, my Department in 2008 purchased a supply of 1 million doses of BTV ST8 vaccine to enable us to immediately commence vaccination within a 20km zone, if disease of this particular serotype is confirmed in Ireland. This vaccine stock has a 12 month shelf life and will expire between May and August 2009. The average...

Written Answers — Fisheries Protection: Fisheries Protection (24 Mar 2009)

Brendan Smith: I propose to take Questions Nos. 106 and 939 together. I understand that the Sea-Fisheries Protection Authority (SFPA) recently participated in a Joint Deployment operation under the auspices of the Community Fisheries Control Agency (CFCA), a European Union body established in 2005 to organise operational coordination of fisheries control and inspection activities by the Member States. The...

Written Answers — Pigmeat Sector: Pigmeat Sector (24 Mar 2009)

Brendan Smith: My Department is working closely with Bord Bia and the Department of Foreign Affairs to eliminate any remaining market access issues as a result of the dioxin incident. While most issues have been resolved, there is a small number of markets that continue to prohibit Irish pigmeat. My Department continues its efforts to have these restrictions lifted. Following on from the dioxin incident,...

Written Answers — Food Labelling: Food Labelling (24 Mar 2009)

Brendan Smith: The Minister for Health & Children has overall responsibility for the general food labelling legislation. Under the general labelling Directive (2000/13/EC), the place of origin of the foodstuff must be given only if its absence might mislead the consumer to a material degree. The European Commission is currently undertaking a major review of all food labelling legislation. In this...

Written Answers — Departmental Schemes: Departmental Schemes (24 Mar 2009)

Brendan Smith: I regret that information of the type requested by the Deputy is not maintained by my Department.

Written Answers — Fisheries Protection: Fisheries Protection (24 Mar 2009)

Brendan Smith: New rules restricting fishing vessels' days at sea in the Irish Sea and the waters to the northwest of Ireland and Scotland have been introduced as part of the EU's revised Cod Recovery Plan. These rules are applicable apply to all vessels greater than 10m in length. There is no provision in the rules to allow for any kind of blanket exemption to vessels that happen to be greater than 10m...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (24 Mar 2009)

Brendan Smith: The draft Commission Regulation implementing the Health Check changes has been under discussion at the Direct Payments Management Committee for some months and was discussed again at a meeting on 18 March. The draft Regulation provides for a continuation of the provisions relating to the consolidation of entitlements which is applicable to all Member States including Ireland. The main...

Written Answers — Bovine Diseases: Bovine Diseases (24 Mar 2009)

Brendan Smith: There have been 4 confirmed cases of BSE to date in 2009.

Written Answers — Departmental Submissions: Departmental Submissions (24 Mar 2009)

Brendan Smith: Following a clarification from the Deputy, a total of some 23 separate submissions, other than in relation to individual cases, have been received in my Department from the named organisation in the last six months. These range in content from written representations on specific sectoral issues through to formal submissions on a range of policy matters relating to my portfolio and the...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (24 Mar 2009)

Brendan Smith: Payment of the first instalment of 40 per cent of the grants due to farmers under the Farm Waste Management Scheme commenced during the week ending 6 March 2009 and will continue as claims are approved.

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (24 Mar 2009)

Brendan Smith: An application for afforestation grant aid on behalf of the person in question is currently being processed by my Department. A decision on this application will be made shortly.

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (24 Mar 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 (24 Mar 2009)

Brendan Smith: The Control of Horses Act, 1996 was introduced to address the problem of wandering horses, mainly in urban areas. The Act assigns to local authorities the primary role for dealing with wandering horses. Under the provisions of the Act my Department is empowered to make grants available to local authorities towards expenses they incur in its implementation. Funding under the Act has also...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (24 Mar 2009)

Brendan Smith: An application for afforestation grant aid on behalf of the person in question has been refused by my Department, following an appeals procedure, on the basis that the elevation level of the site, its exposure to the elements and its non-compatibility with the landscape environment would render it ineligible for grant aid.

Written Answers — Fisheries Protection: Fisheries Protection (24 Mar 2009)

Brendan Smith: I understand that the Sea-Fisheries Protection Authority (SFPA) recently participated in a Joint Deployment operation under the auspices of the Community Fisheries Control Agency (CFCA), a European Union body established in 2005 to organise operational coordination of fisheries control and inspection activities by the Member States, including the United Kingdom. The Joint Deployment Plans of...

Written Answers — Departmental Agencies: Departmental Agencies (24 Mar 2009)

Brendan Smith: All of the agencies referred to by the Deputy, with the exception of the Sea-Fisheries Protection Authority (SFPA) operate under the auspices of either the Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources (DCENR) or the Department of Defence (DoD). The total number of people employed by the SFPA is 102.5.

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (24 Mar 2009)

Brendan Smith: The first phase of the REPS 4 payment issued to the person named on 23 March.