Results 16,461-16,480 of 18,372 for speaker:Brendan Smith

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

Brendan Smith: The Minister for Health and Children has overall responsibility for the general food labelling legislation. Responsibility for enforcement of labelling legislation rests with the Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) through its service contracts with my Department, the Sea Fisheries Protection Agency, the Health Service Executive, the Local Authorities and the National Consumer Agency....

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

Brendan Smith: A comprehensive review of the Forestry Act 1946 has been completed and the draft Scheme of a new Forestry Bill has been prepared which will update and consolidate the 1946 Act. The draft Heads of the new Bill will be submitted to the Government shortly for approval to be sent to the Office of the Parliamentary Counsel for drafting. It is not possible at this stage to indicate a date for...

Written Answers — Departmental Schemes: Departmental Schemes (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 — 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 — Fallen Animal Collection Scheme: Fallen Animal Collection Scheme (30 Oct 2008)

Brendan Smith: The allocation for the Fallen Animals Scheme in 2009 is reduced to €14m. An adjustment of the burden sharing of this Scheme is now appropriate with the sectors involved taking a greater share of the costs. The reduced funding will be implemented through reduced rates under the Scheme, which will be discussed with the various interests over the next few weeks.

Written Answers — Organic Farming: Organic Farming (30 Oct 2008)

Brendan Smith: While there has been a significant increase in the number of applications received this year under the Schemes of Grant Aid for the Development of the Organic Sector, I remain satisfied that the current staffing levels in the Organic Unit of my Department are sufficient to provide applicants with an appropriate level of service.

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

Brendan Smith: The spreading of slurry and farmyard manure is governed by the European Communities (Good Agricultural Practice for Protection of Waters) Regulations made by the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government. In view of the poor weather conditions in recent months, with the exceptional rainfall making land unsuitable at times for the spreading of livestock manures, I obtained...

Written Answers — Fisheries Protection: Fisheries Protection (30 Oct 2008)

Brendan Smith: This is a matter for the Sea-Fisheries Protection Authority (SFPA), an independent authority, which was established under the Sea Fisheries and Maritime Jurisdiction Act 2006 on January 1st 2007. The Act clearly provides that the appointment of a complaints officer is solely a matter for the Authority. I understand that a person has been appointed to this role and I have asked the SFPA to...

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

Brendan Smith: Green Box payments, in the context of the WTO Agreement on Agriculture, are defined as payments, which have no, or at most minimal trade distorting effects or effects on agriculture production. These payments are exempt from reduction commitments and can even be increased without any financial limitation under the WTO. Almost €2 billion in payments are made annually to Ireland under the...

Written Answers — Dairy Exports: Dairy Exports (30 Oct 2008)

Brendan Smith: Ireland has been successful in building EU and world market trade over a sustained period. This has been supported by consistent efforts to promote and market Ireland's dairy produce in these markets by Irish operators. Over 80% of Irish dairy production is exported to EU and world markets. 2007 was another successful year for the Irish Dairy Sector with exports up 13% to €2.36bn. This...

Written Answers — Organic Farming: Organic Farming (30 Oct 2008)

Brendan Smith: The FSAI Report concluded that the landspreading of organic agricultural materials on agricultural land for food production is beneficial and should continue, with one exception. The one exception relates to the spreading of untreated organic agricultural materials on land to be used for ready-to-eat food crops. The safety of organic food is not compromised by these findings. Organic...

Written Answers — On-farm Investment Schemes: On-farm Investment Schemes (30 Oct 2008)

Brendan Smith: A number of measures have been put in place in Budget 2009 to encourage young farmers to both enter agriculture and to increase their investment in farming. Most importantly, stamp duty relief for young trained farmers has been renewed in Budget 2009 for a further four years, until 31 December 2012. This means that, in combination with Capital Acquisitions Tax (Agricultural relief) and...

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

Brendan Smith: I am aware of the report the Deputy is referring to. The Commission's Food and Veterinary Office recently published its final report of a follow-up mission carried out between 25 February and 13 March 2008 to evaluate measures that the Brazilian Authorities introduced to address serious shortcomings on cattle traceability with regard to exports to the EU. As the Deputy will be aware the...

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

Brendan Smith: I have no plans to meet with the EU Agriculture Commissioner before the end of this year to seek an alteration to the terms of the EU state aid approval for the revised Farm Waste Management Scheme introduced by my Department in March 2006.

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

Brendan Smith: I understand that there is demand within the forestry sector for a broadleaf thinning scheme. The overall forestry situation is being reviewed in the light of the allocation under the 2009 Budget to ensure that the available funds are put to best use. The allocation of funding to specific schemes will be on a basis of strict prioritisation of programmes.

Written Answers — Greenhouse Gas Emissions: Greenhouse Gas Emissions (30 Oct 2008)

Brendan Smith: The agricultural sector is already contributing to the reduction of carbon emissions. The Kyoto Protocol allowed for an increase in Ireland's emissions of 13% over 1990 levels by 2012. The Environmental Protection Agency's analysis of September 2008 projects that emissions from the agriculture sector in the period up to 2012 will fall to 18.95 million tonnes or 4.3% below 1990 levels. The...

Written Answers — Farm Household Incomes: Farm Household Incomes (30 Oct 2008)

Brendan Smith: The profit monitor analysis system is a service provided by Teagasc to farmers. It enables farmers to measure the physical and financial performance of their farms, to compare it with farmers nationally and to plan for improvements to be made in specific areas in order to improve profitability. The profit monitor results for 2007, which were launched in September 2008, show a range in...

Written Answers — Animal Diseases: Animal Diseases (30 Oct 2008)

Brendan Smith: I can confirm that, because of the dramatic reduction in the incidence of Brucellosis over the past ten years and because there has been no confirmed outbreak of this disease here since April 2006, I intend to apply to the EU for officially Brucellosis-free status for Ireland next April. This is a very significant development and is another important measure of the high disease status of our...

Written Answers — Farm Retirement Scheme: Farm Retirement Scheme (30 Oct 2008)

Brendan Smith: 24 applications under the Early Retirement Scheme (ERS3) 2007 were received in my Department from County Galway. Of these, 14 have been approved for payment, 9 are being processed and 1 application has been withdrawn. Applications received in my Department up to and including the date of the budget, 14 October 2008, will be processed.

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (30 Oct 2008)

Brendan Smith: I have discussed the 1 per cent levy with the Minister for Finance and I understand that the farm organisations have conveyed their concerns to the Minister. The arrangements for the application of the levy will be confirmed in the forthcoming Finance Bill. My officials and I will be in further contact with the Minister for Finance and his Department in relation to a number of tax issues,...