Results 5,221-5,240 of 23,964 for speaker:Charlie McConalogue
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Climate Action Plan 2023: Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine (2 Mar 2023)
Charlie McConalogue: It is important that everything is marketed responsibly everywhere. Obviously we can only control what we do in our country but what we do here in our country is produce the safest, best quality and most nutritious dairy products, including infant formula products as well. That is why our country's raw milk is so sought after as a key ingredient for that. That is part of the diet in our...
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Climate Action Plan 2023: Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine (2 Mar 2023)
Charlie McConalogue: I am not getting into that space today. I am going to focus on the climate aspect.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Climate Action Plan 2023: Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine (2 Mar 2023)
Charlie McConalogue: We have an exceptional dairy industry and an exceptionally safe and sustainable one. That is why all of our products are preferred products around the world, whether that be cheese, milk or indeed the milk as a key ingredient of infant formula.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Climate Action Plan 2023: Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine (2 Mar 2023)
Charlie McConalogue: I know the Senator has been advocating very strongly regarding ACRES. The Burren life project and the hen harrier project are two exceptional examples of how farmers can work together to make a real impact. Both schemes were established under the European Innovation Partnership, EIP, pilot project funding. The idea behind EIPs is that you road-test something, which normally necessitates...
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Climate Action Plan 2023: Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine (2 Mar 2023)
Charlie McConalogue: The Senator is aware I set up the beef and sheep food division group, as well as the dairy food division group. One of the recommendations of the dairy food division group was that we should explore and look to take forward the option of a voluntary dairy reduction scheme. Our target is to have that clarified by the end of this year. I indicated a month or so ago that 2022 would be a...
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Climate Action Plan 2023: Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine (2 Mar 2023)
Charlie McConalogue: We expect next year to be the follow-through on that.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Climate Action Plan 2023: Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine (2 Mar 2023)
Charlie McConalogue: That is my intention, pending engagement with stakeholders in the mean time.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Climate Action Plan 2023: Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine (2 Mar 2023)
Charlie McConalogue: We are reviewing all of the thresholds.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Climate Action Plan 2023: Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine (2 Mar 2023)
Charlie McConalogue: I expect it to be over the next short number of months. The work is commencing and a full assessment will be made. I want to expedite the conclusion in terms of where we go with it.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Climate Action Plan 2023: Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine (2 Mar 2023)
Charlie McConalogue: There are about 250 agricultural inspectors in that sphere.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Climate Action Plan 2023: Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine (2 Mar 2023)
Charlie McConalogue: We can-----
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Climate Action Plan 2023: Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine (2 Mar 2023)
Charlie McConalogue: There are about 250 people in the space. In terms of climate scientists, I do not have the exact figure to hand but I can get it for Deputy Cronin. The Deputy said the Government's approach is to keep calm and carry on. We will certainly keep calm but we will get on with the work, contrary to the Sinn Féin approach, which is very much keep the head down and hope nobody notices. If...
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Climate Action Plan 2023: Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine (2 Mar 2023)
Charlie McConalogue: At least the Deputy is finding-----
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Climate Action Plan 2023: Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine (2 Mar 2023)
Charlie McConalogue: If Senator Boylan gives it she has to be able to take it.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Climate Action Plan 2023: Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine (2 Mar 2023)
Charlie McConalogue: It is fair to draw a contrast. Deputy Cronin referred to holding two positions at the one time, and that is a fair reflection.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Climate Action Plan 2023: Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine (2 Mar 2023)
Charlie McConalogue: And on another committee, a different position.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Climate Action Plan 2023: Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine (2 Mar 2023)
Charlie McConalogue: On this being a food island, we export 90% of what we produce. We have tremendous industries here and sectors in relation to lamb, beef and dairy production. We are very strong, but need to get stronger, in domestic tillage production. We cover a lot of our own pig requirements as well. Particularly in the horticulture and fruit sector, we have a real opportunity to produce more of our...
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Climate Action Plan 2023: Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine (2 Mar 2023)
Charlie McConalogue: For example, if you take the new agri-climate rural environment scheme, ACRES, we have significant measures included there, along the lines of riparian zones, where they are left alone to act as riparian zones, and also to act as a space for nature within that. Across the board, we have a range of measures, which are about incorporating space for nature, and space for improving and...
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Climate Action Plan 2023: Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine (2 Mar 2023)
Charlie McConalogue: What we want to do is to provide a suite of options, which are comprehensive and address different needs. If the Deputy looks at the agri-climate rural environment scheme, ACRES, and the various measures in place there, whether it is a riparian zone, low-input, permanent pasture, which is scored now and results-based or tree and hedge planting, there is a whole range of options in place...
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Climate Action Plan 2023: Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine (2 Mar 2023)
Charlie McConalogue: We are carrying out ongoing recruitment to meet our needs. It is a big priority for the Department to make sure we are operating at full capacity in this space. On the various professions needed for that, we are recruiting ecologists, as one example. On the forestry programme, there is very significant and ongoing recruitment there, and likewise, where it is needed across the Department too.