Results 17,621-17,640 of 18,496 for speaker:Brendan Smith

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...

Written Answers — Registration of Entitlements: Registration of Entitlements (14 May 2008)

Brendan Smith: The rules governing the registration and transfer of payment entitlements are set out in Council Regulation 1782/2003, Commission Regulation 796/2004 and Commission Regulation 795/2004. The 40 standard entitlements in question were established by the first person named and his late brother as joint herd owners during the reference period. While the herd number previously held in the joint...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (14 May 2008)

Brendan Smith: REPS is an agri-environmental measure, and for that reason payments to farmers must be costed and justified on the basis of quantifiable environmental benefits that go beyond keeping land in good agricultural and environmental condition and observing the statutory management requirements of the Single Payment Scheme. No element of the REPS payment can be justified on the basis of a...

Written Answers — World Trade Negotiations: World Trade Negotiations (14 May 2008)

Brendan Smith: There is no doubt that the current round of WTO negotiations represents a significant challenge for EU and Irish agriculture. I am very concerned about some of the proposals being made in the WTO negotiations and with the lack of balance in the process. I want to assure the Deputy that I will take every opportunity to express my concerns in the strongest terms in the various EU and WTO...

Written Answers — Harbours and Piers: Harbours and Piers (13 May 2008)

Brendan Smith: Funding has been provided by my Department under the Fishery Harbour and Coastal Infrastructure Development Programme for the above two locations. In 2007, my Department approved agreed to provide funding of €500,000 to Kerry County Council towards the development of the pier at Cromane, Co. Kerry. The project involves the construction of a pier, breakwater, access road and dredging of the...

Written Answers — Fishing Industry Development: Fishing Industry Development (13 May 2008)

Brendan Smith: Significant progress has been made in delivering on this commitment in the Programme for Government. BIM have assisted in the strategy whereby four of the main Fishing Co-operatives (Foyle, Clogherhead, Galway & Aran and Union Hall) joined forces, under a single brand name called "Passion on a Plate". These co-operatives are also working on taking a consumer brand, called Cashelmara, to the...

Written Answers — Fishing Fleet Modernisation: Fishing Fleet Modernisation (13 May 2008)

Brendan Smith: Substantial progress has been made in the area of fleet restructuring with a new Decommissioning scheme launched in February of this year. This scheme will to deliver on the commitments for fleet restructuring contained in the Programme for Government with €42 million committed to fund this scheme in 2008 and 2009. The scheme is a voluntary scheme which will permanently remove fishing...

Written Answers — Fishing Industry Development: Fishing Industry Development (13 May 2008)

Brendan Smith: BIM continues to be involved in many local and international collaborative projects that cover issues related to the marine and coastal environment, responsible fishing and aquaculture, and the sustainability of seafood supplies. Of prime importance is BIM's Position Statement on Responsible Fishing and Aquaculture, which is a blueprint of BIM's themes of responsibility, and sets out a...

Written Answers — Fishing Industry Development: Fishing Industry Development (13 May 2008)

Brendan Smith: I am happy to state that in meeting the commitment in the Programme for Government, the "Environmentally Friendly Fishing Gear and Fuel Monitoring Equipment Grant Aid Scheme" continues to be implemented and promoted by BIM. This scheme provided co-funded (ie. exchequer and EU funds) grants of up to 40% to improve efficiency and conservation methods on board fishing vessels. Public aid for...

Written Answers — Aquaculture Development: Aquaculture Development (13 May 2008)

Brendan Smith: Seafood Development will benefit from an investment of €216 million under the new National Development Plan (NDP) 2007-2013. A further €118 million may be made available over the life of the plan for the proposals set out in "STEERING A NEW COURSE — Strategy for a Restructured, Sustainable and Profitable Irish Seafood Industry 2007-2013"( the Cawley Report) on the basis of verified...

Written Answers — Marine Research: Marine Research (13 May 2008)

Brendan Smith: Sea Change: A Marine Knowledge, Research & Innovation Strategy for Ireland 2007-2013 has been approved by Government and represents the most ambitious marine RTDI strategy in the history of the state. The Strategy builds on the vision and strategy outlined in the 2006 National Strategy for Science, Technology and Innovation (SSTI) published by the Government. Sea Change aims to drive the...

Written Answers — Marine Research: Marine Research (13 May 2008)

Brendan Smith: A National Marine Biodiscovery Programme was initiated by the Marine Institute in 2007. This was managed by the Marine Institute, in partnership with a range of national and international centres of expertise. This programme is driven by the strategic objectives of Sea Change, the National Marine Research and Innovation Strategy for the period 2007-2013. The underlying objective of the...

Written Answers — Fishing Industry Development: Fishing Industry Development (13 May 2008)

Brendan Smith: The Launch of the Decommissioning scheme in February of this year is a key component in the delivery of the commitment for a voluntary fishing vessel Decommissioning scheme contained in the Programme for Government. This voluntary scheme will remove older and larger fishing vessels with mixed catches of fish such as cod, haddock, monkfish mackerel and herring. The removal of these vessels...

Written Answers — Fishing Industry Development: Fishing Industry Development (13 May 2008)

Brendan Smith: Bord Iascaigh Mhara (BIM) monitors cetacean by-catches in fisheries in line with the EU Regulations which requires all Member States to implement observer schemes onboard their fishing vessels in order to monitor and gather data on incidental catches of cetaceans. The programme targets, in particular, fisheries where problems with cetacean by-catches are perceived to exist — such as...

Written Answers — Food Industry: Food Industry (13 May 2008)

Brendan Smith: Irish seafood is in high demand; it is a healthy low fat, nutritious food source, which is in high demand both here and elsewhere in the EU and other markets. The Government approved strategy for development of the Irish Seafood Industry, Steering a New Course (the Cawley Report), contains a number of provisions set-out for encouraging and supporting the development of high value seafood...

Written Answers — Fishing Industry Development: Fishing Industry Development (13 May 2008)

Brendan Smith: In November 2006, agreement was reached at the Fisheries Council on an EU Regulation on Electronic Recording and Reporting of fishing activity and on a means of remote sensing of fishing vessels. The new measures oblige fishing vessels to record and submit their logbook by electronic means at least once a day to the control authorities. Following strong pressure from Ireland, including a...

Written Answers — Fishing Industry Development: Fishing Industry Development (13 May 2008)

Brendan Smith: A new web based electronic system for the recording of sales of fish in Ireland has been developed. It is now a requirement that all, auction centres and buyers of first sale fish be registered under the terms of this regime, and submit sales notes electronically within 48 hours of the first sale of fish. Sales notes detail the size, weight, price and date of first sale fish, as well as...