Results 16,561-16,580 of 18,372 for speaker:Brendan Smith

Agriculture Sector. (30 Oct 2008)

Brendan Smith: No. Deputy Creed is misrepresenting the situation again. He is obviously not prepared to listen and hear the facts. We had to reallocate some expenditure. I decided reluctantly to reduce the expenditure on the disadvantaged areas scheme. I have already outlined that the vast majority of people in the disadvantaged areas scheme will not have their payment affected. It is people with...

Agriculture Sector. (30 Oct 2008)

Brendan Smith: This year, as last year, an 8% increase was paid by the Department under the disadvantaged areas scheme. Deputy Creed refers to the suckler cow welfare scheme. It was agreed in the partnership agreement, Towards 2016, that a five year, €250 million suckler cow scheme would be introduced. That commitment will be honoured and no amount of misrepresentation by the Deputy——

Agriculture Sector. (30 Oct 2008)

Brendan Smith: Deputy Creed does not want to listen to the facts. The Government gave a commitment and no misrepresentation on the part of the Deputy or others will deflect attention from the fact that it is honouring that commitment, which relates to the payment of €250 million through a new five-year suckler cow scheme. The commitment will be honoured.

Departmental Policies. (30 Oct 2008)

Brendan Smith: There are 94 commitments in the programme for Government for which my Department has direct responsibility. In the first year of the Government's five-year term, 67% of these commitments have been implemented or are, by their nature, being implemented on an ongoing basis. A detailed report on progress achieved is published on the web site of the Department of the...

Departmental Policies. (30 Oct 2008)

Brendan Smith: The forestry Bill is being prepared. The Minister of State, Deputy Killeen, who cannot be with us this afternoon because he has another commitment, has done extensive work on that Bill. Deputy Sherlock has asked about the animal welfare Bill on the Order of Business on a number of occasions. He is aware that a great deal of work has already been undertaken in that regard. Significant...

Common Agricultural Policy. (30 Oct 2008)

Brendan Smith: The Common Agricultural Policy health check dossier was presented to Ministers at the informal Council meeting that was held in May. A full first round examination of the text of the dossier has been completed by the working groups. Most of the technical and linguistic issues have been addressed. Trilateral meetings took place at the meeting of the Agriculture and Fisheries Council on 29...

Common Agricultural Policy. (30 Oct 2008)

Brendan Smith: On the French Presidency's optimism or expectations on when the health check should be completed, there was an Agriculture and Fisheries Council on Monday and Tuesday of this week. The next meeting is on 18 and 19 of November and we have pencilled in another day for the end of November, around the last Friday of November. From speaking to other member states and the French Presidency, their...

Common Agricultural Policy. (30 Oct 2008)

Brendan Smith: On Deputy Creed's earlier point on the market mechanism measures, the Commission has strongly pushed for their removal. We have argued trenchantly that the aids to private storage and intervention measures are absolutely essential to ensure that this mechanism will kick in should there be a surge in supply from other continents or a dramatic reduction in demand. In our trilateral...

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. While difficult decisions had to be taken in light of the situation of the public finances, account also had to be taken of the very high level of investment by the Government in recent years, when...

Disadvantaged Areas Scheme. (30 Oct 2008)

Brendan Smith: What I stated to the House — I may have stated it twice — is that in 2007 the rate of payment was increased by 8%, and that rate of payment was continued in 2008. Obviously, that payment is continuing for all eligible applicants in next year's scheme. That 8% increase in payment is being continued. As the Deputy is aware, there is now a cut-off point of 34 hectares for payments, which...

Disadvantaged Areas Scheme. (30 Oct 2008)

Brendan Smith: My information indicates that the majority of farmers in County Kerry do not come into the category to which Deputy Sheahan refers.

Disadvantaged Areas Scheme. (30 Oct 2008)

Brendan Smith: No, it is less——

Disadvantaged Areas Scheme. (30 Oct 2008)

Brendan Smith: Less than 50% of farmers in County Kerry are affected, according to my——

Disadvantaged Areas Scheme. (30 Oct 2008)

Brendan Smith: Nationally, over 60% of farmers are not affected by this scheme because their acreage is under the cut-off point of 34 hectares. The reduction in the maximum area payable from 45 hectares to 35 hectares will result in the payments of 35,162 farmers being reduced, but in excess of 102,000 farmers are in receipt of disadvantaged area payments.

Disadvantaged Areas Scheme. (30 Oct 2008)

Brendan Smith: My understanding is that the total number of farmers in disadvantaged areas in County Kerry is 7,666, over 3,000 of whom will be affected by this particular decision. I can double check those figures for Deputy Sheahan, but I am confident that they are accurate.

Disadvantaged Areas Scheme. (30 Oct 2008)

Brendan Smith: As I have already said, and this will be the fourth time, that ——

Disadvantaged Areas Scheme. (30 Oct 2008)

Brendan Smith: I am just pointing out that over the past number of years there have been increases in different programmes. When resources were available, decisions were made to increase the level of funding towards particular programmes. Deputies may wish to dismiss an 8% increase as insignificant but I would not regard it as so for those in receipt of such payments.

Disadvantaged Areas Scheme. (30 Oct 2008)

Brendan Smith: Does Deputy Sherlock want to take that as the same question?

Disadvantaged Areas Scheme. (30 Oct 2008)

Brendan Smith: That is fine. Additional information not given on the floor of the House. 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 agrifood sector. The 2009 Estimates provide over €1.8 billion for my Department, and, when combined with EU funding of €1.4 billion, total...

Disadvantaged Areas Scheme. (30 Oct 2008)

Brendan Smith: As I outlined in previous responses, this particular payment is one of a number that are made by the Department. Some agricultural programmes are funded by the Exchequer, while others are funded by the European Union. In 2009, some €44 million will be provided for the suckler cow welfare scheme, €220 million for the disadvantaged areas scheme, €355 million for the rural environment...