Results 20,101-20,120 of 24,049 for speaker:Charlie McConalogue

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Common Agricultural Policy (13 Jul 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: That is what this Government's commitment is.

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Agriculture Industry (13 Jul 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: Deputy Berry's question is quite a topical one. It is one that is coming up quite a bit at the moment and getting a lot of discussion as well. He is right that it was covered in the Irish Farmers' Journallast week and it has been raised at many of the meetings I have been having with farm organisations in recent weeks too. I want to be clear that no decision has been taken by the Government...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Agriculture Industry (13 Jul 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: I think Deputy Berry explains it very well. As Minister, it has been my approach, and it will continue to be my approach, to work with farmers with whom we share this challenge. We all have to work together to meet the challenge. We are doing that and that will continue. On the suckler and the beef sectors, farm organisations were adamant that there should be no scheme for them, so I...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Agriculture Industry (13 Jul 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: To give absolute reassurance to Deputy Berry, everything will be voluntary. It is about providing options to farmers, voluntary options, and ones that will pay farmers. That will help us collectively to meet the challenge of reducing emissions over the coming decade. That is something I am confident we will do, and that is the approach we have taken so far and will continue to take. ...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Nitrates Usage (13 Jul 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: I thank Deputy Nolan for the question. Last year Ireland secured renewal of our nitrates derogation covering the period 2022 to 2025. As part of that approval, the European Commission attached increased conditionality to the derogation in the granting of it, including a requirement that we would conduct a two-year water quality review. Its implementing decision states that where water...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Nitrates Usage (13 Jul 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: We are working together to try to seek extra time. I have brought everyone in the sector into that working group. It is the first time there has ever been a working group on this issue, so we can pool ideas and pool resources for what is a real challenge on maintaining our derogation. My team has already engaged with the Commission with regard to flexibilities. We will engage further over...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Nitrates Usage (13 Jul 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: Yes, multiple issues impact water quality, and certainly wastewater from towns, villages and sewage are a key part of that, mainly contributing to the phosphorus side. The biggest challenge from the nitrates side comes from agriculture. That will be recognised by all. While we have to address the phosphorus side and the sewage side, which is a real problem, we also have to address the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Fishing Communities (13 Jul 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: I hope to engage with the committee shortly to provide an update on the Bill. The Island Fisheries (Heritage Licence) Bill 2017, to which the Deputy referred, seeks to create a specific system for licensing island fishers to conduct small-scale coastal fishing activities and would provide regulatory powers for this purpose. There have been a number of significant developments since 2017....

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Fishing Communities (13 Jul 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: Like the Deputy, I very much value our islands and wish to make sure there are sustainable, economic livelihoods on them. Traditionally, fishing was the biggest part of that and really drove the economies of the islands, although that has become less so as the years have passed. I want to work in any way we can to support the inshore fishing sector both around our coast and, in particular,...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Fishing Communities (13 Jul 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: I accept this has taken time, but I assure the Deputy that if it were straightforward, it would have been dealt with long ago. I had legal advice on my table regarding the workability and legality of the Bill, and I then sought further legal advice in that regard because I wanted to explore it from every angle and fully examine what the proposal was and what the potential might be. That has...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Fishing Communities (13 Jul 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: I will update the committee shortly on it, but the Deputy can take it that it has been very challenging given it has taken so long to consider it, look at it and see what the options might be. Before the end of this month, I will revert to the committee with my update on the Bill. Like the Deputy, I want to do everything we can to support the islanders. From a Government point of view,...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Agriculture Schemes (13 Jul 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: The Deputy is on the button with this question, which is being asked throughout the country, regarding the new suckler carbon efficiency programme, which replaces the suckler welfare scheme. This decision was made in the strategic interest of improving our suckler and beef herd and especially the value of the animals we sell and market abroad. Origin Green, the Bord Bia quality assurance...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Agriculture Schemes (13 Jul 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: It has been a challenge to get more participation in quality assurance. It has come a long way but we need to try to have more farmers in it. That is difficult to achieve. It enhances our overall product. The Minister of State, Deputy Heydon, and I are doing trade missions abroad all the time, and the Minister of State, Senator Hackett, is also looking at it from an organic point of view....

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Agriculture Schemes (13 Jul 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: There is no doubt that a move like this will strengthen the sector-----

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Agriculture Schemes (13 Jul 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: -----but I accept it is a rationale that at times is challenging to communicate.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Agriculture Schemes (13 Jul 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: I do not believe it is possible to have a halfway house for quality assurance. We have one national quality assurance scheme and one national brand. It is important this is as strong as possible. Lots of farmers are concerned about taking on the additional administration involved in quality assurance. The experience has been, from those who have made that move and made that jump, that it...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Agriculture Schemes (13 Jul 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: The objective of the suckler carbon efficiency programme, SCEP, is to provide support to suckler and beef farmers to improve the environmental sustainability of the national beef herd. The programme aims to build on the gains already delivered through the beef data and genomics programme, which finished in December, and the beef environmental efficiency programme by improving the genetic...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Agriculture Schemes (13 Jul 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: I take Deputy Ó Cuív's point. It has always been a challenge to get smaller herds into the suckler schemes. That was the experience with the previous scheme as well. This scheme is much more attractive in terms of pay rates. Last time around, somebody with fewer than nine or ten cows would have received €90 per cow. The payment this time around is €150. That is a...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Agriculture Schemes (13 Jul 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: It is not that we are leaving anybody out. It is open to everyone. Anyone can apply. I accept what Deputy Ó Cuív is stated to the effect that those who have smaller numbers of animals are not applying in the same percentages as those who have more, but it is open to everyone. In addition, we have increased the payments significantly, from €90 to €150. The...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Agriculture Schemes (13 Jul 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: -----its journey is quality assured. As we go forward and as the sustainability ask of consumers across the world and in supermarkets that we are selling to becomes stronger, to be able to say that it is only the last 90 that are quality assured as opposed to the animal's journey that is quality assured becomes something we have to look at in terms of making sure we have a strong scheme and...