Results 15,321-15,340 of 18,496 for speaker:Brendan Smith

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (26 Feb 2009)

Brendan Smith: The agreement concluded with pig processors in December involves making available a facility of €180 million from the public finances to assist processors in funding the recall and destruction of certain pork products from the market and product in storage. To date, a total of €37.16m has been paid to processors as interim payments. These were by way of advances to the industry...

Written Answers — Afforestation Programme: Afforestation Programme (26 Feb 2009)

Brendan Smith: Forests play an important role in combating climate change by absorbing harmful greenhouse gases from the atmosphere. The Strategic Plan for the Development of the Forestry Sector in Ireland 'Growing for the Future,' sets a target for forest cover of 17% of the total land area to be achieved by 2035. Over the period of the National Development Plan, 2007 to 2013, the short-term objective is...

Written Answers — Installation Aid Scheme: Installation Aid Scheme (26 Feb 2009)

Brendan Smith: The Young Farmers' Installation Scheme was closed to new applicants on 14 October 2008. I have no immediate plans to reopen entry to the scheme at this time.

Written Answers — Food Labelling: Food Labelling (26 Feb 2009)

Brendan Smith: I have received representations from the named group in relation to country of origin. 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...

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (26 Feb 2009)

Brendan Smith: I propose to take Questions Nos. 215, 223 and 224 together. Under the current National Development Plan (2007-2013), a total of almost €4.5bn, the largest investment in the history of the State, has been allocated to the school building programme. This investment will build on the achievements of the last National Development Plan 2000-2006, when an aggregate total of well over €2.6...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (25 Feb 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 (25 Feb 2009)

Brendan Smith: The person named submitted applications for REPS 4 and for the Young Farmers' Installation Scheme. The latter application was received in my Department on 20 October 2008. Only fully completed applications made under the Young Farmers' Installation Scheme and received by my Department up to and including 14 October 2008 are being processed. I have no proposals to re-open the Scheme. REPS 4...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (25 Feb 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. Payment of the initial 40 per cent to farmers will be made as expeditiously as possible.

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (25 Feb 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 (25 Feb 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 — Farm Waste Management: Farm Waste Management (25 Feb 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. Payment of the initial 40 per cent to farmers will be made as expeditiously as possible. The arrangements in...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (25 Feb 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. Payment of the initial 40 per cent to farmers will be made as expeditiously as possible.

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (25 Feb 2009)

Brendan Smith: The person named is an applicant under the Farm Improvement Scheme. Applications under this Scheme are being processed by my Department up to the level of funding provided for the Scheme in the 2006 Partnership agreement, Towards 2016.

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (25 Feb 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. Payment of the initial 40 per cent to farmers will be made as expeditiously as possible.

Written Answers — Fertiliser Prices: Fertiliser Prices (25 Feb 2009)

Brendan Smith: Changes in fertiliser costs, in common with all elements of intermediate consumption for farmers, are principally a function of market forces, primarily operating at international level in this instance. CSO preliminary estimate for 2008 shows that the price of fertiliser increased by 61.4% compared to 2007, which was an unprecedented increase. This extraordinary price increase in 2008...

Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Bill 2009: Committee Stage (Resumed) and Remaining Stages (25 Feb 2009)

Brendan Smith: I had discussions with the farm organisations on a number of issues this evening, including payment under the farm waste management scheme. I explained to them that I hoped to conclude negotiations with the banks within the next few days on seeking to ease the difficulties that individual farmers are meeting.

Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Bill 2009: Committee Stage (Resumed) and Remaining Stages (25 Feb 2009)

Brendan Smith: It was not an artificial deadline.

Written Answers — Foreshore Licences: Foreshore Licences (24 Feb 2009)

Brendan Smith: The person named in the question has made an application for a foreshore lease, in respect of State property. My Department is processing this application. My Department's technical advisors have examined the application and it was advertised for public consultation purposes on 4 September 2008. However, a third party has initiated civil proceedings in relation to a claim to certain rights,...

Written Answers — Foreshore Licences: Foreshore Licences (24 Feb 2009)

Brendan Smith: This application was received from Cork County Council on 28 October 2008. The application has been examined by my Department's technical advisors and concerns in relation to marine habitat loss have been raised by the South Western Regional Fisheries Board. These concerns have been conveyed to the Council and a response is awaited.

Written Answers — Foreshore Licences: Foreshore Licences (24 Feb 2009)

Brendan Smith: The application has been examined and approved by my Department's technical advisors and draft specific conditions for inclusion in the lease have been issued to the applicant for agreement, and the applicant's response is awaited. A valuation of the proposed development will also be required.