Results 8,401-8,420 of 23,976 for speaker:Charlie McConalogue

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forestry Sector (29 Mar 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: As stated in the Parliamentary Question No. 746 of 8 March 2022, projections of the greenhouse gas balance for Irish forests show that they will transition from a sink to a source by 2024. This transition to a net source is due to number of factors which include high levels of afforestation in earlier decades; a projected increase in harvesting as forest mature over the coming...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Horse Racing Industry (29 Mar 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: The Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board (IHRB) is the regulatory body for all horseracing in Ireland as provided for in Section 11 of the Horse Racing Ireland (HRI) Act 2016. The IHRB was established on 1st January 2018 and is a company limited by guarantee. The information the Deputy has requested has been provided to my Department by the IHRB and is contained in the attached table. The IHRB...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Schemes (29 Mar 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: The Basic Payment Scheme and the Organic Farming Scheme use the same mapping system known as the Land Parcel Identification System (LPIS). LPIS was introduced in 2019. The overall objective is to ensure the most efficient delivery of €1.6 billion of EU-funded scheme payments to applicants, in line with regulatory requirements. The LPIS gives farmers a more accurate representation...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Schemes (29 Mar 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: The Programme for Government ‘Our Shared Future’contains a commitment to seek to resolve the issue of support for the category of farmers known as Forgotten Farmers. I have asked officials in my Department to examine options to address the issue of forgotten farmers both through the next CAP and also through other measures to support this group. I am committed to helping this...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Departmental Data (29 Mar 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: The Central Statistics Office collect data on peat imports and exports. The data captured is not so granular as to differentiate peat types i.e. peat for fuel or horticultural peat. The table below details peat imports by year from 2016 to 2021. Import figures for the period 2022 to date are not available yet. Year Tonnes* 2016 19,924 ...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Departmental Data (29 Mar 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: The Central Statistics Office collect data on peat imports and exports. The data captured is not so granular as to differentiate peat types i.e. peat for fuel or horticultural peat. The table below details peat imports by month during 2021. CSO figures are not yet available for 2022. Month Tonnes* January 2021 2,566 February...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forestry Sector (29 Mar 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: There are a variety of reasons why there has been a decline in afforestation rates in recent years. The rate of afforestation is a function of the number of applications for licences received by my Department, the rate at which these are processed and the number of licences which are ultimately converted into planting. These elements have been impacted by the complexity of the legal and...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Pigmeat Sector (29 Mar 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine is currently reviewing the proposal referred to in the Deputy's question, and is engaging with stakeholders in this context, and on the situation in the pig sector in general. Our pig farmers have always been remarkably resilient but I am acutely aware of the unprecedented challenges that Irish pig farmers are facing at present. The...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Departmental Staff (29 Mar 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: My Department currently has no staff on secondment to the private sector.

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Agriculture Schemes (24 Mar 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: I thank the Senator for putting the matter on the agenda. I join with him to utterly condemn the illegal invasion of Ukraine and impact that has on the people who are displaced and the unacceptable humanitarian situation that has evolved there. As a Government and as a people, we remain resolute in our solidarity and support for Ukraine and we reiterate the call on Russia to cease all...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Agriculture Schemes (24 Mar 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: It is important that we plan. One of the pluses in the real challenges we face is the timing in that we are at the start of the growing season and the breeding season. It is important that at family farm level, each farmer plans for the year ahead and for next winter to make sure that while they are planning to breed, they are also planning to feed. It is important that such a balance is...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Fishing Industry (24 Mar 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: An allocation of 400 tonnes for a fishery for smaller vessels fishing for Mackerel by means of hooks and line, which is largely prosecuted by the inshore fleet including under 12 metre vessels, was set down in Policy in 2010. The then Minister amended the Mackerel policy in July 2017 after intensive review and public consultation, however this particular amendment did not involve the hook...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Schemes (24 Mar 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: The person named was approved to GLAS 1 with a contract commencement date of 1stOctober 2015. Processing of the 2021 payment for the person named is at an advanced stage and I expect the payment in this case to be finalised shortly. GLAS payments are continuing on a weekly basis as applications pass all validation checks and are approved for payment.

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Common Agricultural Policy (24 Mar 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: I have proposed that, from 2023, to be considered eligible for payment for a number of schemes to be introduced under the new CAP, my Department would carry out an “active farmer check” each year on all scheme applicants. This is to ensure the person receiving the scheme payments is the person farming the land being claimed. Under the CAP Strategic Plan Regulation, Active...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Schemes (24 Mar 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: As set out in the terms and conditions of the Areas of Natural Constraints (ANC) scheme, only 50% of an applicant's stocking density requirement can be fulfilled using donkeys. Applicants are required to use other livestock to fulfil the other 50% stocking density requirement. Donkeys held by a farmer will be taken into account towards satisfying the minimum stocking density...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Industry (24 Mar 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: The current situation in relation to the cost and availability of fertilisers is a significant concern. There is no sign of fertiliser prices easing in the short to medium term as prices are being driven by a number of factors including global demand, energy prices and availability. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has led to significant hikes in energy prices and significant concerns...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Fishing Industry (24 Mar 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: I propose to take Questions Nos. 408 and 413 together. The Atlantic Mackerel is a widely distributed, migratory pelagic fish that inhabits much of the north-eastern Atlantic shelf. The distribution of catches ranges from the north of the Norwegian Sea to the south coast of Portugal and Spain. Mackerel is targeted by a number of fleets throughout the year with large catches in northern...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Industry (24 Mar 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: As the Deputy will be aware, the Unfair Trading Practices Enforcement Authority (EA) recently commissioned a market research company to conduct a survey of farmers and fishers to establish baseline information on the following issues – - awareness of the UTP Regulations and of the EA itself; - supplier understanding of the protections afforded to them under the UTP Regulations; and -...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Schemes (24 Mar 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: The measures put forward as part of the new CAP Strategic Plan (CSP) seek to address, inter alia, gender balance to ensure greater representation by women as farm holders in decision-making on farms and also seeks to address the need for generational renewal on farms. Subject to the approval of the European Commission, it is proposed under an On-Farm Capital Investment Scheme under the CSP...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Fuel Prices (24 Mar 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: While primary responsibility for taxation policy is with the Minister for Finance, I continue to work closely with him to ensure that the tax code reflects the Government’s priorities for the agrifood sector and the economy generally. On 9th March the Government announced a 20 cent reduction in the excise rate for petrol and a 15 cent reduction on auto diesel, with a...