Results 16,661-16,680 of 18,496 for speaker:Brendan Smith

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

Brendan Smith: One of the key challenges facing us in the medium term will be to ensure that Irish farming and the agri-food sector is at the heart of an evolving high-value food market, which is focussed on quality, competitiveness and innovation. This is at the core of Government strategy, as evidenced by the National Development Plan 2007-2013, AgriVision 2015 and the Partnership Agreement Towards 2016....

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

Brendan Smith: I am well aware of the impact of the measures introduced in the 2009 Budget for my Department. The Budget was framed against the background of a serious deterioration in the public finances and required difficult decisions to be made on the allocation of the resources available. I made these decisions in the best interests of the sector following detailed analysis of my Department's programme...

Written Answers — Installation Aid Scheme: Installation Aid Scheme (30 Oct 2008)

Brendan Smith: I have no plans at present to reopen the Young Farmers' Installation Scheme to new applicants.

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

Brendan Smith: I propose to take Questions Nos. 230 and 231 together. The agri-food and fish, or 'bio-sector' remains Ireland's largest indigenous employer with a unique regional spread and accounts for over 32% of our net foreign earnings from primary and manufacturing industries. The sector is characterized by resilience and a capacity to adapt to meet new challenges and opportunities in changing times...

Written Answers — Alternative Farm Enterprises: Alternative Farm Enterprises (30 Oct 2008)

Brendan Smith: To encourage the cultivation of energy crops, my Department introduced a number of new incentives in 2007 including a new National Energy Crop Premium of €80 per hectare to supplement the EU Premium of €45 per hectare available under the EU Energy Crops Scheme. The Department also launched a new Bioenergy Scheme in February 2007 to provide establishment grants worth €1,450 per hectare...

Written Answers — Installation Aid Scheme: Installation Aid Scheme (30 Oct 2008)

Brendan Smith: All fully completed applications made under the Young Farmers' Installation Scheme and received by my Department up to and including 14 October 2008 will be processed and, if in order, payment will be made.

Farm Retirement and Installation Aid Schemes. (30 Oct 2008)

Brendan Smith: Data from the CSO's Farm Structures Survey 2005 estimated that 8% of farm holders were under the age of 35. This figure is in line with the EU average and reflects the broad range of incentives in place to encourage the early transfer of family farms. These incentives include extensive tax reliefs that allow for family farms to be transferred without incurring stamp duty, capital gains tax...

Farm Retirement and Installation Aid Schemes. (30 Oct 2008)

Brendan Smith: We are not robbing Peter to pay Paul. Resources available to the Department are being allocated. Next year, in excess of €9 million will be paid out in new installation aid scheme approvals. Those are applications that are in hand at present and will be processed and approved in 2009. Up to €48 million will be paid out under the early retirement scheme. The position is that both...

Farm Retirement and Installation Aid Schemes. (30 Oct 2008)

Brendan Smith: The decision to suspend both schemes to new applicants was due to budgetary constraints. I have already indicated that those people who have had their completed applications with the Department — there are approximately 600 — will be processed. When they meet the necessary criteria and are approved, funding is in place——

Farm Retirement and Installation Aid Schemes. (30 Oct 2008)

Brendan Smith: I have outlined clearly that both schemes are suspended for new applicants. The limiting of the suspension of the schemes will be considered at the earliest opportunity but with regard to the current budgetary constraints. In 2009 in excess of €9 million will be allocated and approved for the young farmer installation aid scheme and €48 million will be paid out in the early retirement...

Farm Retirement and Installation Aid Schemes. (30 Oct 2008)

Brendan Smith: The last question was relevant. If the Deputy wants to dismiss——

Farm Retirement and Installation Aid Schemes. (30 Oct 2008)

Brendan Smith: Against the background of the deterioration in public finances, my approach in preparing the 2009 Estimates for the Department was to focus available resources on the measures that allow us to maintain and grow the productive capacity of the agrifood sector. There has been a high level of investment in developing this sector in recent years, with the commitment of significant financial...

Farm Retirement and Installation Aid Schemes. (30 Oct 2008)

Brendan Smith: Like Deputy Sherlock, I have spoken to people who were in the process of preparing their applications, whether under the early retirement scheme or the young farmers' installation scheme, and I know of the disappointment and the break in planning for handing on the farm to the next generation that results. There is never an easy time to suspend or, as has happened in the past, to abolish...

Farm Retirement and Installation Aid Schemes. (30 Oct 2008)

Brendan Smith: I do not accept Deputy Sherlock's contention. I can empathise fully——

Farm Retirement and Installation Aid Schemes. (30 Oct 2008)

Brendan Smith: I have spoken to as many people as Deputy Sherlock who are disappointed that the scheme has been suspended for the present. In the past, when the Deputy's own party was in Government, a scheme was suspended even for those whose applications were with the Department. In this scheme, only entry for new applicants has been suspended, and all applicants who have submitted their completed...

Agriculture Sector. (30 Oct 2008)

Brendan Smith: The 2009 Estimates provide over €1.8 billion for the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and, when combined with EU funding of €1.4 billion, that means that total expenditure in 2009 by the Department will amount to over €3.2 billion. 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...

Agriculture Sector. (30 Oct 2008)

Brendan Smith: I dismiss Deputy Creed's suggestion that the budget is a discussion document.

Agriculture Sector. (30 Oct 2008)

Brendan Smith: Deputy Creed might listen for a change. He misquoted Deputy Máire Hoctor, the Minister of State at the Department of Health and Children. The Minister of State did not say any such thing at the meeting with the ICSA.

Agriculture Sector. (30 Oct 2008)

Brendan Smith: I checked it with the Minister of State and she gave me the accurate report. She outlined clearly to a spokesperson for the ICSA that of all the contributions she had heard in the room, nobody had suggested alternatives in terms of how funding could be transferred from one subhead to another. The Minister of State, Deputy Hoctor, has been misrepresented, as the Deputy has done just now....

Agriculture Sector. (30 Oct 2008)

Brendan Smith: When somebody is misrepresented in the House, I want to correct it. I stated here that we had to make difficult decisions. This Department did not take a bigger hit than any other Department.