Results 17,281-17,300 of 18,372 for speaker:Brendan Smith

Written Answers — Fishing Industry Development: Fishing Industry Development (25 Jun 2008)

Brendan Smith: Bord Iascaigh Mhara (BIM), the Irish Sea Fisheries Board, is the independent, statutory agency with responsibility for developing sustainable Irish Sea Fishing and Aquaculture industries. The deployment of staff within the agency is a matter for BIM exclusively, in which the Minister has no role.

Written Answers — Fishing Industry Development: Fishing Industry Development (25 Jun 2008)

Brendan Smith: The escalation of fuel costs is a result of global economic, market and political conditions. The Common Fishery Policy (CFP) has no remit as regards the pricing of fuel in the market place. It is important to note that the fishing industry in Ireland already receives favourable treatment in the form of a full rebate on excise and VAT on marine fuel, if the enterprise concerned is registered...

Written Answers — Foreshore Licences: Foreshore Licences (25 Jun 2008)

Brendan Smith: The information requested by the Deputy is not immediately available and will require an extensive examination of the Department's files, which has been commenced. When this has been completed, the information will be communicated to the Deputy without delay.

Written Answers — Foreshore Licences: Foreshore Licences (25 Jun 2008)

Brendan Smith: My Department currently has no function in relation to the development of marine leisure facilities (including marinas).

Written Answers — European Council Meetings: European Council Meetings (25 Jun 2008)

Brendan Smith: Minister Killeen and I yesterday attended the Council of Fisheries meeting in Luxembourg where we conveyed in the strongest possible terms the depth of feeling of Irish fishermen on this matter and the seriousness of the situation facing them. We outlined a strong case for a package of EU-funded measures to address the current difficulties experienced by fishermen across Europe but,...

Written Answers — Farm Retirement Scheme: Farm Retirement Scheme (25 Jun 2008)

Brendan Smith: It is a requirement of the EU Council Regulations under which the Early Retirement Schemes were introduced that the Early Retirement pension can be paid only as a supplement to any national retirement pension to which the participant, and his or her spouse or partner in a joint management arrangement, is entitled. This means that the value of any such national retirement pension must be...

Written Answers — Farm Retirement Scheme: Farm Retirement Scheme (25 Jun 2008)

Brendan Smith: One of the requirements for entrants to the Early Retirement Scheme is that they undertake to cease all commercial farming activity definitively. As Scheme participants can no longer be regarded as active farmers for the purposes of forestry grants, any lands planted by them after the date they join the Early Retirement Scheme can only attract grants or premiums at the non-farmer rate....

Written Answers — Farm Retirement Scheme: Farm Retirement Scheme (25 Jun 2008)

Brendan Smith: The maximum level of pension payable under the current Early Retirement Scheme, which is €15,000 per annum, was agreed with the farming organizations in the context of the negotiations on the partnership agreement Towards 2016.

Written Answers — Fisheries Protection: Fisheries Protection (25 Jun 2008)

Brendan Smith: The domestic conservation measures for sea bass are kept under review on a regular basis, in light of scientific assessments by the Central Fisheries Board and the Marine Institute on the state of sea bass stocks. There are three measures in place to protect sea bass: The (Bass (Conservation of Stocks) Regulations 2006 (S.I. No. 203 of 2006)) prohibits Irish sea-fishing boats from fishing...

Written Answers — EU Directives: EU Directives (25 Jun 2008)

Brendan Smith: All EC Directives issued since 1973 and relevant to this Department have been transposed and thus implemented into national legislation with the exception of Council Directive 2006/88/EC and those that were recently issued and not yet due for transposition. The outstanding Directive will be transposed shortly and it is intended that all recently issued Directives will be transposed and...

Written Answers — Rural Environment Protection Scheme: Rural Environment Protection Scheme (24 Jun 2008)

Brendan Smith: The person named began his REPS 4 contract on 1 December 2007.

Written Answers — Fishing Industry Development: Fishing Industry Development (24 Jun 2008)

Brendan Smith: Total Allowable Catches (TACs) and quotas for the majority of commercial fish stocks in European waters are proposed by the Commission each year for the following year, taking account, inter alia, of the scientific evidence on the state of each stock and the respective management measures in place. These proposals are the subject of extensive negotiations at the Agriculture and Fisheries...

Written Answers — Fishing Industry Development: Fishing Industry Development (24 Jun 2008)

Brendan Smith: BIM have to date implemented and promoted the "Environmentally Friendly Fishing Gear and Fuel Monitoring Equipment Grant Aid Scheme". This scheme provided grants of up to 40% to improve efficiency and conservation methods on board fishing vessels. These measures will, on adoption of the new Operational Programme for Fisheries 2007-2013, continue to be supported by the new European Fisheries...

Written Answers — Fishing Industry Development: Fishing Industry Development (24 Jun 2008)

Brendan Smith: Regulation (EC) No. 882/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council of the 29th April 2004 sets out the official controls to be performed to ensure the verification of compliance with feed and food law, animal health and animal welfare rules. The general obligations with regard to the organisation of official controls shall ensure that official controls are carried out regularly, on a...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (24 Jun 2008)

Brendan Smith: Two Transfer of Entitlement applications were received on 13 May 2008 from the person named requesting the transfer of 14.7 standard entitlements and 16.74 standard entitlements by way of sale without land to third parties. The requested transfers were fully processed on 16 June 2008 and the person named was notified in writing of the successful outcome of the applications.

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (24 Jun 2008)

Brendan Smith: The REPS contract in this case commenced on 1 November 2004 and four annual payments have been made. The person named will be able to apply for his fifth and final payment under this contract after his next anniversary date, which is 1 November 2008.

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (24 Jun 2008)

Brendan Smith: Payment dated 17 June 2008 has issued to the person named.

Written Answers — Departmental Correspondence: Departmental Correspondence (24 Jun 2008)

Brendan Smith: I propose to take Questions Nos. 272 to 274, inclusive, together. My Department has been in contact with the person named in the questions. However, the exact nature of the issue involved is not as yet clear to my staff. It appears to relate to a Vesting Order completed in 1988 where plots were surrendered and exchanged. If the person named sets out the exact nature of his query in writing...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (24 Jun 2008)

Brendan Smith: To date no application for payment has been received in my Department from the person named. He has until 30 June 2008 to lodge his application without penalty.

Written Answers — Fisheries Protection: Fisheries Protection (24 Jun 2008)

Brendan Smith: A preliminary TAC (Total Allowable Catch) was set for Celtic Sea cod at the December 2007 Agriculture and Fisheries Council. At that Council it was agreed that a final TAC would be established after a review of the scientific evidence relating to the state of the stock, in the first half of 2008. In March this year, a scientific paper was submitted to the European Commission by the Research...