Results 9,821-9,840 of 23,978 for speaker:Charlie McConalogue

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Welfare (2 Nov 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: Horse Racing Ireland (HRI) is a commercial state body established under the Horse and Greyhound Racing Act, 2001, and is responsible for the overall administration, promotion and development of the horse racing industry. Since 1st January 2018, the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board (IHRB) is the regulatory body for all horseracing in Ireland. The IHRB is a company limited by guarantee set...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Schemes (2 Nov 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: The following recent support schemes specifically targeted beef finishers: In 2019, the Beef Exceptional Aid Measure (BEAM) was a once off, co-funded exceptional temporary adjustment aid scheme to support beef farmers (including finishers) in the context of market disturbance caused by uncertainty due to Brexit. This scheme was co-funded by the EU under the exceptional aid provisions of the...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Official Engagements (2 Nov 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: During the period referred to, both myself and the two Ministers of State assigned to this Department, attended numerous meetings relating to official duties as Ministers. These meetings can be in person, virtual or via phone. Three lists are attached outlining the main engagements and meetings for the period in question. As I was appointed in early September 2020 my engagements begin then....

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Schemes (2 Nov 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: The Straw Incorporation Measure (SIM) is a pilot agri-environmental initiative first operated this year to encourage tillage farmers to increase soil organic carbon levels by chopping and incorporating the straw from eligible crops back into the soil. The SIM has proven to be a very successful pilot with strong uptake from farmers. The introduction of the Measure formed part of the suite of...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Schemes (2 Nov 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: This is an innovative and pioneering pilot scheme, with ambitious support to grant aid farmers to sow multi species swards. Research work carried out on multi species swards has shown positive results on low nitrogen input plots with the potential to provide a more environmentally friendly production system while simultaneously reducing nitrous oxide emissions, a potent greenhouse gas. The...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Schemes (2 Nov 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: I am committed to increasing the area of land farmed organically in Ireland and am delighted to have secured a significant increase in the budget for organic farming for 2022. Funding for the Organic Farming Scheme has been increased to €21 million, up from €16 million last year, with a further €2 million for further organic sector development measures. This increase is...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forestry Sector (2 Nov 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: I am pleased to report that this year’s Budget delivered strong support for the forestry sector with an allocation of over €100m for 2022. I look forward to using this funding for the planting of trees which is at the centre of our climate strategy. This funding allows us to fund up to 8,000 new hectares of afforestation subject to new applications received and processed. The...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Schemes (2 Nov 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: In 2020, carbon tax of €3 million in capital funding was allocated to the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) which was utilised on measures to quantify land-based carbon sequestration and carbon emissions. In 2021, another allocation of €3 million capital was provided, which is due to be spent on a continuation of those measures. Furthermore, in 2021, an...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Farm Inspections (2 Nov 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: Based on clarification by the Deputy that this query relates to on-farm welfare inspections, the number of such inspections in each of the years in question is set out below: 2016: 764 inspections 2017: 1669 inspections 2018: 2263 inspections 2019: 1947 inspections 2020: 1761 inspections 2021 (to date) : 1073 inspections. The above welfare inspections are carried out by my Departments...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Diseases (2 Nov 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1192 and 1197 together. Following many successful years of reducing bovine TB levels to the benefit of Irish Farmers, there is a concerning incremental increase in the disease since 2016. Attachment 1 shows (1) the number of TB tests carried out on animals from 2016 to date in 2021 and (2) Herd incidence which is the positivity rate of herds tested for the...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Farm Safety (2 Nov 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: To highlight the importance of farm safety, the Government assigned my ministerial colleague, Martin Heydon, TD the specific responsibility for Farm Safety in his portfolio. The Department currently has in place a range of measures to promote farm safety. The proposals for the dedicated farm safety budget of €2 million are in the process of being finalised and will be announced in due...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Welfare (2 Nov 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: The 2020 budget allocation available for awards of grants to animal welfare organisations was €2.435m. Savings elsewhere in the Department's vote contributed to the eventual awarding of €3.2 million to 101 organisations in December 2020. A doubling of funding by 2022 will be on the basis of doubling the 2020 budget allocation, taking into account my Department's policy...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Credit Availability (2 Nov 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: My Department, in partnership with the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment and the Department of Finance, has worked with the Strategic Banking Corporation of Ireland (SBCI) to deliver a number of loan schemes which support SMEs in Ireland, including farmers, fishers and food & drink businesses, as follows: Future Growth Loan Scheme (FGLS)provides long-term unsecured...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Departmental Funding (2 Nov 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: I am very conscious of the important role that the sheep sector plays in the continued growth and development of our agri-food sector, and its valuable contribution to the rural economy. The strong performance of the sector in 2020 has continued into 2021 and I am delighted that farmers are being rewarded from the market for their hard work. Reductions in production globally and...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: European Court of Justice (2 Nov 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1200 and 1201 together. The Programme for Government (PfG) includes a commitment to ‘fully explore the potential for growing fibre crops such as hemp, considering whether these crops have a viable future’. The consultation is being conducted based on the economic viability of fibre crops such as hemp as outlined in the PfG, that is, the study...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Industry (2 Nov 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: While there has been significant research carried out on the cultivation of hemp in Ireland, mainly by Teagasc at its Oakpark Research Centre, this research has focused on the use of hemp as a source of fibre and as an energy crop. The environmental benefits have not therefore been confirmed through Irish based research which is a key requirement needed to inform agricultural policy. ...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Fur Farming (2 Nov 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: The Programme for Government 2020 includes a commitment to bring forward legislation that prohibits fur farming in the State. There are three active farms in the State that breed and rear mink for the purposes of pelting for the fur industry. These are operating in compliance with current law. The Animal Health and Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2021 that is currently going...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Schemes (2 Nov 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1204 to 1208, inclusive, together. The Department has commenced the monitoring and evaluation stage of REAP. This process will involve an analysis of field data, feedback from both participants and advisors and site-visits by the Department. The information collected will be used to inform the design and implementation of future agri-environment projects and...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Diseases (2 Nov 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1209, 1211 and 1219 together. I, as Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, have ultimate responsibility for the development and implementation of the bovine TB eradication programme. In doing so I am supported, in my Department, by the ERAD, Ruminant Animal Health Divisions and by the 16 Regional Veterinary Offices throughout the country whose work is...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: EU Funding (2 Nov 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: An indicative allocation of €180 million has been made to the LEADER Programme for the 2023-2027 period under the CAP Strategic Plan. In conjunction with the funding of €70 million for the LEADER Transitional Programme announced earlier this year, this indicative allocation will result in total funding of €250 million being made available for LEADER over the seven-year...