Results 9,941-9,960 of 23,978 for speaker:Charlie McConalogue

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Horticulture Sector (21 Oct 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: The Department is making significant efforts to research peat alternatives.  Through the EU producer organisation scheme for fruit and vegetables, my Department has approved funding for two sustainability research projects, commissioned by Commercial Mushroom Producers Ltd. The first project is looking at spent mushroom substrate and how this could potentially be used as a...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Industry (21 Oct 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: The provisions of Directive 2019/904, known as the Single Use Plastic Directive, were signed into law by the Minister for Environment, Climate Change and Communications by SI 326 of 2021 in July 2021 and prohibited the marketing of single use plastics from the 3rd July 2021. This includes films of the type used to sow covered maize. Maize growers may use existing...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forestry Sector (21 Oct 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: I fully recognise the impact the current forestry licencing delays are having on the forestry sector as a whole and on the nursery sector in particular. Along with Minister of State Pippa Hackett, who has overall responsibility for the sector, I am in regular and intensive consultation with all stakeholders, and it is my immediate priority to resolve the issues which have led to this backlog...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Industry (21 Oct 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: The Deputy will be aware that the issue of maintaining meat and dairy production has been the subject of much speculation over recent months, particularly in the context of the Climate Action Plan 2021 and the subsequent sectoral emissions ceiling that will be established for the agriculture sector. My position has been consistent on this matter, agriculture will indeed need to...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Legislative Measures (21 Oct 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: The Deputy will be aware that the commitment in the Programme for Government is that a new National Food Ombudsman will enforce the UTP Directive and will have a role in analysing and reporting on price and market data in Ireland. The establishment of such an Office requires primary legislation.  The Deputy will also be aware that Directive 2019/633, dealing...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forestry Sector (21 Oct 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: Along with Minister of State Pippa Hackett who has overall responsibility for the sector, I am in regular and intensive consultation with all stakeholders, and it is my immediate priority to resolve the issues which have led to this backlog and to issue licences in the volume needed for this important sector to continue to contribute to our rural economy.  I am pleased to say that we are...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Departmental Reviews (21 Oct 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: The Programme for Government: Our Shared Future (2020) commits to a land use review to ensure that optimal land use options inform all relevant government decisions.  The review will balance environmental social and economic conditions and will involve an evaluation of the ecological characteristics of the land. It will include consideration of emissions to air and water, carbon...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Greenhouse Gas Emissions (21 Oct 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: The Deputy will be aware that it is the responsibility of the Environmental Protection Agency to prepare the reports on emissions and removals associated with land use activities on an annual basis to the EU and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). Furthermore, the Government is in the process of making regulations, as part of the Climate Action and Low...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Industry (21 Oct 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: The European Innovation Partnership model offers potential for a range of actors in a sector to come together to develop and test innovative solutions to particular challenges in the sector. In the context of Irish agriculture over the last couple of years it has offered the opportunity for  a broad range of people - farmers, scientists, advisors -  to work together to overcome...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forestry Sector (21 Oct 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: The felling of trees is governed by the Forestry Act 2014 and is subject to licence to ensure that such activity complies with environmental requirements and sustainable forest management standards. There is also an obvious need to avoid deforestation  in relation to economic and social considerations as well as  environmental considerations in terms of carbon, landscape and...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Industry (21 Oct 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: Low emissions slurry spreading (LESS) is a technology that has many co-benefits for our farmers and the environment; including savings in chemical Nitrogen use, abatement of Green House Gases, reduction in ammonia losses and improved air and water quality. Our farmers continue to embrace this new technology with its use steadily increasing on Irish farms. The AgClimatise Roadmap developed by...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Common Agricultural Policy (21 Oct 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: The Deputy will be aware that we are reaching a critical stage in the development of the CAP Strategic Plan.  I have been listening to the views of stakeholders on this matter. The key topics are fairness, economic viability, and the likely impact of the Plan on part-time and full-time farmers and their communities.  In relation to the Pillar 1 redistributive measures, I...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forestry Sector (21 Oct 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: My Department's Forestry related Circular 5 of 2021 outlines the advice my Department received from Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government in relation to the “replacement of Broadleaf High Forest with conifer species”. The Circular outlined the situations where planning permission from the Local Authority is required when replacing Broadleaf High Forest with...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Ports Policy (21 Oct 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: Since January 1st, 2021, my Department has carried out more than 65,000 controls at Dublin Port. Phone line are answered 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and, on average, Department staff at Dublin Port deal with 3,000 emails weekly. From time to time, issues have been raised by individual operators regarding delays, through these communication channels. In many...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Horticulture Sector (21 Oct 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: I propose to take Questions Nos. 42 and 43 together. I am acutely aware of the concerns in relation to the licensing of peat extraction which are generating challenges for the horticulture sector. As the Deputy knows, he Department has no involvement in the regulation of peat extraction.  Minister for Heritage and Electoral Reform in the Department of Housing,...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Schemes (21 Oct 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: Work is ongoing on the development of a new agri-environmental climate measure under the new Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) with due regard to the proposed new Green Architecture.  It is proposed that the new measure will include a range of actions encompassing agri-environment, climate, water quality and biodiversity, and will include targeting of priority habitats. A hybrid...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Legislative Measures (21 Oct 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: The Deputy will be aware that the commitment in the Programme for Government is that a new National Food Ombudsman will enforce the UTP Directive and will have a role in analysing and reporting on price and market data in Ireland. The establishment of such an Office requires primary legislation.  The Deputy will also be aware that Directive 2019/633, dealing...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Food Industry (21 Oct 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: Despite the recent challenges presented by COVID-19 and Brexit, I am encouraged by the fact that Irish agri-food exports to EU Member States have held up well when compared to previous years, and they exceeded €4 billion in 2020. I believe this positive performance is a result, in part, of the commitment of the Government to providing substantial additional funding to Bord Bia...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Organic Farming (21 Oct 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: I am delighted to have secured a significant increase in the budget for organic farming for 2022. Funding for the Organic Farming Scheme (OFS) has been increased to €21 million up from €16million last year with a further €2 million for further organic sector development measures.  This increase is very welcome and addresses the growing demand from both...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forestry Sector (21 Oct 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: The national Forestry Policy Group members comprise the membership of the four Working Groups under Project Woodland. Project Woodland is an initiative which was launched in February with the twin objectives of improving the efficiency and effectiveness of the forestry licensing system and the creation of a shared vision for the creation of woodlands in Ireland. I am pleased to report that...