Results 18,181-18,200 of 18,372 for speaker:Brendan Smith

Noxious Weeds. (18 May 2006)

Brendan Smith: The Noxious Weeds Act 1936 provides for the control of the spread of the following six noxious weeds: thistle, ragwort, dock, common barbery, male wild hop plant and wild oat. Under the Act, it is an offence not to prevent the spread of these noxious weeds. The owner, occupier, user or manager of lands on which these weeds are growing is liable, upon conviction, to be fined. In the case of...

Noxious Weeds. (18 May 2006)

Brendan Smith: We will review the legislation and we will take the current issues into account from both a farming and environmental point of view.

Noxious Weeds. (18 May 2006)

Brendan Smith: The notices that were issued were followed up by officials calling with the relevant people to ensure the necessary conditions had been complied with. We are writing to all local authorities again to remind them of their obligations. I do not know if the prosecutions involved individuals, local authorities or statutory bodies. However, I will take account of what Deputy Sargent and Deputy...

Noxious Weeds. (18 May 2006)

Brendan Smith: We are communicating with the national parks and wildlife service through the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government about this issue.

Animal Diseases. (18 May 2006)

Brendan Smith: As a member of the EU and the World Trade Organisation, Ireland is in a position to avail of opportunities for trade that are essential for the development of our open economy. Membership of these organisations also brings reciprocal trade obligations. All imports must come from third countries or areas of third countries that have been approved by the EU authorities for export to the EU. In...

Animal Diseases. (18 May 2006)

Brendan Smith: This issue has been raised by Deputy Naughten, Deputy Upton and Members on all sides of the House and I did not need to read a report in any publication——

Animal Diseases. (18 May 2006)

Brendan Smith: ——to have concerns on the matter.

Animal Diseases. (18 May 2006)

Brendan Smith: He obviously was not listening.

Animal Diseases. (18 May 2006)

Brendan Smith: I said, as I did when Deputy Upton asked a similar question, that the Minister for Agriculture and Food, Deputy Coughlan, had consistently raised this issue at meetings of the EU Council of Ministers. It will arise again in the context of the WTO negotiations and deliberations at the EU Council of Ministers next Monday. There will be a further European audit and a further FVO inspection...

Genetically Modified Organisms. (18 May 2006)

Brendan Smith: I am well aware of the degree of opposition by some members of the public to the cultivation and use of GM crops here and of concerns about those crops from both a health and an environmental perspective. It has been for these very reasons that the European Union has adopted a series of legislative measures in recent years that ensure the most stringent conditions are in place in the...

Genetically Modified Organisms. (18 May 2006)

Brendan Smith: If we get a chance. I want to emphasise that we will continue to adopt our precautionary approach in this area. Decisions have not yet been made on co-existence. GM co-existence is the one area where subsidiarity is permitted within the GMO regulatory framework. Co-existence refers to the ability of farmers to make a practical choice between conventional, organic and GM crop production. EU...

Farm Household Incomes. (17 May 2006)

Brendan Smith: I thank Deputy Crawford for raising this issue and welcome the opportunity to outline the facts. By any measure, 2005 was an exceptional year for the farming sector with the introduction of the single payment scheme. Aggregate farm income reached a record level of €2,765 million. This was a 24% increase on 2004, reflecting a once-off overlap in direct payments, as farmers received over €1...

Seanad: Departmental Information Services. (11 May 2006)

Brendan Smith: I thank Senator McHugh for raising this issue and his complimentary remarks on the officials in the Department and Teagasc. Dissemination of information to farmers is accorded a very high priority by the Department. The full range of communication channels are employed to ensure widespread availability of information on the schemes and activities of the Department of Agriculture and Food....

Seanad: Departmental Information Services. (11 May 2006)

Brendan Smith: The Senator and the House can be assured there will be adequate human resources to deal with the ongoing work of the Department in administering our various schemes. The fact that we paid out over €1 billion on the first day of a new scheme illustrates the efficiency of the Department in that regard. Our neighbouring jurisdiction has not yet issued its payments but over 85% of farmers, some...

Seanad: Departmental Information Services. (11 May 2006)

Brendan Smith: The Senator has nothing to worry about on that score.

Energy Sector: Motion. (9 May 2006)

Brendan Smith: The Deputy knows that what he is saying is nonsense. Deputy Noel Dempsey is an excellent Minister.

Energy Sector: Motion. (9 May 2006)

Brendan Smith: It is an absolute fabrication.

Energy Sector: Motion. (9 May 2006)

Brendan Smith: Fianna Fáil Governments have often had to pick up the tab for mistakes made by Fine Gael-led Governments in the past.

Cross-Border Projects. (9 May 2006)

Brendan Smith: The Food Safety Authority comes under the Department of Health and Children.

Criminal Justice Bill 2004: Motion (Resumed). (29 Mar 2006)

Brendan Smith: The Minister has other commitments.