Results 16,781-16,800 of 18,372 for speaker:Brendan Smith

Written Answers — Fishing Industry: Fishing Industry (7 Oct 2008)

Brendan Smith: The current funding available for decommissioning is provided to enable immediate decommissioning of vessels from the fleet so as to improve the economic viability of the remainder of the fleet. The general position in the Irish fishing industry in recent years is that there has been an overall shortage of crewmen. Accordingly, and as only a portion of the fleet is being decommissioned, it...

Written Answers — Foreshore Licences: Foreshore Licences (7 Oct 2008)

Brendan Smith: An application for a foreshore lease to facilitate construction of rock armour, infilling and construction of a pontoon at Rockhouse, Kilmacsimon, was received by my Department on 3 August 2007. The application was circulated to the Department's technical consultees in line with normal procedures. All of the Department's technical consultees have responded and have no objection to the...

Written Answers — Environmental Policy: Environmental Policy (7 Oct 2008)

Brendan Smith: The requirements in relation to ploughing are set out in the Nitrates Regulations introduced by the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government in 2006 (SI No. 378 of 2006). These Regulations require that: When ploughing arable land between 1 July and 15 January green cover must be provided from a sown crop within six weeks. Grassland ploughed between 1 July and 15 October...

Written Answers — Greenhouse Gas Emissions: Greenhouse Gas Emissions (7 Oct 2008)

Brendan Smith: The website of the Government's climate change awareness campaign, www.change.ie, provides a carbon calculator which enables everyone to work out their own carbon footprint. Using this tool, my Department has estimated that the carbon emissions related to air travel arising in the course of my ministerial functions since May 2008 amounted to 3.4 tonnes, all of which will be fully offset...

Written Answers — Harbours and Piers: Harbours and Piers (7 Oct 2008)

Brendan Smith: The pier at Doolin is the property of Clare County Council and responsibility for its repair and upkeep rests with the Local Authority in the first instance. My Department does, however, co-fund maintenance and development works with various Local Authorities under the Fishery Harbour and Coastal Infrastructure Development Programme. In late 2007, my Department invited applications for...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (7 Oct 2008)

Brendan Smith: The claim for payment lodged by the person named is being processed by my Department. I would expect that payment will be made in the near future provided that the claim is in compliance with the terms and conditions of the Scheme.

Written Answers — Veterinary Inspection Service: Veterinary Inspection Service (7 Oct 2008)

Brendan Smith: The veterinary profession has my full confidence and support. The profession plays a pivotal role in the development of our agriculture and food sectors and its members expertise and commitment in the area of animal diseases has enabled our livestock sector to progress and improve and, by so doing, to provide a safe raw material for our developing food industry. With developments in the...

Written Answers — Veterinary Inspection Service: Veterinary Inspection Service (7 Oct 2008)

Brendan Smith: The purpose of the AHCS1 form is to permit testing veterinary practitioners to manually submit amendments to test details that have already been submitted electronically. These corrections generally relate to matters such as the sex, breed, colour, ID number of animals, as well as herd identifier, date and details of test results. The acceptance of submitted corrections on the AHCS 1 forms...

Written Answers — Departmental Programmes: Departmental Programmes (7 Oct 2008)

Brendan Smith: The EU school milk scheme provides financial assistance to dairies for supplying certain milk products to educational establishments. The aim of the scheme is to promote the consumption and the nutritional benefits of milk. The scheme is co-funded by the EU and the Exchequer. In the school year 2007/08, the number of schools participating in the scheme was 1,356. The Exchequer...

Written Answers — Rural Environment Protection Scheme: Rural Environment Protection Scheme (7 Oct 2008)

Brendan Smith: The mixed grazing supplementary measure is available to farmers joining REPS 4 and was approved by the European Commission on the basis of the environmental benefits accruing from following a mixed grazing regime. Payments of €1.112m have been made in respect of REPS 4 contracts commencing in 2007 of which €9,000 relates to the mixed grazing supplementary measure. Some 11,600 applications...

Written Answers — Coastal Erosion: Coastal Erosion (7 Oct 2008)

Brendan Smith: My Department is currently responsible for the administration of the Coastal Protection Programme. The total budget for the 2008 Coastal Protection Programme is €3.037 million. The projects that are approved for funding under the 2008 Coastal Protection Programme were announced by my Department on 30 April 2008.

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (7 Oct 2008)

Brendan Smith: 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 of the three reference years, farmers were subsequently free to trade entitlements, some farmers obtained additional entitlements from the National Reserve, others forfeited entitlements to the...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (7 Oct 2008)

Brendan Smith: An application under the 2007 Single Payment Scheme was received from the person named on 15 May 2007. As part of the control procedures under EU rules governing the Scheme, the application was selected for an on-farm inspection, during the course of which discrepancies were found in relation to seven of the land parcels declared by the person named. As a result of this discrepancy, the...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (7 Oct 2008)

Brendan Smith: Modulated funds of €225.5m are an integral part of the overall funding available for the 2007-2013 Rural Development Programme. The total funding for this programme amounts to €5.778bn from three sources: EU co-funding €2.114bn, Modulation €0.225bn, Exchequer €3.439bn. The Programme addresses three priorities, competitiveness, the environment and the wider rural economy, and...

Written Answers — Farm Waste Management: Farm Waste Management (7 Oct 2008)

Brendan Smith: 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 strictly this deadline.

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (7 Oct 2008)

Brendan Smith: Payments under the 2008 Disadvantaged Areas Scheme commenced on 24 September, with payments issuing in respect of all applicants whose applications were clear for payment at that stage. Payments worth in excess of €203 million issued to over 82,000 farmers in the initial payment run. Payments continue to issue as further cases subsequently become clear on a daily basis; to date, payments...

Written Answers — Aquaculture Development: Aquaculture Development (7 Oct 2008)

Brendan Smith: Bord Iascaigh Mhara and Údarás na Gaeltachta are the relevant agencies with responsibility for the development of aquaculture in Ireland. I am advised by BIM that indications of interest in investment proposals for fish farming projects have been received from seven applicants in the South Kerry area, with a proposed total investment value in the region of €1 million.

Written Answers — Aquaculture Development: Aquaculture Development (7 Oct 2008)

Brendan Smith: On Friday 3rd October a Statutory Instrument providing for the opening of the mussel seed fishery in Cromane permitting vessels to collect and relay mussel seed in the bay for the remainder of the current 2008 fishing season was signed. The fishery opened on Sunday 5th October 2008.

Written Answers — Farm Waste Management: Farm Waste Management (7 Oct 2008)

Brendan Smith: The information requested by the Deputy in relation to the Farm Waste Management Scheme is as follows: Number Summary Applications 48,580 Completed Applications 46,132 Approvals Issued to Commence Work (To Date) 42,350 Completed and Paid (To Date) 10,495

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (7 Oct 2008)

Brendan Smith: 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 strictly this deadline.