Results 17,481-17,500 of 18,372 for speaker:Brendan Smith
- Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (15 May 2008)
Brendan Smith: The person named is an applicant under the Farm Improvement Scheme. Applications under this Scheme are being processed by my Department up to the level of funding provided for the Scheme in the 2006 Partnership agreement, Towards 2016. The application concerned is, therefore, eligible for consideration and will be processed subject to funding still being available at that time.
- Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (15 May 2008)
Brendan Smith: The person named is an applicant under the Farm Improvement Scheme. Applications under this Scheme are being processed by my Department up to the level of funding provided for the Scheme in the 2006 Partnership agreement, Towards 2016. The application concerned is, therefore, eligible for consideration and will be processed subject to funding still being available at that time.
- Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (15 May 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 even in hill areas would not be easily achieved without consequences for the Single Farm Payment. My predecessor raised the difficulties in the sheep sector at the EU Council of Agriculture Ministers last March. Commissioner Fisher Boel has indicated that the...
- Written Answers — Rural Environment Protection Scheme: Rural Environment Protection Scheme (15 May 2008)
Brendan Smith: One of the eligibility criteria for REPS 4 is that a farmer must be farming at least 3 hectares of owned or leased land, but the rule is not absolute. Other lands can be included to satisfy the three hectare requirement with the prior approval of my Department.
- Written Answers — Rural Environment Protection Scheme: Rural Environment Protection Scheme (15 May 2008)
Brendan Smith: The environmental objectives of the Traditional Sustainable Grazing and the Mixed Grazing supplementary measures can be delivered only through a controlled grazing regime. It is possible to undertake these measures only on lands which are under the sole control of the farmer, which excludes commonage. Commonage land must be farmed to the farming conditions set out in the relevant Commonage...
- Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (15 May 2008)
Brendan Smith: Category C of the 2007 National Reserve caters for sheep farmers for whom at least 40% of their Single Payment was derived from direct payments associated with sheep production (Ewe Premium/Rural Word Premium) during the reference period and where their existing Single Payment is less than â¬10,000. This is a non-mandatory category. The EU Regulations provide that in allocating entitlements...
- Written Answers — European Council Meetings: European Council Meetings (15 May 2008)
Brendan Smith: The information requested is contained in the following schedule. Council Date Number of Decisions A Points 10 May 2005 (Informal) â â 30/31 May 2005 1 Ã Political Agreement 14 20/21 June 2005 1 Ã Political agreement 20 18 July 2005 â 19 11 September 2005 (Informal) â â 19 September 2005 â 42 24/25 October 2005 2 Ã Political agreement 13 22/24 November 2005 â 9...
- Written Answers — EU Regulations: EU Regulations (15 May 2008)
Brendan Smith: Regulation (EC) 853 of 2004 lays down specific rules on the hygiene of food of animal origin for food business operators. Annex I to Regulation (EC) 853/2004 defines meat as the edible parts of a specified list of animals. This list does not include canine or feline animals, and the slaughter of such animals for consumption by humans and the sale of such meat is therefore unlawful in the EU....
- Written Answers — Coastal Protection: Coastal Protection (15 May 2008)
Brendan Smith: The dunes at Burrow Beach, Burrow Road, Sutton, Co. Dublin are owned by Fingal County Council and responsibility for their maintenance and development is a matter for the Local Authority in the first instance. However, I am pleased to announce that under my Department's 2008 Coastal Protection Programme, grant aid of â¬50,000 has been allocated towards the protection of the Dunes at Burrow...
- Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (15 May 2008)
Brendan Smith: The issues that had delayed processing of schemes in these offices have been resolved and payments will commence shortly.
- Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (15 May 2008)
Brendan Smith: The person named has submitted an application for consideration of an allocation under Category C of the 2007 National Reserve which caters for sheep farmers for whom at least 40% of their Single Payment was derived from direct payments associated with sheep production (Ewe Premium/Rural Word Premium) during the reference period and where their existing Single Payment is less than â¬10,000....
- Written Answers — Departmental Contracts: Departmental Contracts (15 May 2008)
Brendan Smith: In the past 18 months, the services of the following firms or barristers have been retained by my Department. Solicitors Engagement Purpose Fees/Estimate Arthur Cox Advice and drafting in relation to environmental, ecological and EU Law â¬42,029.46 for the period 29.01.08 to 31.03.08 ongoing Philip Lee, Solicitors Advice on Public Procurement â¬7,708.31 Baristers Engagement Purpose...
- Written Answers — Fishing Industry Development: Fishing Industry Development (14 May 2008)
Brendan Smith: The Operational Programme (O.P) for Fisheries for Ireland has not been rejected by the Commission. As part of the normal consultative process for approval, the Commission adopts a negotiating position where it sets out how the OP should be improved and completed to meet the Commission's quality requirement for the programme. The Commission Negotiating position was received on the 22nd of...
- Written Answers — Rural Environment Protection Scheme: Rural Environment Protection Scheme (14 May 2008)
Brendan Smith: In 2006, the European Commission classified willow as an agriculture crop. The Commission subsequently introduced Council Regulation 2012/2006 authorising Member States to grant national aid of up to 50% of the costs associated with establishing permanent crops (willow and miscanthus). This Regulation provides the legal basis of the Bioenergy Scheme, which my Department introduced in February...
- Written Answers — Fisheries Industry Development: Fisheries Industry Development (14 May 2008)
Brendan Smith: Grant aid schemes for aquaculture and processing measures under the European Fisheries Fund Regulation 2007â2013 will be launched as soon as the relevant approvals are in place. For measures being partly supported with EU aid, the Commission must approve the national Operational Programme for Fisheries. The Operational Programme (O.P) for Fisheries for Ireland has been submitted to the...
- Written Answers — Licence Applications: Licence Applications (14 May 2008)
Brendan Smith: I refer the Deputy to the response to Question No. 47 of 6 November 2007 which indicated, inter alia, that 254 applications were being processed as new applications, licence renewals or licences undergoing review. Since then, the Department has received 17 new applications, 10 applications to renew a licence and 3 applications to review a licence. The licensing procedure is lengthy and...
- Written Answers — Fisheries Industry Development: Fisheries Industry Development (14 May 2008)
Brendan Smith: The Operational Programme (O.P) for Fisheries for Ireland has not been rejected by the Commission. As part of the normal consultative process for approval, the Commission adopts a negotiating position where it sets out how the OP should be improved and completed to meet the Commission's quality requirement for the programme. The Commission Negotiating position was received on the 22nd of...
- Written Answers — Sheep Sector: Sheep Sector (14 May 2008)
Brendan Smith: I am aware of this report which contributes to the ongoing consideration of the future of the sheep sector in Europe. In that context my predecessor raised the issue at the EU Council of Agriculture Ministers last March. Commissioner Fisher Boel has indicated that the needs of the sector would be borne in mind in the CAP "Health Check". The mixed grazing supplementary measure under REPS 4...
- Written Answers — Farm Inspections: Farm Inspections (14 May 2008)
Brendan Smith: The position is that a Commission report on the application of cross-compliance was presented to the April 2007 Agriculture Council and Council conclusions were adopted in June 2007. One of issues covered in the conclusions was advance notice of inspections. Council and Commission Regulations are now in place implementing the new arrangements with effect from 1 January 2008. Under the new...
- Written Answers — Sheep Sector: Sheep Sector (14 May 2008)
Brendan Smith: This is one of the recommendations in the report by Liam Aylward, MEP, to the European Parliament on the future of the sheep and goat sectors, which is being examined. I support the principle of maximum price transparency at all levels. In Ireland producer prices at export meat plants are published weekly by An Bord Bia. This includes a comparison with EU lamb markets. One of the...