Results 7,721-7,740 of 23,975 for speaker:Charlie McConalogue

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Agriculture Industry (26 May 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: We are being very proactive in trying to identify new uses for wool. The completion of the report took longer than we had hoped but we were pushing hard to keep it moving along. Thankfully, we now have the report and it will be published in the next short period - over the next few weeks. Our objective has to be to see how we can add value to wool. Its traditional use is in regard to...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Agriculture Industry (26 May 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: To take the Deputy’s approach, we are looking for woolly opportunities here. We are looking to maximise the potential that wool can deliver in terms of new uses, ones that have not traditionally been used and ones which can deliver a profit margin for farmers and remove what has become a cost for them. Under the programme for Government, we have taken this initiative, which is unique...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Agriculture Industry (26 May 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: As to the overall cost, €100,000 was committed to the project.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Fodder Crisis (26 May 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: I thank Deputy Crowe for raising this issue. I also thank him for his advocacy in regard to the challenges facing farmers as a result of cost pressures, in particular his advocacy and representations on putting a scheme in place to support Clare farmers and farmers nationally in regard to growing fodder and preparing for the winter ahead. As he will be aware, shortly after the Russian...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Organic Farming (26 May 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: There has been engagement with other Departments on that issue and there will continue to be. The 7.5% target was set when the three Government parties agreed the programme for Government. It represents a significant increase-----

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Organic Farming (26 May 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: The end of this programme for Government period. That is why we have increased the funding allocation for organics in the Common Agricultural Policy, CAP, programme fivefold compared with the previous programme. We have allocated €250 million to organics over the course of the next CAP period, which will run from 2023 to 2027. Those who have applied to the scheme this year and last...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Organic Farming (26 May 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: We are making good progress. I have outlined the Government's commitment of a fivefold increase in funding for organics over the next few years. Between last year and this, the area under organic farming has increased by 35%. That is significant, but we need to drive on. We want to reach the 7.5% target. We want to communicate to farmers the great opportunity for them presented by moving...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Agriculture Industry (26 May 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: I thank the Deputy for posing this question. In the context of the Ukrainian crisis, significant implications are being seen across all sectors, including the agrifood sector. As well as the immediate humanitarian crisis that is facing us and that must take priority, we need to take the necessary steps to ensure food security is maintained in the period ahead. The impact the illegal war in...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Agriculture Industry (26 May 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: There have been intensive engagements between my team and contractors on the issues facing the latter. I will meet them shortly to discuss the challenges further. Due to the fact that excise duty on green diesel is much lower than on auto diesel, the capacity to make changes in that excise duty is limited. We applied significant cuts to standard diesel and standard petrol in response to...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Organic Farming (26 May 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: Growing our land under organics and continuing to build a very exciting sector here is a key priority of mine and the Minister of State, Deputy Hackett. The current programme for Government target is to align the utilisable agricultural area under organic production in Ireland with the EU average of 7.5%. A budget of €21 million was allocated to the organic farming scheme in 2022,...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Agriculture Industry (26 May 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: I thank Deputy Carthy for the question. As he is aware, the unfair trading practices enforcement authority was established by my Department in April of last year when I signed a statutory instrument transposing the EU unfair trading practices, UTP, directive directly into Irish law. I want to assure the Deputy that this enforcement authority has been assigned all the necessary legal powers,...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Agriculture Industry (26 May 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: I have been advocating for this since my time in opposition. Indeed, I put it forward as part of our platform at the last general election. I welcome the recent support from Sinn Féin for the principle of the establishment of an office to ensure fairness and transparency. It is important that we see the Oireachtas agriculture committee do that pre-legislative scrutiny. I look forward...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Agriculture Industry (26 May 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: This is a quite unique initiative that the Government and I are bringing forward with the objective of ensuring that primary producers, in particular farmers and fishers, get respect and that they get paid properly a fair margin of what is available in the marketplace for their massive amount of work over one or two years to produce an animal for market. As a country that exports 90% of the...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Welfare (26 May 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: In line with the Programme for Government, my Department is fully committed to providing for additional urban horse welfare projects.  The Department continues to take a proactive approach in promoting the development of facilities for urban horse populations and in enabling and educating young people in the care and welfare of horses. Work to support urban...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Brexit Supports (26 May 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: As the Deputy  may be aware, the Brexit Adjustment Reserve (BAR) aims to provide financial support to the Member States and sectors most affected by Brexit. The eligibility criteria set by the European Union to qualify expenditure under the Reserve are stringent, and a key criterion is that any proposed expenditure must demonstrate a direct link to negative impacts arising from Brexit. ...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Legislative Measures (26 May 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: As the Deputy will be aware, the Government is committed to establishing a new statutory body to enforce the UTP Directive, and to perform a price and market analysis function in the agri-food supply chain. Pending the drafting of primary legislation for this new office, and in advance of the EU deadline for transposition of the UTP Directive, I signed a Statutory Instrument transposing...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Industry (26 May 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: The dairy sector accounts for approximately 40% of total greenhouse gas emissions within agriculture sector, so it is clear that emissions from the sector will need to be stabilised and then reduced in order to bring the agriculture sector into its target reduction range of a 22%-30% reduction. The Climate Action Plan 2021 also sets out the types of measures that the sector will need to...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Farm Costs (26 May 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: The current situation in relation to the cost and availability of fertiliser remains a significant concern.  Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine has led to significant hikes in energy, feed and fertiliser prices and significant concerns around supply chain disruption. This is being felt at farm level and is something that I am acutely aware of. As the Deputy me be...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Fishing Industry (26 May 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: As the Deputy is aware, the available Bluefin Tuna quota is allocated each year to Member States on the basis of relative stability as established in the late 1990s.  At that time, Ireland did not have a track record of commercial fishing for Bluefin Tuna and, accordingly, did not receive a quota allocation.  The only way to obtain a share of the EU quota now would...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Nitrates Usage (26 May 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: The Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage is the Government Department responsible for the Nitrates Regulations. The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) works closely with that Department on the Nitrates Action Programme and the Good Agricultural Practice for the Protection of Waters Regulations. Ireland's 5th Nitrates Action Programme and the...