Results 41-60 of 89 for 5 million speaker:Brendan Smith

Written Answers — Aquaculture Development: Aquaculture Development (11 Feb 2009)

Brendan Smith: ...That strategy has been translated into a series of detailed actions and schemes and these have been incorporated in the non co-funded Fisheries Operational Programme 2007-2013. A provision of €5 million has been made in my Department's Vote to support Aquaculture development in 2009. It is planned to roll out a number of actions to assist the development of aquaculture and draw down...

Written Answers — Aquaculture Development: Aquaculture Development (11 Feb 2009)

Brendan Smith: ...should be noted that the Irish aquaculture industry also has a substantial shell fish farming component, which neither the Scotland nor Norway have. Ireland's shell fish farmers produce between 45,000 to 50,000 metric tonnes of high quality mussels and oysters annually and new species of shell fish like abalone and scallops are also being farmed in increasing volumes. The considerable...

Common Agricultural Policy. (11 Feb 2009)

Brendan Smith: With the existing modulation arrangements, the amount collected annually is €42.5 million. That modulation is in place up to 5%. With the new rates that will be applicable there will be an increase in modulation rate of 2% this year and 1% in 2010, 2011 and 2012. The additional funding that will be generated for the modulated fund will be €17 million this year, €25 million in 2010,...

Written Answers — Programmes for Government: Programmes for Government (27 Jan 2009)

Brendan Smith: The 5-year Animal Welfare, Recording and Breeding Scheme for Suckler Herds came into operation in January 2008. It aims to encourage and underpin the adoption of high standards of animal welfare in suckler herds and to improve the quality of breeding cattle in the beef sector. Almost 54,000 suckler farmers have joined and 85% of all the suckler cows in the country are now covered by the...

Written Answers — Aquaculture Development: Aquaculture Development (27 Jan 2009)

Brendan Smith: Grant funding for the Aquaculture Sector is provided for under the NDP 2007-2013 Operational Programme which is being finalised at present. In 2009 €5 million has been allocated under the Aquaculture Development Measure in the Operational Programme. Since June 2007, total investment in Aquaculture amounted to some €20 million (of which €9.6m is grant aid) in 133 projects. Of these,...

Written Answers — Aquaculture Development: Aquaculture Development (17 Dec 2008)

Brendan Smith: The total aid available to Ireland under the EFF amounts to €42 million for the period 2007 — 2013. In line with this funding, an Operational Programme for Fisheries in support of the seafood industry has been developed and approved by the EU Commission. Priority has been given to the Decommissioning of Fishing Vessels Scheme for which a total of €32 million has been set aside. A...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (4 Dec 2008)

Brendan Smith: ...Programme 2007-13 and is subject to different EU Regulations from the preceding versions of REPS. Under REPS 4, all payments are to be made in just two instalments. The first payment, of 75%, can be made only when all administrative checks on all 2008 applications for REPS 4 and the Single Payment Scheme are completed. This is why it has not yet been possible to release payments even to...

Written Answers — Fishing Industry Development: Fishing Industry Development (3 Dec 2008)

Brendan Smith: ...our fishing industry, including a proposed closure for the whitefish fleet off the north west. However, not all stocks are subject to decreases in TACs with the mackerel TAC going up by 33% from 456,000 tonnes in 2008 to 605,000 tonnes in 2009. This will result in the net Irish quota (after deductions for the payback for undeclared Scottish landings) going from approx 45,000 tonnes to...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (3 Dec 2008)

Brendan Smith: The net financial ceiling under the 2008 Single Payment Scheme is €1.274 billion, net of 5% Modulation, while the budgetary figure for the Disadvantaged Areas Scheme (DAS) is €257 million, which also includes provision for residue payments from previous years. Although a total of 133,046 applications were received under the 2008 Schemes, these represent a maximum payable of approximately...

Written Answers — Common Agricultural Policy: Common Agricultural Policy (3 Dec 2008)

Brendan Smith: Under the final compromise in the Health Check negotiations, a 5% increase was agreed in the rate of modulation. I would have preferred if no additional modulation were agreed. However, this was one element of the Health Check proposals on which Commissioner Fischer Boel was particularly determined. Nevertheless, I succeeded in co-operation with my colleagues from other Member States, in...

Common Agricultural Policy. (3 Dec 2008)

Brendan Smith: I am satisfied that I have secured a very good deal for Irish farmers in the recent health check negotiations. The deal is worth €70 million in additional payments to farmers over the coming years. In addition, the increase in milk quota will deliver €100 million worth of additional milk production in 2014. This is enormously positive for the sector and, although there are elements in...

Seanad: Agriculture Sector: Statements (18 Nov 2008)

Brendan Smith: ...to suggest otherwise, the reality is that my Department's budget for 2009 is 2.6% less than it was this year when account is properly taken of the exceptional Supplementary Estimate of €195 million we received this year to ensure thousands of farmers could be paid their farm waste management grants promptly. Contrary to certain suggestions, the farm waste management scheme is the most...

Written Answers — Aquaculture Licences: Aquaculture Licences (30 Oct 2008)

Brendan Smith: ...on an application to the Aquaculture Licences Appeals Board. Aquaculture development will be supported by exchequer funding for the 2007-2013 period. The estimates for 2009 has set aside €5 million to support aquaculture development. In addition support is provided to the sector by Bord Iascaigh Mhara.

Written Answers — : (30 Oct 2008)

Brendan Smith: In the time available it has not been possible to assemble the information requested on a county basis. However at National level the position is as follows. Ireland's National Ceiling for 2005 was €1,260 million of which 3% (€37.8m) had been provisionally set aside to fund the National Reserve. The cost of funding successful applicants under Force Majeure and New Entrants during the...

Written Answers — Aquaculture Development: Aquaculture Development (21 Oct 2008)

Brendan Smith: The Seafood Development Operational Programme which was adopted by the EU Commission on the 9th September 2008 was allocated €42.26 million of European Fisheries Funds for the period 2007-2013. This Operational Programme will only involve schemes which are co-funded by EFF monies. Following intense negotiations between Department and the EU Commission these co-funded monies were allocated...

Written Answers — Aquaculture Development: Aquaculture Development (21 Oct 2008)

Brendan Smith: ...(Steering a New Course) where aquaculture is recognised as an important element in delivering a sustainable, profitable and self-reliant seafood industry. The estimates for 2009 has set aside €5 million to support aquaculture development. In addition support is provided to the sector by Bord Iascaigh Mhara.

Farm Waste Management Scheme: Motion (16 Oct 2008)

Brendan Smith: ...complete approved work in accordance with the terms and conditions of the scheme can be assured they will receive grant aid. Total expenditure in 2008 on this scheme will be approximately €377 million. That follows on expenditure of almost €114 million in 2007 and a provision of €125 million for the scheme next year. That is further evidence of the Government's continuing strong...

Written Answers — Afforestation Programme: Afforestation Programme (1 Jul 2008)

Brendan Smith: Early indications show that planting figures for 2008 should well exceed the 5,000 hectares referred to by the Deputy. It is worth emphasising that my Department has committed a total of €126 million in the current year to further the national afforestation programme. The current suite of Afforestation Grant and Premium Schemes, along with the various support measures, is the most...

Written Answers — Sectoral Development: Sectoral Development (1 Jul 2008)

Brendan Smith: As outlined to the Deputy in a reply on 21st February, plans for the development of the agrifood sector are set out in the AgriVision 2015 Action Plan, the Programme for Government, the National Development Plan and the Rural Development Plan. The AgriVision Action Plan was the Government's response to the seminal Report of the AgriVision 2015 Committee on what needed to be done to secure...

Written Answers — Afforestation Programme: Afforestation Programme (29 May 2008)

Brendan Smith: Wood energy is already playing a significant role in meeting Ireland's energy requirements. In 2006, solid biomass, primarily in the form of solid wood, accounted for 45% of renewable energy consumption in Ireland, mainly in the generation of heat in the domestic and wood processing sectors. Projections by COFORD and Sustainable Energy Ireland indicate that there will be a potential annual...