Results 15,361-15,380 of 18,347 for speaker:Brendan Smith

Written Answers — Farm Waste Management: Farm Waste Management (11 Feb 2009)

Brendan Smith: The Farm waste Management Scheme was introduced by my Department in March 2006 in order to assist farmers meet the additional requirements of the Nitrates Directive and closed for the receipt of payment claims on 31 December 2008. Almost 17,400 payment claims remain to be processed in 2009 and my Department is continuing to carry out inspections on completed work carried out under the...

Written Answers — Farm Waste Management: Farm Waste Management (11 Feb 2009)

Brendan Smith: The deadline for completion of work and the submission of claims for grant payment under the Farm Waste Management Scheme expired on 31 December 2008 although applicants were permitted to submit certain supporting documentation up to 9 January 2009. Almost 17,400 payment claims remain to be processed to payment stage under the Scheme in 2009. The Book of Estimates provides €125 million...

Written Answers — Animal Diseases: Animal Diseases (11 Feb 2009)

Brendan Smith: Brucellosis is now at a historically low level in Ireland. The last confirmed case was disclosed in April 2006. If no case of Brucellosis is disclosed between now and March 2009, my Department will apply to the EU Commission for Official Brucellosis Free status in April 2009. At that stage, I would envisage a relaxation of some of the programme's control measures which will reduce the burden...

Written Answers — Rural Environment Protection Scheme: Rural Environment Protection Scheme (11 Feb 2009)

Brendan Smith: Checking of REPS 4 applications to the standard required in EU Regulations requires extensive administrative checks including cross-checking REPS applications against the Department's land and animal databases. The detailed examination of plans has revealed a number of issues requiring further assessment. These include: the presentation of biodiversity options and the other mandatory area...

Written Answers — Sheep Sector: Sheep Sector (11 Feb 2009)

Brendan Smith: I propose to take Questions Nos. 100 and 149 together. Additional support to the sheep sector is being considered in light of the outcome of the recent CAP Health Check. One of my primary objectives in the Health check negotiations was to get access to unspent funds within the EU's agriculture budget for use by Member States with a wide range of discretion. This was achieved in the final...

Written Answers — Pigmeat Sector: Pigmeat Sector (11 Feb 2009)

Brendan Smith: The EU has agreed two measures with potential total support of €35.7 million. The first measure allows temporary storage of 30,000 tonnes of product for up to 6 months at a potential cost of €15 million. The second measure allows support of €20.7 million to the costs of the disposal scheme adopted following the dioxin incident.

Written Answers — Milk Quota: Milk Quota (11 Feb 2009)

Brendan Smith: I propose to take Questions Nos. 102 and 103 together. The CAP Health Check agreement last November represented a very positive outcome for the Irish dairy sector, and the milk quota elements of the final package will be particularly beneficial to milk producers in this country. It was agreed that quotas will be increased by 1% per year for the next five years, commencing on 1 April 2009....

Written Answers — Milk Prices: Milk Prices (11 Feb 2009)

Brendan Smith: The Common Agricultural Policy contains various market support measures for the dairy sector. The initial CAP Health Check proposals had planned to abolish or weaken most of these. During the negotiations I argued very strongly in favour of keeping critical market instruments in place and using them effectively. These support measures can now be used to respond to price volatility in the...

Written Answers — Pigmeat Sector: Pigmeat Sector (11 Feb 2009)

Brendan Smith: The product recall scheme provides assistance in respect of eligible product manufactured from pigs slaughtered in Ireland between 1 September and 6 December 2008. A case has been made for other products manufactured in Ireland and that were affected by the product recall to be considered for assistance. These would include products containing both Irish and imported pigmeat and products made...

Written Answers — Organic Farming: Organic Farming (11 Feb 2009)

Brendan Smith: The main organic food promotion event this year will be National Organic Week, which will be held for the fifth year in a row this September. The National Organic Awards will take place in conjunction with National Organic Week. Bord Bia, in collaboration with Bord Iascaigh Mhara, have invited a number of organic companies to exhibit at Biofach, the World Organic Trade Fair in Nuremberg later...

Written Answers — Food Safety Standards: Food Safety Standards (11 Feb 2009)

Brendan Smith: I have no role in relation to contractual relationships between retail buyers and their suppliers. The Competition Authority, established under the 2002 Act has a role in relation to ensuring that markets operate freely and this includes the retail sector.

Written Answers — Fishing Industry Development: Fishing Industry Development (11 Feb 2009)

Brendan Smith: I propose to take Questions Nos. 108 and 131 together. The package of measures agreed at the December 2008 EU Fisheries Council were in my opinion the best possible deal available to Ireland in what were very challenging circumstances. The main elements of the package include an increase of 5% in the value of quotas available to Ireland from €194m to €200m and the successful defence of...

Written Answers — Bovine Disease Controls: Bovine Disease Controls (11 Feb 2009)

Brendan Smith: As the Deputy will be aware since my appointment as Minister I consistently requested the EU Commission to raise the age for BSE Testing in the light of the on-going reduction in case numbers and the ages of confirmed cases. Consequently, I warmly welcomed the decision to raise the testing age of both animals slaughtered for human consumption as well as emergency slaughtered and fallen...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (11 Feb 2009)

Brendan Smith: In 2008, €9,759,552.12 was paid to 2,140 participants in REPS 2.

Written Answers — Farm Waste Management: Farm Waste Management (11 Feb 2009)

Brendan Smith: Almost 17,400 payment claims remain to be processed to payment stage under the Farm Waste Management Scheme in 2009. It is not possible at this stage to provide a date for the completion of all farm inspections required to be carried out under the Scheme. However, my Department will endeavour to ensure that these inspections are completed within the shortest time possible and has introduced...

Written Answers — Farm Waste Management: Farm Waste Management (11 Feb 2009)

Brendan Smith: I propose to take Questions Nos. 112 and 128 together. The information requested by the Deputy will be forwarded to him as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Aquaculture Licences: Aquaculture Licences (11 Feb 2009)

Brendan Smith: The information requested by the Deputy is shown in the following table. 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 Number of aquaculture licence applications received 58 70 73 68 38 26 Number of aquaculture licences granted 23 38 34 25 10 1 Number of Aquaculture licences granted by Aquaculture Licences Appeals Board 2 9 3 1 3 0 The figures provided do not include renewal, assignment, revocation,...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (11 Feb 2009)

Brendan Smith: In 2008, €301,303,772.78 was paid to 44,325 participants in REPS 3.

Written Answers — Rural Environment Protection Scheme: Rural Environment Protection Scheme (11 Feb 2009)

Brendan Smith: I expect 46,376 REPS 3 participants to be in the scheme on 15 May 2009. There are currently 12,773 applicants for REPS 4, made up of 10,773 who submitted applications and farm plans by 15 May 2008, another 1,546 who submitted farm plans after 15 May 2008 under the special arrangement agreed with the European Commission for farmers in REPS 2 with contracts terminating in 2008 after 15 May, and...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (11 Feb 2009)

Brendan Smith: The deadline for completion of work and the submission of claims for grant payment under the Farm Waste Management Scheme expired on 31 December 2008 although applicants were permitted to submit certain supporting documentation up to 9 January 2009. Last week, the Government took a number of decisions on the overall Expenditure Control and Economic Strategy that included the funding for the...