Results 16,441-16,460 of 18,372 for speaker:Brendan Smith

Written Answers — Food Industry: Food Industry (30 Oct 2008)

Brendan Smith: The seafood marketing and promotion element of Bord Iascaigh Mhara is to be merged with An Bord Bia. The Government's initiative in transferring the seafood marketing and promotion functions to Bord Bia will ensure the strengthening of seafood marketing as part of a more cohesive overall food marketing effort, while allowing BIM to focus all its energies in developing the seafood industry in...

Written Answers — World Trade Negotiations: World Trade Negotiations (30 Oct 2008)

Brendan Smith: FAPRI-Ireland, in association with its research partner Teagasc, launched two reports on 29 September, 2008, one of which is an analysis of the impact of a possible WTO deal, and, a second report, which provides an outlook for Irish and EU agriculture markets using 2008 as the baseline and assuming a status quo policy view over the next ten years. FAPRI's report presents an analysis of the...

Written Answers — Farm Waste Management: Farm Waste Management (30 Oct 2008)

Brendan Smith: The FSAI Report concluded that the current practice of landspreading of organic agricultural materials on agricultural land for food production is beneficial and should continue, with one exception. The exception relates to the spreading of untreated organic agricultural materials on land to be used for ready-to-eat food crops. The quantity of organic agricultural materials used in the...

Written Answers — Afforestation Programme: Afforestation Programme (30 Oct 2008)

Brendan Smith: Substantial funding has been provided by the Government to support forestry grant and premium schemes for 2009. Almost €128 million has been allocated to forestry and bioenergy under Budget 2009. This significant investment in forestry will allow for the operation of a range of forestry schemes next year and demonstrates the commitment of the Government to the future of forestry in Ireland.

Written Answers — Emergency Slaughter of Animals: Emergency Slaughter of Animals (30 Oct 2008)

Brendan Smith: Under the European Food Hygiene Regulation (EC) 853/2004, specific requirements are provided for in relation to Emergency Slaughter of animals outside the slaughterhouse. Meat from such animals may not be placed on the market unless it bears a special health mark which cannot be confused with the oval health and identification marks that normally apply to meat that may be exported. My...

Written Answers — Afforestation Programme: Afforestation Programme (30 Oct 2008)

Brendan Smith: State Aid approval for the afforestation schemes, including an agroforestry scheme, was received from the European Commission in September 2007. However, there are no immediate plans to introduce a specific agroforestry scheme. Within the Afforestation and Native Woodland Schemes that have already been introduced, it is open to landowners to combine farming and forestry in that...

Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (30 Oct 2008)

Brendan Smith: A good deal of work has already been undertaken and significant progress has been made on drafting the proposed Animal Health and Welfare Bill, which is intended to give effect to a number of commitments, in the area of animal health and welfare, contained in the Programme for Government. Following the public consultation process initiated earlier in the year on the draft Bill, almost 400...

Written Answers — Sheep Production: Sheep Production (30 Oct 2008)

Brendan Smith: The report for the European Parliament by Mr. Liam Aylward MEP on the sheep sector in Europe has called for the introduction of an environmental maintenance scheme for ewes to arrest the decline in sheep production. This recommendation and others in the Aylward Report were considered in detail at a special conference on the sheep sector that was held in Limoges by the French Presidency at...

Written Answers — Departmental Schemes: Departmental Schemes (30 Oct 2008)

Brendan Smith: Against the background of the deterioration in public finances, my approach in preparing the 2009 estimates for my Department was to focus available resources on the measures that allow us to maintain and grow the productive capacity of the agri-food sector. Because I had chosen to protect expenditure in certain areas, expenditure in other areas had to be curtailed. In relation to the...

Written Answers — Common Agricultural Policy: Common Agricultural Policy (30 Oct 2008)

Brendan Smith: I propose to take Questions Nos. 22, 43 and 79 together. The CAP Health Check dossier was presented to Ministers at the Informal May Council. A full first round examination of the texts has now been completed by the Working Groups and most of the technical and linguistic issues have been addressed. Tri-lateral meetings took place at the Agriculture Council on 29/30 September to identify the...

Written Answers — Domestic Abattoirs: Domestic Abattoirs (30 Oct 2008)

Brendan Smith: I propose to take Questions Nos. 23 and 83 together. Under my Department's capital investment scheme for the marketing and processing of agricultural products, a total of 51 eligible applications were received in respect of small slaughterhouses and low throughput meat establishments. The applications are going through a competitive assessment and evaluation process in which the strengths of...

Written Answers — Disadvantaged Areas Scheme: Disadvantaged Areas Scheme (30 Oct 2008)

Brendan Smith: My approach in preparing the 2009 Estimates for my Department was to focus available resources on the measures that allow us to maintain and grow the productive capacity of the agri-food sector. The 2009 Estimates provide over €1.8 billion for my Department, and, when combined with EU funding of €1.4 billion, means that total expenditure in 2009 by my Department will amount to over...

Written Answers — Sheep Imports: Sheep Imports (30 Oct 2008)

Brendan Smith: The majority of imported sheep presented for slaughter in Irish plants come from or through Northern Ireland and a small number of these would have originated in Great Britain or beyond. All imported sheep are accompanied by veterinary certification. While the identification and certification of imported sheep is checked at the plants prior to slaughter, records of these are not maintained...

Written Answers — Food Labelling: Food Labelling (30 Oct 2008)

Brendan Smith: EU legislation stipulates that food products of animal origin imported from an EU source must come from an approved food business establishment and be accompanied to its destination by a commercial document or a health certificate signed by an official veterinarian of the competent authority of the Member State of origin. In the case of importation from third countries they must originate in...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (30 Oct 2008)

Brendan Smith: In the "Towards 2016" Partnership Agreement, a provision was made to provide €250 million in support of a suckler scheme over five years 2008-2012. This is being honoured. In order that the scheme is continued within the €250 million funding budget, it will, on current levels of participation be necessary to reduce the rate of payment in future years. Almost 54,000 farmers have joined...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (30 Oct 2008)

Brendan Smith: I propose to take Questions Nos. 28 and 59 together. The EU regulations governing the Single Payment Scheme provided for the setting up of a National Reserve. In Ireland's case reducing each farmer's individual Single Payment by 1.82% created the Reserve. The total amount of money available for distribution under the 2005 National Reserve was some €22.5m. A further €6.5m was added...

Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (30 Oct 2008)

Brendan Smith: My Department has responsibility for foreshore functions under the Foreshore Acts 1933 to 2005. When considering applications under the Foreshore Acts, including offshore energy projects, the role of my Department is to ensure the protection and sustainable development of the foreshore. A consolidation and streamlining of the Foreshore Acts has been under consideration for some time. This...

Written Answers — Common Fisheries Policy: Common Fisheries Policy (30 Oct 2008)

Brendan Smith: An informal discussion to mark the start of the debate on the reform of the Common Fisheries Policy was held with Fisheries Ministers on the margins of the Agriculture and Fisheries Council on the 29th September 2008. The Common Fisheries Policy was formally established in 1983, and has since then been subject to revision every ten years. The latest Reform was agreed in 2002, and is up for...

Written Answers — Alternative Energy Projects: Alternative Energy Projects (30 Oct 2008)

Brendan Smith: I propose to take Questions Nos. 31 and 58 together. The development of renewable energy in Ireland, including solar, thermal, wind and bioenergy are matters in the first instance for the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources. My Department's role is to support the supply side of the bioenergy market by encouraging farmers and foresters to produce biomass feedstocks. In...

Written Answers — Aquaculture Licences: Aquaculture Licences (30 Oct 2008)

Brendan Smith: There is a substantial backlog in licence applications at present. This is due in large measure to the fact that many of the existing licences were granted for a period of 10 years on foot of the Fisheries (Amendment) Act 1997 and are therefore falling due for renewal at present. In addition, many of the outstanding aquaculture licence applications are located in Natura 2000 sites. My...