Results 16,601-16,620 of 18,496 for speaker:Brendan Smith

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 Of these, 14 have been approved for payment, 9 are being processed and 1 application has been withdrawn.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,...

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

Brendan Smith: The Irish Dairy Board and the National Dairy Council are the main bodies responsible for promoting the sale of dairy products. The Irish Dairy Board is a commercial co-operative that markets Irish Dairy products internationally and is jointly owned by the milk processors who sell their products through it. Of course, the dairy processing firms also take a lead role in the marketing of their...

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

Brendan Smith: Given the public finances situation, 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. Having chosen to protect expenditure in certain areas, savings had to be found in other areas to meet current budgetary requirements. In relation to the Scheme...

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 — Food Industry: Food Industry (30 Oct 2008)

Brendan Smith: As announced in the Budget I confirm that the seafood marketing and promotion element of Bord Iascaigh Mhara is to be merged with An Bord Bia. My ambition is that the transfer will be effective from early in 2009 subject to the appropriate legal instruments being in place.

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

Brendan Smith: The final decision as to what products will be declared as sensitive in the context of a trade deal in the World Trade Organisation has not been made. However, at this stage there is a recognition by EU Member States and other trading partners that beef and, indeed, poultry will almost certainly be declared as sensitive, with a number of other products under consideration. The actual...

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 — Poultry Industry: Poultry Industry (30 Oct 2008)

Brendan Smith: Michael D O'Connor, Sons & Co Ltd has been liquidated and a new company, Cappoquin Poultry Ltd, has been registered and will continue to process poultry in the former O'Connor's premises. Approximately 120 people will be employed. Following the announcement of the appointment of a liquidator to O'Connor's, a meeting was held on 19 September 2008 in Dungarvan involving Enterprise Ireland,...

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

Brendan Smith: The labelling of imported and Irish-produced poultry is checked on an ongoing basis by inspectors of my Department in accordance with European Communities legislation on the marketing standards for poultrymeat. For example, around 1,300 such inspections were conducted in 2007. The legislation requires, inter alia, that the use-by date be displayed on fresh poultry and that the country of...

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

Brendan Smith: I propose to take Questions Nos. 64, 68 and 89 together. The deadline of 31 December 2008 for completion of work by farmers under the revised Farm Waste Management Scheme introduced by my Department in March 2006 is a condition of the EU state aid approval for the Scheme. The European Commission has since reaffirmed that it expects Ireland to respect this deadline strictly.

Written Answers — Sheepmeat Sector: Sheepmeat Sector (30 Oct 2008)

Brendan Smith: The Sheep Strategy Implementation group recommended an agreed price reporting system for sheep to give full information to producers on prices achieved in different plants on a quality graded basis. This is however contingent on the implementation of an agreed pricing grid which is an important element in building producer confidence in the production of better quality animals. This is...

Written Answers — Rural Environment Protection Scheme: Rural Environment Protection Scheme (30 Oct 2008)

Brendan Smith: REPS is an agri-environmental measure, and for that reason payments to farmers must be costed and justified on the basis of quantifiable environmental benefits that go beyond keeping land in good agricultural and environmental condition and observing the statutory management requirements of the Single Payment Scheme. No element of the REPS payment can be justified on the basis of a...

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

Brendan Smith: The provision of 100% grants for the establishment costs of afforestation has been a key element of national forestry policy and is considered essential to overcome the traditional reluctance to plant and in recognition of the long-term commitment of land to forestry. However, the maximum grant aid available to applicants in Ireland for any afforestation scheme co-funded from EU and Exchequer...

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

Brendan Smith: There are some 52 staff in my Department engaged in administering the Early Retirement and Young Farmers' Installation Schemes. My Department has reduced staff numbers by over 500 staff in the last four years and has redeployed another 500 from declining and discontinued schemes to new areas of work. Furthermore, my Department is committed to reducing overall numbers by another 250 to reach...

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

Brendan Smith: The following is the value of payments issued in respect of the Single Payment Scheme for the years 2005, 2006 and 2007: 2005: €1,193 billion; 2006: €1,249 billion; 2007: €1,240 billion. Payments under the Single Payment Scheme are governed by a number of factors: while payment entitlements were initially calculated by reference to scheme participation of individuals during one or more...

Written Answers — Bovine Disease Controls: Bovine Disease Controls (30 Oct 2008)

Brendan Smith: The requirements in relation to BSE testing of cattle are provided for in Regulation (EC) No.999/2001 of the European Parliament and of the Council which lays down rules for the prevention, control and eradication of certain transmissible spongiform encephalopathies. The current prescribed age for testing cattle that are being slaughtered for human consumption is 30 months and I do not have...

Written Answers — Fishing Fleet Protection: Fishing Fleet Protection (30 Oct 2008)

Brendan Smith: Ireland submitted a detailed, costed set of proposals to the EU Commission on 12th September. In keeping with my previous stance on the matter, and supported by the Commission's policy document of 8 July, these proposals sought additional EU funding of €32m to support the restructuring of the fishing fleet in line with the provisions of EU Regulation 744/2008 instituting a temporary...