Results 15,581-15,600 of 18,496 for speaker:Brendan Smith

Written Answers — Food Industry: Food Industry (11 Feb 2009)

Brendan Smith: Bord Bia closely monitors food exports and has recently published a Strategy to boost food exports for the period 2009-2011. The strategy sets out the Bord's six key priorities to be addressed including enhancing the industry's position on its home market to capitalise on the potential for growth and expansion of exports with a particular emphasis on the Eurozone markets. My Department in...

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

Brendan Smith: My Department is responsible for the operation of EU controls on imports of products of animal origin and fresh fruit and vegetables under its service contract with the FSAI and in compliance with Community rules for the hygiene of food and feed. The EU rules stipulate that food products of animal origin imported from an EU source must be from approved food business establishments and be...

Written Answers — Irish Horseracing Industry: Irish Horseracing Industry (11 Feb 2009)

Brendan Smith: Responsibility for the development of the sport horse industry rests mainly with Horse Sport Ireland, an organization established in 2007 in accordance with the proposals outlined in The Dowling Report (July 2006). Horse Sport Ireland, working with its affiliate organizations, is putting in place policies, practices and plans that will lead to the sustainable development of a vibrant sport...

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

Brendan Smith: Since taking up the Agriculture Fisheries and Food portfolio in June 2008, it has been highlighted to me very forcefully by the Federation of Irish Fishermen that it is essential to have in place a level playing field on control across the EU. The EU Commission estimates that 88% of EU stocks are over-exploited and scientists have recommended closure of 19% of fisheries. These are shocking...

Written Answers — Food Security: Food Security (11 Feb 2009)

Brendan Smith: According to the European Commission's latest statistics, the EU's overall trade in agricultural produce is fairly close to balance with its total trade of almost €153 billion in 2007, split between imports of €77.4 billion and exports of €75.1 billion. Broadly speaking, the EU is a net importer of raw products such as tropical products, certain fruit and vegetables and oils/oilseeds...

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

Brendan Smith: Teagasc has prepared a development strategy for the Irish pig industry, which identifies the issues facing the sector and makes certain recommendations. The 'Pig Industry Strategy Steering Group', which includes representation from my Department and all sectors of the industry, has been established for the purpose of furthering those recommendations. This group will identify, prioritise and...

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

Brendan Smith: Approximately 70% of Irish sheepmeat production is exported, mainly to the high-value EU market. Traditionally, France has been the major export market for Irish lamb and in 2008 it accounted for more than 50% of Irish sheepmeat exports. The French market, however, has been in decline due to a fall in consumption and demand. Also, Irish sheepmeat is facing strong competition on the French...

Written Answers — State Laboratories: State Laboratories (11 Feb 2009)

Brendan Smith: The Veterinary Laboratory Service of the Department of Agriculture Fisheries and Food provides a broad range of pathology and microbiology based tests (in particular, those associated with the diagnosis of scheduled diseases) for equines in Ireland. Samples for testing for the scheduled diseases — dourine, glanders and equine piroplasmosis — are sent abroad by exporting agencies for...

Written Answers — State Laboratories: State Laboratories (11 Feb 2009)

Brendan Smith: A comprehensive array of laboratory tests are provided in the DAFF Laboratories to comply with regulatory requirements relating to testing of food and feed. Generally, turn-around times for test results comply with what has been agreed with the laboratory's customers. When it is more cost-effective (eg due to the need for sophisticated laboratory facilities), samples have been submitted to...

Written Answers — Beef Industry: Beef Industry (11 Feb 2009)

Brendan Smith: My plans for the development of the beef sector can be summarised as follows: advanced processing methods and product development; sophisticated and targeted marketing; efficient farm production with quality assurance; and better scientifically based animal breeding. Ireland produces over 0.5 million tonnes of beef annually, over 90% of which is exported. More than 50% of these exports go to...

Rural Environment Protection Scheme. (11 Feb 2009)

Brendan Smith: 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 4, all payments are to be made in just two instalments. The first payment of 75% can be made only when all administrative checks on all 2008 applications for REPS 4 and the single payment scheme are completed. These include...

Rural Environment Protection Scheme. (11 Feb 2009)

Brendan Smith: I am also concerned with the delay in getting out a REPS payment for which the funding has been provided and is in place. Almost 11,000 applications were submitted until 15 May 2008, which were related to 2007. Of the 12,292 REPS 4 applications in 2008, only 11% passed all the administrative checks. We went to Europe towards the end of the year and we sought permission from the European...

Rural Environment Protection Scheme. (11 Feb 2009)

Brendan Smith: This influences the technology. These are minor errors, but there also errors in which plans are omitted and where there are inadequate biodiversity provisions. The Department officials have gone back to many individual farmers and their planners and have been in a position to rectify the errors made by the people who submitted the plans in the first place. We want to eliminate the...

Rural Environment Protection Scheme. (11 Feb 2009)

Brendan Smith: I said that there was a range of errors from omission of plans to wrongly designated areas. Surely the official examining that particular application in the Department is not responsible for sending in the wrong information——

Rural Environment Protection Scheme. (11 Feb 2009)

Brendan Smith: During the course of 2008, REPS 4 was not the only REPS programme analysed and funded by the Department. The Department paid out €330 million in 2008 under the REPS 3 programme. Those applications were processed and paid out. The European Commission has made it known to us in no uncertain terms that it wants all applications checked and all errors rectified before payments can be issued....

Rural Environment Protection Scheme. (11 Feb 2009)

Brendan Smith: Very substantial funds have been issued and are being issued.

EU Directives. (11 Feb 2009)

Brendan Smith: In adopting the sixth environmental action plan in 2002, the European Parliament and the Council agreed an approach involving implementation and revision of the relevant legal framework for pesticides, through the development of a thematic strategy on the sustainable use of pesticides. The thematic strategy is designed to revise and enhance the existing legislative framework and to target...

EU Directives. (11 Feb 2009)

Brendan Smith: Deputy Sherlock's questions relate to the regulation rather than the directive. Ireland, like other European countries, will have to draw up an action plan. With regard to the regulation, we oppose the proposal to introduce hazard-based cut-off criteria for the approval of substances. The Deputy asked about training. People will be trained to apply and use pesticides properly, in line...

EU Directives. (11 Feb 2009)

Brendan Smith: If these proposals are approved by the Council, an action plan will be put in place by the middle of 2011. We received support at official and political level from our counterparts in Britain and Hungary for our position, which we argued consistently. If I recall correctly, no other country supported the position. We expressed particular concerns about the proposal to base decisions on...

Pigmeat Sector. (11 Feb 2009)

Brendan Smith: Under the agreement that was concluded with pig processors in December 2008, €180 million is being made available from the public finances to help processors to fund the recall and destruction of certain pork products that were in the market or in storage at the time of the recall. The details of the agreement, which allowed processing plants to resume operations within a week, are...