Results 17,121-17,140 of 18,372 for speaker:Brendan Smith

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (8 Jul 2008)

Brendan Smith: The Comptroller and Auditor General (Amendment) Act 1993, the Strategic Management Initiative and the Public Service Management Act 1997 emphasised the need for increased efficiency and effectiveness in the use of public resources and set the background for the Expenditure Review process. Under this initiative, my Department carries out Value for Money and Policy Reviews on major spending...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (8 Jul 2008)

Brendan Smith: The Value for Money Review on the Fallen Animals Scheme commenced recently. It is expected that the review will be completed in the coming months.

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (8 Jul 2008)

Brendan Smith: There are 4751 staff (4,287 full-time equivalents) currently employed in my Department which includes staff employed to cover Term Time, Job Sharing etc. None of these staff have to remain at home due to not having office space or workstations although a number work from home on an agreed basis.

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (8 Jul 2008)

Brendan Smith: Staffing levels in my Department's offices in Louth, Meath and Cavan, as in all areas of my Department, are subject to constant review. Where vacancies that need to be filled are identified, recruitment of clerical staff is carried out on behalf of my Department by the Public Appointments Service or posts are filled by transfers of staff.

Written Answers — Bovine Disease Controls: Bovine Disease Controls (8 Jul 2008)

Brendan Smith: My Department does not levy any charges against processors in respect of scrapie testing and any charges that may be levied by processors for such testing is a commercial matter between the processor and the farmer for which I do not have any responsibility.

Written Answers — Installation Aid Scheme: Installation Aid Scheme (8 Jul 2008)

Brendan Smith: Grant-aid under the Installation Aid Scheme was paid by my Department to the person concerned on 2 July 2008.

Written Answers — Departmental Agencies: Departmental Agencies (8 Jul 2008)

Brendan Smith: Details of the administrative costs of State agencies funded by my Department are available in their Annual Reports, or directly from the agencies themselves.

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (8 Jul 2008)

Brendan Smith: There are no staff in my Department who work at the national minimum wage.

Written Answers — Farm Waste Management: Farm Waste Management (8 Jul 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 and my Department has recently written to all approved farmers under the Scheme reminding them of the importance of compliance with this deadline in order to avail of the generous...

Written Answers — Departmental Reports: Departmental Reports (8 Jul 2008)

Brendan Smith: The information requested is being compiled and will be forwarded to the Deputy as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Milk Quota: Milk Quota (8 Jul 2008)

Brendan Smith: Allocations of milk quota from the National Reserve in respect of Hardship cases are granted on the basis of recommendations from the Milk Quota Appeals Tribunal. The closing date for receipt of applications in respect of the current 2008/2009 milk quota year was Friday 27th June. My Department is currently processing these applications, and the Tribunal has also commenced consideration of...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (8 Jul 2008)

Brendan Smith: The application for a REPS 3 payment from the person named was received in my Department on 24 June 2008 and is being processed in accordance with the REPS terms and conditions and the timeframes set out in the Charter of Rights for Farmers.

Written Answers — Milk Quota: Milk Quota (3 Jul 2008)

Brendan Smith: Allocations of milk quota from the National Reserve are granted on the basis of recommendations from the Milk Quota Appeals Tribunal. The Tribunal examines and makes recommendations on applications for additional quota from individual producers. The named person submitted an application in the Hardship category for the 2007/2008 milk quota year. The Tribunal considered this application on 8th...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (3 Jul 2008)

Brendan Smith: The application in question is currently under evaluation and will be subject to a field inspection. I have asked my officials to expedite consideration of the case.

Written Answers — Land Reclassification: Land Reclassification (3 Jul 2008)

Brendan Smith: An official from my Department has been in communication with the person named and with a firm of Solicitors acting on his behalf, setting out details of the commonage shares on hands and their origin. My Department's position is that the person named has a claim to only one of the shares and not three shares as claimed by him. It is the view of my officials that it would be best if a meeting...

Written Answers — Decentralisation Programme: Decentralisation Programme (3 Jul 2008)

Brendan Smith: The information requested is set out in tabular form. Office Location Posts Number moved % of original target Number assigned, not yet moved % Department HQ Portlaoise 600 274 46 96 Fisheries Clonakilty 90 81 90 — Cork local offices Fermoy Up to 100 0 0 25 Cork Labs (3) & Limerick Labs (2) Macroom Up to 100 0 0 25 Bord Bia Enniscorthy 76 0 0 15* Bord Iascaigh Mhara Clonakilty...

Written Answers — Efficiency Reviews: Efficiency Reviews (3 Jul 2008)

Brendan Smith: My Department is engaged in on-going efforts to improve efficiency and has reduced staff numbers significantly in recent years. As part of the most recent Efficiency Review, my Department again reviewed all aspects of expenditure with a view to identifying possible savings on administrative spending. The exercise has included the bodies within the aegis of my Department. I will be...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (3 Jul 2008)

Brendan Smith: During the years 2004 to 2008, 133 staff in the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food either received or are currently receiving support to participate in post graduate educational courses.

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (2 Jul 2008)

Brendan Smith: The person named submitted an application for an allocation of entitlements from the 2005 National Reserve under Categories B and D. Category B catered for farmers who made an investment in production capacity in a farming sector for which a direct payment under Livestock Premia and/or Arable Aid schemes would have been payable during the reference period 2000-2002. Investments could include...

Written Answers — Milk Quota: Milk Quota (2 Jul 2008)

Brendan Smith: The Council of Agriculture Ministers provided for the introduction of a Dairy Premium in 2004 as part of the CAP Mid-Term Review agreement in June 2003. The agreement also provided for the decoupling of the Dairy Premium to become part of the Single Payment Scheme, which was also introduced as part of that agreement. Council Regulation (EC) No. 1782/2003 provided that the Dairy Premium could...