Results 16,041-16,060 of 18,496 for speaker:Brendan Smith

Written Answers — Departmental Funding: Departmental Funding (17 Dec 2008)

Brendan Smith: My Department pays an annual membership fee to the Institute for International and European Affairs. The amount paid in 2008 was €6,000.

Written Answers — EU Funding: EU Funding (17 Dec 2008)

Brendan Smith: My Department's Compendium of Agricultural Statistics, which is published annually, provides a detailed breakdown of EU receipts in Ireland, including those from the FEOGA Guidance and Guarantee Funds, and from the European Agricultural Guarantee Fund and the European Agricultural Rural Development Fund which have replaced them since 2007. The Compendium for 2008, which is at present being...

Written Answers — Animal Diseases: Animal Diseases (17 Dec 2008)

Brendan Smith: I propose to take Questions Nos. 592 to 594, inclusive, together. All badgers captured are subject to a gross post mortem. However, due to the low sensitivity of the technique, the Department carries out pooled tissue culturing on a percentage of all badgers captured (currently approximately 2,500) across all of the DVOs. Culturing a pooled sample, which involves mixing tissue extracted...

Estimates for Public Services 2008 (17 Dec 2008)

Brendan Smith: I move: Vote 31 — Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (Second Supplementary Estimate). That a supplementary sum not exceeding €50,000,000 be granted to defray the charge which will come in course of payment during the year ending on the 31st day of December 2008, for the salaries and expenses of the Office of the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, including certain services...

Estimates for Public Services 2008 (17 Dec 2008)

Brendan Smith: No, not in this instance.

Estimates for Public Services 2008: Leave to Introduce (17 Dec 2008)

Brendan Smith: I move: That leave be given by the Dáil to introduce the following Supplementary Estimate for the service of the year ending on the 31st day of December, 2008: Vote 31 — Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (Second Supplementary Estimate).

Written Answers — Pigmeat Sector: Pigmeat Sector (16 Dec 2008)

Brendan Smith: My Department is working closely with An Bord Bia and our embassies abroad to reassure our customers as to the safety of Irish Pork. For my part I visited France last week to provide the necessary assurances and will have the opportunity this week at the EU Council of Ministers to outline the safety and security of our exports. In the case of our Asian markets our diplomatic representations...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (16 Dec 2008)

Brendan Smith: The question of the reduction of the administrative burden on Department clients has been pursued at EU level. In line with the Health Check review of the Common Agriculture Policy, the Council and Commission of the EU have declared that they will continue with the objective of obtaining further simplification at both farmer and administrative levels of the cross- compliance requirements. In...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (16 Dec 2008)

Brendan Smith: Payment of €80 in respect of the fifteenth animal was made on 12 December 2008. The remaining calf will not qualify for payment, as it was registered outside the statutory requirement of 27 days from the date of birth. A letter in relation to this late registration issued on 19 November 2008, and staff from the Suckler Herds Section of my Department in Portlaoise will be in contact with...

Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (16 Dec 2008)

Brendan Smith: A good deal of work has been undertaken on drafting the new Animal Health and Welfare Bill which gives effect to a number of animal health and welfare commitments contained in the Programme for Government. My officials are currently meeting with organisations that made submissions on the draft Bill following the public consultation process initiated by me earlier in the year. It would not be...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (16 Dec 2008)

Brendan Smith: Payments totalling €1029.60 in respect of thirteen animals issued on 14 November and 12 December 2008. The remaining four animals are showing errors on the animal event dates. Staff from the Suckler Herds Section of my Department in Portlaoise will be in contact with the person named shortly.

Written Answers — Pigmeat Sector: Pigmeat Sector (16 Dec 2008)

Brendan Smith: Following the recall of pork products initiated on 6 December 2008, and on the basis of an ongoing evaluation process by my Department and other agencies involved in this issue I confirmed on 10 December 2008 that all the necessary controls are now in place to enable the restoration of supplies of Irish pork and bacon to consumers. The purpose of these controls, which were developed over a...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (16 Dec 2008)

Brendan Smith: The payments due to the person named under the 2008 Single Payment Scheme amounting to €1,237.40 in respect of the 50% advance payment, and the balancing payment, also €1,237.40, have not issued, as the person named has not signed-up for Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) as required of all Scheme applicants. Prior to the 2009 EU financial year, farmers could choose to have their payments...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (16 Dec 2008)

Brendan Smith: The person concerned is an applicant under the Young Farmers' Installation Scheme. His application for payment is currently being examined and a decision will be made in regard to the application as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Regulatory Impact Analyses: Regulatory Impact Analyses (16 Dec 2008)

Brendan Smith: The Mussel Seed (Prohibition On Fishing) Regulations 2008 (S.I. 176 of 2008) provided for the closure of certain areas of the mussel seed fishery having regard to the need to conserve the resource and protect the environment. The European Communities (Control On Mussel Fishing) Regulations 2008 (S.I. 347 of 2008) provided for the re-opening of the mussel seed fishery from 23 August 2008 as...

Written Answers — Regulatory Impact Analyses: Regulatory Impact Analyses (16 Dec 2008)

Brendan Smith: While my Department is drafting a number of regulatory impact analyses at present, none have been completed since June 2008.

Written Answers — Animal Feedstuffs: Animal Feedstuffs (16 Dec 2008)

Brendan Smith: I propose to take Questions Nos, 433 to 435, inclusive, 445 to 447, inclusive, 450, 455 to 457, inclusive, 459, 461 and 467 together. In accordance with EU legislation, the National Feed Inspection Programme, complimented by the National Residue Monitoring Programme, is part of the overall Integrated Annual Control Plan for Ireland. This involves food and feed and details must be submitted to...

Written Answers — Coastal Erosion: Coastal Erosion (16 Dec 2008)

Brendan Smith: In line with a recent Government decision, responsibility for Coastal Protection and Coastal Flooding will become the responsibility of the Office of Public Works with effect from 1st January 2009. Arrangements are currently in train to effect the transfer. The Office of Public Works will therefore be responsible for the allocation of funding for Coast Protection works for 2009 and onwards....

Written Answers — Departmental Funding: Departmental Funding (16 Dec 2008)

Brendan Smith: The applications received under my Department's Capital Investment Scheme for the marketing and processing of agricultural products are going through a competitive evaluation process in which the strengths of the various proposals are being assessed and ranked in line with the objectives of the Scheme. This process will be completed shortly and applicants will be informed of the outcome.

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (16 Dec 2008)

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. This is why it...