Results 18,301-18,320 of 18,372 for speaker:Brendan Smith
- Legal Settlement. (25 May 2005)
Brendan Smith: The Department was not the only party to the proceedings. A company initiated the proceedings and another party was also involved along with the Department. The settlement occurred without admission of liability by the defendants, which were the Department and the company. The agreement reached included the stipulation that the terms of the settlement would remain confidential. That is how it...
- Legal Settlement. (25 May 2005)
Brendan Smith: The advice available to the Department was that the best outcome would be to bring finality to the case. That advice was given to the Department by the State's legal team and with the sanction of the office of the Attorney General.
- Legal Settlement. (25 May 2005)
Brendan Smith: Yes.
- Legal Settlement. (25 May 2005)
Brendan Smith: The case had to take its course.
- Food Safety Standards. (25 May 2005)
Brendan Smith: Detailed EU legislation lays down the conditions that member states must apply to the production of and trade in products of animal origin, including meat and meat extracts, as well as to imports of these products from third countries. Under harmonised legislation, a series of health and supervisory requirements are applied in the member states to ensure animal products are produced to...
- Food Safety Standards. (25 May 2005)
Brendan Smith: With the co-operation of the Department of Health and Children, it is hoped the necessary amendment to the Health Act 1970 can be progressed as quickly as possible. All Members know legislation does not come to the floor of the House as speedily as we would like. It is important that we get this legislation right. If there should be any delay in bringing forward the amendment to the 1970 Act,...
- Food Safety Standards. (25 May 2005)
Brendan Smith: The Food and Veterinary Office implements these standards on behalf of the EU throughout the member states. These standards are implemented strictly.
- Food Safety Standards. (25 May 2005)
Brendan Smith: Advance notice of inspections is not given. I will revert to the Deputy on the imposition of sanctions, their dates and locations.
- Food Safety Standards. (25 May 2005)
Brendan Smith: That matter has been subject to discussions between farmers' organisations, in particular the IFA, meat factories and the Minister.
- Pesticide Control. (25 May 2005)
Brendan Smith: I propose to answer Questions Nos. 33 and 46 together. The House will be aware that it is an offence, punishable at the discretion of the courts by imprisonment for a term of six months or a fine not exceeding â¬3,000, or both, to import, place on the market or use a plant protection product which has not been registered. The regulatory system is designed to ensure a high level of protection...
- Pesticide Control. (25 May 2005)
Brendan Smith: While a representative association of companies in the sector alleged that certain products had been imported illegally, investigations to date have produced no evidence to support the claim. I emphasise, however, that investigations continue in parallel with the normal inspections programme. The Department's pesticide control service is very vigilant in implementing the regulations and...
- Pesticide Control. (25 May 2005)
Brendan Smith: I am.
- Food Labelling. (25 May 2005)
Brendan Smith: The food labelling group, which was established in July 2002, presented its report in December 2002. Notwithstanding that food labelling is a particularly complicated and broadly based area, substantial progress has been made to date in the implementation of the recommendations of the report. Nineteen of the 21 recommendations, many of which were beyond the remit of the Department and some of...
- Food Labelling. (25 May 2005)
Brendan Smith: Twelve of the recommendations have been implemented in full. Four are specific matters for the Food Safety Authority of Ireland. The Minister, Deputy Coughlan, has raised the question of the origin and labelling of food, particularly in regard to food service outlets, with her colleagues at European level in the Council of Ministers. The Minister has consistently done this to best protect the...
- Food Labelling. (25 May 2005)
Brendan Smith: Another issue raised within the European Union is that of substantial transformation. This should be clearly defined and harmonised across all member states. The Minister, Deputy Coughlan, has raised this issue continually at meetings of the European Council of Ministers. It is an issue we are determined to address to ensure the widest possible information is available to the consumer in a...
- Farm Retirement Scheme. (25 May 2005)
Brendan Smith: I received the committee's report on 7 April and my officials are examining it. This report arises from an investigation by the committee of a complaint by a group representing retired farmers. My Department provided the committee with a comprehensive formal written response to the complaint and also attended a meeting of the committee in July 2003 to answer questions from members. The report...
- Farm Retirement Scheme. (25 May 2005)
Brendan Smith: On the Deputy's last point, we could not concur with all the report's recommendations. However, the Department is formalising a response to the joint committee. A number of issues raised in the report simply cannot be addressed. The Deputy quite rightly raised the possibility of the indexation of payments which has been a source of concern to a large number of farmers. That issue has been...
- Sugar Beet Sector. (19 May 2005)
Brendan Smith: I thank Deputy Wall for raising this issue. I am aware of the concerns that were expressed following the closure of Carlow sugar factory in March about transport arrangements for the delivery of sugar beet to Mallow. The transport issue is one to be resolved between Irish Sugar Limited and the beet growers and I have no function that regard. I understand the two parties have been working...
- Land Bill 2004 [Seanad]: Second Stage (Resumed). (4 May 2005)
Brendan Smith: This Land Bill is all-embracing. We have toured all County Clare by now.
- Food Industry. (4 May 2005)
Brendan Smith: The national task force on obesity has not produced a report either in final or draft form. The World Health Organisation has described obesity as a worldwide epidemic, and estimates that up to 250 million people, about 7% of the adult population, may have an obesity problem. In Ireland figures point to a two thirds increase in the prevalence of obesity among adults. Particularly worrying is...