Results 5,261-5,280 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: There is a blend there, I believe. There are obligations on us but we would also have options within that. My understanding is that there is a blend.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Climate Action Plan 2023: Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine (2 Mar 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: That is crucial in how we set our catches, not only in what the quotas might be for the full catch or allocated catch for the year but also how it is actually caught and that we do that in a sustainable way. It is fair to say we have a bit of a way to go with this but we have come a long way. It is certainly the case that in the past we did not have the same knowledge or understanding to...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Climate Action Plan 2023: Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine (2 Mar 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: We have a lot more work to do to establish our national position on rewetting. That work is under way and will form a key part of phase 2 of the land use review. Much of the scientific understanding and assessment that we are working off at the moment is international and is not specific to our own situation. We have to fully understand our own situation. Compared to other European...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Climate Action Plan 2023: Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine (2 Mar 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: We are using some of our just transition funds this year to support some of those projects. However, I accept the point that the Deputy is making.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Climate Action Plan 2023: Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine (2 Mar 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: It is 2,500 ha.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Climate Action Plan 2023: Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine (2 Mar 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: That is right.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Climate Action Plan 2023: Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine (2 Mar 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: No. It is one aspect of it.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Climate Action Plan 2023: Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine (2 Mar 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: We do. State agencies like Coillte and Bord na Móna also have the capacity to contribute to that. We also have an EIP project in the midlands which will be availing of just transition funding and which we expect to make significant progress and contribute to that as well.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Climate Action Plan 2023: Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine (2 Mar 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: We are getting a full assessment at the moment of exactly what our land profile is, where the peat-based soils are and particularly where the drained peat-based soils are because we do not have a very accurate overview of that currently. That is going to be important as regards clarifying what the Cathaoirleach is looking for. In the meantime we have other work under way, whether it be...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Climate Action Plan 2023: Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine (2 Mar 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: I agree. Some of this is rewetting and then there is also restoration. The research on this is still evolving, as are the nature restoration laws that will be coming at European level. It is important that we get the definitions right in order to properly provide the flexibility for us to deal with this appropriately.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Climate Action Plan 2023: Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine (2 Mar 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: We can come back with further detail on how the rewetting aspect is going to step out. ACRES is going to deliver from an emissions production point of view and a big objective in ACRES is also the biodiversity piece. While they are doing a lot of work in the biodiversity space, some of those measures do not necessarily translate into emissions reductions but it is massively important work...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Climate Action Plan 2023: Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine (2 Mar 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: I will get the Senator some figures on ACRES specifically on what our expected contribution is from an emissions reduction point of view.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Climate Action Plan 2023: Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine (2 Mar 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: Okay.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Climate Action Plan 2023: Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine (2 Mar 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: I accept there was concern about the Gresham House deal. I engaged very closely on the matter with all parties and representatives, the Joint Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine and Coillte at the time. It was important to contextualise what was agreed and the commitment Coillte signed up to over five years. It involves 700 ha of new afforestation a year for five years, which...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Climate Action Plan 2023: Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine (2 Mar 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: There are no chemicals used that do not have a full safety track record. This is not a discussion I have had directly with Coillte but I can ask a member of my team to revert to the Deputy with a response and more detail. The officials are not in a position to contribute to the meeting.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Climate Action Plan 2023: Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine (2 Mar 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: I do not have the answer to the Senator's second question.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Climate Action Plan 2023: Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine (2 Mar 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: Yes. I will get the Senator a written response.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Climate Action Plan 2023: Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine (2 Mar 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: On the Senator's point in respect of Teagasc, the organisation fulfils its legal mandate and has been leading out in respect of our sustainability pathway. Teagasc put together the first climate action pathway and climate plan for any sector, including the marginal abatement cost, MAC, curve for agriculture. It has been central to what we have been doing and that will continue. It has been...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Climate Action Plan 2023: Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine (2 Mar 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: The voices of all representatives in the sector are very important. It is important that we all work together. I do not see a particular issue in respect of the Teagasc board. As an organisation, it is performing very strongly and very much leading out on our targets, be that in organics or any other sector. I take on board the Senator’s view on the matter. On Coillte, the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Climate Action Plan 2023: Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine (2 Mar 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: The Deputy's first point was on a specific farm. I adjudicate on licences, etc., and, therefore, I am not in a position to deal with specific applications that may come before me. There has been a challenge in recent years in renewal and the issuing of licences for all types of aquaculture, shellfish and fin fish. There has been a significant backlog and there was a court decision a number...