Results 10,001-10,020 of 23,978 for speaker:Charlie McConalogue

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

Charlie McConalogue: I launched the new stakeholder strategy for the Irish agri-food sector, Food Vision 2030, with An Taoiseach, Micheál Martin TD, and Ministerial colleagues Minister of State Pippa Hackett and Martin Heydon earlier this year.. Food Vision 2030 sets the ambition that, “Ireland will become a world leader in Sustainable Food Systems (SFS) over the next decade. This will deliver...

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

Charlie McConalogue: As the Deputy will be aware, the Climate Act was passed by the Houses during the summer, and commits the economy to a 51% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030. The Deputy is correct in his assertion that Irish food is produced in a way that is very carbon efficient by global standards. Nevertheless, the sector needs to step forward and reduce absolute emissions and contribute to the...

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

Charlie McConalogue: I propose to take Questions Nos. 371 and 375 together. The Programme for Government commits to a 51% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions economy wide between now and 2030 – an extremely challenging ask but necessary as we aim to transition to a net zero economy and society. The positive contribution from the land use and agricultural sector is built around three pillars: -...

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

Charlie McConalogue: Notwithstanding the challenges of the past year, Irish dairy sector exports continue to perform well, despite the global impact to foodservice as a result of COVID-19 and supply chain disruptions resulting from Brexit and COVID-19.  The Department remains vigilant in monitoring the current market and emerging trends, engaging with the industry on an ongoing basis to maximise...

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

Charlie McConalogue: I am encouraged that the latest trade statistics for 2021 have seen Irish agri-food exports grow in value despite the challenges presented by COVID-19 and Brexit. For the first seven months of 2021, exports have increased in value terms by €533 million, or 5.8%, on the same period in 2020, and by €199 million, or 2.1%, on the same period in 2019. This is a clear...

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

Charlie McConalogue: As the Deputy will be aware, under the Climate Act that was passed by the Houses during the summer, all sections of the economy will be required to contribute to  an economy wide 51% reduction in greenhouse gas emisions by 2030. I have been consistent in my views that I want to, at a minimum, maintain agricultural production at current levels while meeting our carbon reduction...

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

Charlie McConalogue: Irish and EU food producers are making significant efforts to meet international carbon reduction targets.  I am very aware that we must do what we can to ensure that these efforts do not result in EU products becoming less competitive on EU and other markets, and as a result lead to them being replaced by imported products which are produced less sustainably.  ...

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

Charlie McConalogue: The Agriculture sector has a critically important social, economic, and environmental role in Ireland and like other sectors it will play its part in meeting the climate challenge. We must ensure that agriculture contributes to climate change mitigation together with protecting our environment, while continuing to support vibrant rural and coastal communities. Ireland’s...

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

Charlie McConalogue: I am very aware of the contribution of the beef sector to Irish agri-food as a whole, supporting significant levels of direct employment as well as their role in supporting rural economies and the wider national economy.  It is a sector that I support and will continue to support into the future. The Department continues to prioritise supporting the sustainable development of...

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

Charlie McConalogue: The Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Act will support Ireland’s transition to Net Zero and achieve a climate neutral economy by no later than 2050. The Act commits our economy to an ambitious and challenging 51% reduction in GHG emissions by 2030 with specific regards to the special economic and social role of agriculture, including regarding the distinct...

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

Charlie McConalogue: The pigmeat sector has shown remarkable growth in recent years, over the last decade exports have grown substantially from a base of €330 million export value in 2010 to €893 million in 2020, a 170% increase. Over 87,000 tonnes of pigmeat exports valued at over €406 million were exported to the UK in 2020. This represents almost 45.5% of total export value for the...

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

Charlie McConalogue: As a value-for-money source of protein-rich food, poultrymeat has seen an increase in demand in recent years. Irish production hit record levels in 2020, with a grand total of 111 million birds slaughtered (92% of which were chickens) in Department approved establishments. Currently 2021 is trending in a positive direction, with slaughter up 2.6%  on the same period in 2020 with...

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

Charlie McConalogue: In 2020 the farmgate value of the mushroom industry was valued at over €123 million, producing over 69,000 tonnes of mushrooms. Mushrooms have the highest farmgate value across all the other different sectors of both edible and non-edible horticulture in Ireland. Markets for mushrooms produced in Ireland have remained positive thus far into 2021 and added value has been gained by...

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

Charlie McConalogue: While Ireland is internationally recognised as having one of the most carbon efficient systems of dairy and beef production in the EU, there is huge variability in carbon efficiency within the country. The Teagasc Sustainability Survey shows that the top performing third of farms emitted, on average, 9.6 kg CO2 equivalent per kg beef, compared with 14.9 kg for the bottom performing third of...

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

Charlie McConalogue: I am very aware of the contribution of the meat and dairy sectors to Irish agri-food as a whole, supporting significant levels of direct employment as well as their role in supporting rural economies and the wider national economy.  The Department and I continue to prioritise supporting the sustainable development of these sectors including through targeted supports aimed at...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Departmental Contracts (20 Oct 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: I wish to advise the Deputy that neither myself nor officials from my Department held meetings or conducted correspondence with a company (details supplied) from 1 January 2017 to date, nor did my Department engage the services of the company for any purpose during the years in question.

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forestry Sector (20 Oct 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: The Forestry Programme 2014-2020 (extended to end 2022) provides significant supports for afforestation scheme which contains measures aimed at protecting the environment and biodiversity. All forestry licences issued must comply with the requirements of EU and national environmental law, environmental policy that falls within the scope of EU law, and the four environmental principles that...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forestry Sector (20 Oct 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: I can confirm that both myself and Minister of State Pippa Hackett have held meetings with bank officials in relation to forestry. Minister Hackett met with officials from Bank of Ireland, Ulster Bank and AIB in September 2020 and discussed, inter alia, cashflow for operators within the forestry sector. I met with the CEO of AIB in October 2020 and the CEOs of Bank of Ireland and...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forestry Sector (20 Oct 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: The Department assesses all forestry licence and scheme applications on their own merits and in combination with other plans and projects in the area.  The Deputy is aware of the backlog of forestry licences awaiting assessment and that the majority of these are referred to ecology. Circular 08/2021 published last June, set out the work the Department had conducted to streamline the...