Results 17,141-17,160 of 18,372 for speaker:Brendan Smith

Written Answers — Veterinary Qualifications: Veterinary Qualifications (2 Jul 2008)

Brendan Smith: While I am the sponsoring Minister for the Veterinary Practice Act 2005, which governs the regulation of veterinary practitioners and veterinary nurses, the day to day regulation of the professions is a function of the Veterinary Council of Ireland in accordance with the principles laid down in the legislation. For the first time veterinary nurses enjoy formal recognition in the legislation....

Written Answers — Afforestation Programme: Afforestation Programme (2 Jul 2008)

Brendan Smith: The current suite of Afforestation Grant and Premium Schemes, along with the various support measures, is the most financially attractive package made available in the history of forestry in Ireland. The establishment grant covers 100% of the planting costs, while the annual forestry premium is payable to farmers for 20 years. Both the grant and premium rates have been reviewed in recent...

Written Answers — Afforestation Programme: Afforestation Programme (2 Jul 2008)

Brendan Smith: The Broadleaf Thinning and Tending Scheme aims to improve the quality of broadleaf plantations by encouraging thinning and tending at a young age. While demand for all the forestry schemes is quite high this year, my Department is in the process of prioritising expenditure within the Forestry budget as a whole.

Written Answers — Farm Improvement Scheme: Farm Improvement Scheme (1 Jul 2008)

Brendan Smith: The Farm Improvement Scheme was introduced by my Department in July 2007 with funding of €79 million as agreed under the 2006 Partnership agreement, Towards 2016, and was suspended on 31 October 2007 as applications had reached this level of funding. Indeed, the terms and conditions of the Scheme specifically provided for its termination when this financial ceiling was reached. 12,675...

Written Answers — Fishing Industry Development: Fishing Industry Development (1 Jul 2008)

Brendan Smith: The National Strategic Plan for the Irish fisheries sector 2007-2013 was prepared and approved by the Minister on the 26th November 2007, it was subsequently submitted to the Commission on the 28th November 2007. The National Strategic Plan sets down a programme of support for fisheries in line with the Seafood Sector Review Group report, Steering a New Course — strategy for a...

Written Answers — Milk Quota: Milk Quota (1 Jul 2008)

Brendan Smith: The Commission proposals in the milk sector cover the full range of market management measures currently in place. While milk quota expansion is at the forefront of these proposals, considerable changes to other market management measures are also proposed. These include the abolition of private storage aid for cheese and the disposal aid for butter used in the manufacture of pastry and ice...

Written Answers — Domestic Abattoirs: Domestic Abattoirs (1 Jul 2008)

Brendan Smith: My Department has supported capital investment into the marketing and processing of agricultural products in various sectors. In December 2007 my Department invited applications in the areas of horticulture, livestock marts and small slaughterhouses and low throughput meat establishments. The closing date for receipt of applications was the 29th of February 2008. In respect of small...

Written Answers — Farm Waste Management: Farm Waste Management (1 Jul 2008)

Brendan Smith: The revised Farm Waste Management Scheme was introduced by my Department in March 2006 in order to assist farmers meet the additional requirements of the Nitrates Directive. Under the Scheme, grant-aid is available at a standard grant-rate of 60% (70% in the four Zone C counties) to farmers who complete investment works under the Scheme. As the Scheme formed part of the 2000-2006 National...

Written Answers — Road Safety: Road Safety (1 Jul 2008)

Brendan Smith: I am concerned with all levels of safety on our farms and the use of agricultural vehicles on public roads. I fully support the work of the Department of Transport, which is the lead Department for all matters relating to road safety, and also the Road Safety Authority (RSA), which is the Agency established under the aegis of the Department of Transport to take a lead role in the area of...

Written Answers — Farm Improvement Scheme: Farm Improvement Scheme (1 Jul 2008)

Brendan Smith: The Farm Improvement Scheme was introduced by my Department in July 2007 with funding of €79 million as agreed under the Partnership agreement, Towards 2016. The Scheme was suspended on 31 October 2007 as applications received has reached this level of funding. It was specifically made clear, at the time of its launch, that the Scheme would be terminated when this financial ceiling had...

Written Answers — Greenhouse Gas Emissions: Greenhouse Gas Emissions (1 Jul 2008)

Brendan Smith: Climate change has potentially serious implications not just for agriculture but for all sectors of the economy. The Irish agricultural pasture-based production system has many advantages in terms of sustainability and in a decoupled environment, efficiency of production is pursued which means that carbon emissions per unit of production are kept as low as possible. In the context of carbon...

Written Answers — Departmental Schemes: Departmental Schemes (1 Jul 2008)

Brendan Smith: At the Council of Fisheries meeting in Luxembourg last week, which Minister Killeen and I attended, EU Fisheries Commissioner Borg, undertook to come back to the next Council meeting on the 15th July with definitive proposals to address the issues facing fishermen. In the interim, I will continue to use every avenue open to me, as will Minister Killeen to convey in the strongest possible...

Written Answers — Sheep Sector: Sheep Sector (1 Jul 2008)

Brendan Smith: The series of measures announced by my predecessor last year in support of the sheep sector constitute the response to the report of the Sheep Strategy Development Group — the Malone Report. Together, these measures form a comprehensive package that recognises the importance of the sheep sector and that addresses the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead. Good progress is being made...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (1 Jul 2008)

Brendan Smith: Premia payments for ewes ceased on the introduction of the Single Farm payment in 2005 and the re-introduction of a headage payment would not be easily achieved without consequences for the Single Farm Payment. The European Parliament report, to which the Deputy refers, makes an important contribution to the ongoing consideration of the future of the sheep sector in Europe. In that context,...

Written Answers — Training Programmes: Training Programmes (1 Jul 2008)

Brendan Smith: Work is ongoing to facilitate the crew impacted by the decommissioning scheme who wish to re-train for the Merchant Navy. It should be noted that responsibility for setting the standards whereby fishermen can retrain for the Merchant Navy rests solely with the Marine Survey Office (MSO) of the Department of Transport (DoT). BIM have been working closely with the MSO in this regard and most...

Written Answers — Food Labelling: Food Labelling (1 Jul 2008)

Brendan Smith: The EU Commission reviewed the whole area of food labelling and in that context my Department contributed to Ireland's submission which was coordinated by the Department of Health & Children. The Commission subsequently brought forward a proposal for a regulation on the provision of food information to consumers. This draft regulation will be examined by Council of Health Ministers and the...

Written Answers — Departmental Schemes: Departmental Schemes (1 Jul 2008)

Brendan Smith: My colleague, Éamon Ó Cuív, has responsibility for the Rural Social Scheme (RSS) which was established to provide income support for low income farmers and fisherpersons who are in receipt of certain specified social welfare payments and to provide certain services of benefit to rural communities. The scheme is currently available to a wide variety of persons engaged in fishing activity....

Written Answers — Farm Waste Management: Farm Waste Management (1 Jul 2008)

Brendan Smith: The revised Farm Waste Management Scheme was introduced by my Department in March 2006 in order to assist farmers meet the additional requirements of the Nitrates Directive. Under the Scheme, a standard grant-rate of 60% (70% in the four Zone C counties) is available to farmers who complete investment works under the Scheme. The end-2008 deadline is a condition of the EU state aid approval...

Written Answers — Sheep Sector: Sheep Sector (1 Jul 2008)

Brendan Smith: The mixed grazing supplementary measure is available to farmers joining REPS 4. Currently, my Department is in the process of analysing the applications for REPS 4 received up to the closing date of 15 May. The number of farmers opting for the mixed grazing supplementary measure cannot be determined until this analysis is complete. The supplementary measure was approved by the European...

Written Answers — Afforestation Programme: Afforestation Programme (1 Jul 2008)

Brendan Smith: Early indications show that planting figures for 2008 should well exceed the 5,000 hectares referred to by the Deputy. It is worth emphasising that my Department has committed a total of €126 million in the current year to further the national afforestation programme. The current suite of Afforestation Grant and Premium Schemes, along with the various support measures, is the most...