Results 16,081-16,100 of 18,496 for speaker:Brendan Smith

Written Answers — Departmental Schemes: Departmental Schemes (11 Dec 2008)

Brendan Smith: Evaluations of the Food Dude Programme were undertaken by UCD in 2006 and 2007, which indicated that children who participated in the programme were now consuming more fruit and vegetables both at school and at home. The success of the pilot programme was recognised when it was awarded the International Best Practice Award from the World Health Organisation in 2006. An evaluation of the...

Written Answers — Farm Waste Management: Farm Waste Management (11 Dec 2008)

Brendan Smith: 42,970 approvals to commence work have issued, to date, to farmers under the revised Farm Waste Management Scheme introduced by my Department in March 2006. A county-by-county breakdown of these approvals is not available at present. To date in 2008, €346.56 million has been paid out to farmers under the Scheme. This compares to €113.88 million in 2007 and €21.32 million in 2006.

Written Answers — Live Exports: Live Exports (11 Dec 2008)

Brendan Smith: Live exports are an important component of Ireland's livestock industry providing an essential alternative to competition with the beef trade. Live cattle exports from Ireland in 2007 amounted to 207,000 animals, worth an estimated €110 million. To date this year, 141,347 live cattle and calves have been exported from Ireland (up to week ending 22nd November). This number is some 30% below...

Written Answers — Bord Bia Marketing Strategies: Bord Bia Marketing Strategies (11 Dec 2008)

Brendan Smith: The Bord Bia marketing strategy for Irish beef for 2008 to 2013 is being implemented since the beginning of this year. The main emphasis of the strategy is on the high value European market. While the retail penetration of Irish beef in Europe is already very high and there is little room for significant conversion of new business there have been considerable gains in terms of volume of...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (11 Dec 2008)

Brendan Smith: An officer in the Legal Services Division of my Department is a member of the RIA Network and is also the liaison officer within the Department for RIA. The Better Regulation Agenda is a portion of this officer's work. In addition 8 officers attended the RIA training course at the Civil Service Training and Development Centre this year. It has not been necessary for my Department to...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (11 Dec 2008)

Brendan Smith: Payment of €1,360 in respect of seventeen animals was issued on 14 November 2008. Five calves will not qualify for payment as they were registered outside the statutory requirement of 27 days from the date of birth. One calf will not qualify because its dam calved down under 22 months of age. The remaining two animals are showing errors on the animal event dates. Staff from the Suckler...

Written Answers — Farm Inspections: Farm Inspections (11 Dec 2008)

Brendan Smith: I propose to take Questions Nos. 231 and 246 together. The EU Commission provides the satellite imagery used for eligibility inspections by way of Remote Sensing. Satellite inspections are carried out for the control of eligibility of the area-based schemes in accordance with Council Regulation (EC) No 1782/2003 and Commission Regulation (EC) No. 796/2004 laying down detailed rules for the...

Written Answers — Rural Environment Protection Scheme: Rural Environment Protection Scheme (11 Dec 2008)

Brendan Smith: The person named commenced participation in REPS with effect from 1 May 2005. She received payments for the first two years. However she was then selected for inspection and land included in the application was found to be ineligible. She appealed this decision locally and then to the Agriculture Appeals Office. The Appeals Office upheld the Department's decision and the person named was...

Written Answers — Farm Retirement Scheme: Farm Retirement Scheme (11 Dec 2008)

Brendan Smith: The application in question is being examined with a view to being finalised shortly. The person named will be informed of the outcome once this examination is complete.

Written Answers — Farm Retirement Scheme: Farm Retirement Scheme (11 Dec 2008)

Brendan Smith: An application under the Early Retirement (ERS3) Scheme for the person named was received in my Department on 16 October 2008. It could not be accepted for processing as the Scheme was suspended for new applications with effect from 15 October 2008. I have no plans, at present, to reopen the Early Retirement Scheme to new applications, but the limiting of the suspension of the Scheme will be...

Written Answers — Rural Environment Protection Scheme: Rural Environment Protection Scheme (11 Dec 2008)

Brendan Smith: The Programme for Government sets a target of 70,000 farmers in REPS. At present there are some 61,000 farmers involved,including 12,700 applicants for REPS 4. Notwithstanding the current budgetary difficulties, I have allocated an increased provision for REPS in 2009 of €355 million and I believe this demonstrates my commitment to the long-term future of REPS as a measure that has...

Written Answers — Departmental Surveys: Departmental Surveys (11 Dec 2008)

Brendan Smith: The ground survey has taken place recently and a map will be drawn up as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (11 Dec 2008)

Brendan Smith: The provisions of the Farm Waste Management Scheme require farmers to lodge a fully documented payment claim with my Department by 31 December 2008. I do not propose to alter this procedure.

Written Answers — Farm Inspections: Farm Inspections (11 Dec 2008)

Brendan Smith: The position is that the Local Authorities are the designated control authorities under the Nitrates Regulations (SI no. 378 of 2006) which are the responsibility of the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government in the first instance. As such they have legislative obligations in terms of monitoring and controls. My Department has responsibility for nitrates inspections in...

Written Answers — Dairy Sector: Dairy Sector (11 Dec 2008)

Brendan Smith: In view of the temporary volatility in dairy markets and uncertainty in the short-term outlook, I contacted EU Commissioner Mariann Fischer Boel in early November to activate market measures in support of the sector. I was pleased that the Commission acted decisively and brought forward the scheme of private storage aid for butter. This will now take effect from 1st January, two months...

Written Answers — Milk Quota: Milk Quota (11 Dec 2008)

Brendan Smith: Decisions by dairy farmers in regard to the purchase of milk quota in the Milk Quota Trading Scheme are based on individual circumstances, an assessment of the value and need for milk quota in particular farm enterprises and the prevailing market conditions for milk and milk products. On this occasion, 13 per cent of all dairy farmers decided to apply for quota and I am very pleased that 75...

Written Answers — Farm Inspections: Farm Inspections (11 Dec 2008)

Brendan Smith: Under the Regulations governing cross-compliance, Member States must ensure that on the spot controls for all requirements and standards relevant to cross-compliance are carried out throughout the year. To-date, for the year 2008, over 96% of farmers selected for control under the cross-compliance requirements, including animal identification and registration requirements, have been...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (11 Dec 2008)

Brendan Smith: While the Special Investigation Unit (SIU) was established in the late 1980s to deal with serious problems relating to use of illegal substances (hormones, angel dust etc.) in animal production, its remit was expanded in the intervening years to include assistance in the implementation of various schemes and, in particular, to investigate breaches of legislation governing animal disease...

Written Answers — Coastal Erosion: Coastal Erosion (11 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 Schemes: Departmental Schemes (11 Dec 2008)

Brendan Smith: The person named did not apply for the Suckler Welfare Scheme by the closing date of 31 March 2008. It will not be possible to accept an application at this late stage, unless there were exceptional circumstances that prevented him from applying on time. Staff from the Suckler Herds Section of my Department in Portlaoise will be in contact with the person named shortly. The delay in...