Results 20,121-20,140 of 24,048 for speaker:Charlie McConalogue

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Animal Welfare (13 Jul 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: Rásaíocht Con Éireann is a commercial State body. Its role is chiefly to control greyhound racing and to improve and develop the greyhound industry. The allocation from the horse and greyhound fund for Rásaíocht Con Éireann is €18.2 million this year. Since 2020, my Department has ring-fenced 10% of the fund allocation to Rásaíocht Con...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Animal Welfare (13 Jul 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: The programme for Government commitment is being significantly advanced through the various initiatives and the funding that Rásaíocht Con Eireann is spending and how it is being allocated. I outlined some of the steps taken in the past two to three years. These are significant steps forward for safeguards around welfare and the supports for greyhounds. For example, 50% of all...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Animal Welfare (13 Jul 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: It is a key priority of the Government. It is also a key priority for Rásaíocht Con Éireann, and the management and board. The long-term viability and future for the industry has to be built on good welfare. It is what the public and dog owners expect. It is what all dogs deserve. It is also what Government funding is contingent on. We continue to work closely together....

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Animal Welfare (13 Jul 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: I thank the Deputy. In December last year, I announced a record allocation of over €5.8 million in funding for 99 animal welfare charities throughout the country, under the animal welfare grants programme. That figure exceeded the commitment in the programme for Government, which was to double the funding allocated within two years. It marks the largest award of grant funding ever...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Animal Welfare (13 Jul 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: I thank the Deputy. It is important the matter is raised here in the Dáil and highlighted, particularly in advance of the budget. Since we came into office, the Government has doubled the funding. We are very much aware of the challenges many are facing, the important work they are doing and the need for us to support those charities at Government level as well as supporting public...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Animal Welfare (13 Jul 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: I am happy to meet the Deputy further on this. I know he has been a strong advocate for this matter and the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine has given its attention to it. I am certainly happy to continue to work with him to make progress on it. We have work to do; there are real challenges in some parts of the country. The welfare of all horses is not where...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Food Industry (13 Jul 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: As a small open economy, international trade and the global rules-based system which supports that trade are critical for the continued development of the Irish economy. In the case of the Irish agri-food sector, our exports are very high quality. They are sustainably produced goods and we export them to some 180 countries around the world. This highlights the importance of the rules-based...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Food Industry (13 Jul 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: It is a really important principle. In order to be fair to our food producers domestically and across the EU, where high standards are set in food safety and sustainability, those same standards should be required of countries we would trade with. Ultimately that food is coming into the same market and competing with the food we produce. It should be meeting the same standard of...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Food Industry (13 Jul 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: We need to ensure that is the case. It has not always been the case in the past that the same attention has been paid to the requirements and the oversight of what is coming in compared to what we do within our own borders. With regard to trade deals, which are being renewed or are being initiated for the first time, that question has to be to the forefront. The standards have to be the...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forestry Sector (11 Jul 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: I propose to take Questions Nos. 561 and 562 together. Ireland’s current afforestation premia are offered under the guidelines for State Aid in the agricultural and forestry sectors and in rural areas. These guidelines were revised last year and the updated guidelines have now come into effect from 1 January 2023. The revised guidelines, under Section 2.1.1 (Aid for afforestation and...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Fishery Harbour Centres (11 Jul 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: Fishers are accommodated with appropriate net or pot storage at Howth Fishery Harbour Centre. Such facilities are organised by making contact with the Harbour Master who works with the users on practical matters like this. I understand that the company in question has accepted an offer from Bord Iascaigh Mhara under the Brexit Voluntary Permanent Cessation Scheme and accordingly it may not...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Schemes (11 Jul 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: The 2023 Protein Aid Scheme is a Voluntary Coupled Income Support under Article 33 of Regulation (EU) 2021/2115. Applications under the 2023 scheme were made via the Basic Income Support for Sustainability (BISS) online application system and in scheme year 2022, via the Basic Payment Scheme (BPS) online application system. - 2022 2023 Total...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Welfare (11 Jul 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: Under the Control of Horses Act 1996, local authorities may take a range of actions in relation to equines including prohibiting horses in certain areas, the issuing of licences and the seizure of horses in contravention of the Act. These powers can be used in respect of straying horses, which includes horses put on land without the owner’s permission, including public land. Local...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Departmental Staff (11 Jul 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: Ministerial Advisers are appointed under the Appointment of Special Adviser (Minister for Agriculture, Food & the Marine) Orders. As of Thursday 06 July, the names and contact information of all special advisers within my Department are set out in the table below. Name Advisor to Contact information Darran Brennan Minister for...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Schemes (11 Jul 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: I established the Food Vision Dairy Group last year to advance the actions for the dairy sector identified in the Food Vision 2030 strategy, taking account of the requirement for the sector to contribute to achieving the targets set for agriculture emissions in the Climate Act process. The first priority for the Group was to chart a pathway to achieving the legally binding target of a 25%...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Environmental Investigations (11 Jul 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: My Department maintains a list of laboratories that are approved to conduct soil analysis in relation to the Eco-Scheme. A copy of that current list is attached. Other laboratories may also meet my Department's requirements regarding soil analysis. For example, the Nitrates Derogation Terms and Conditions 2023 set out the requirement for laboratories carrying out soil analysis to be ISO/IEC...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Sales (11 Jul 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: The Central Statistics Office (CSO) produces annual data on Irish meat production, including beef, and presents these as its Meat Supply Balance figures. The volume data for this series is calculated as carcase weight equivalent and thus is not directly comparable to the CSO's published trade data which is quantified in metric tonnes. Beef production data for the period 2018 to 2021 can be...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Welfare (11 Jul 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: As the Deputy may be aware, policy responsibility for deer and other wildlife resides with the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS), within the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage. I am aware of the importance of the sustainable management of our national deer population for agriculture, forestry as well as overall biodiversity within nature ecosystems. In order to...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Departmental Staff (11 Jul 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: I wish to inform the Deputy, an open recruitment campaign for Technical Agricultural Officers (TAO) was advertised on 24 March 2023. Closing date for receipt of applications was 13 April 2023. This competition is being managed by the Public Appointments Service (PAS). This competition is currently active with interviews scheduled. There are no plans for a further recruitment campaign for...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: United Nations (11 Jul 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: My Department led Ireland's preparation for the UN Food Systems Summit in 2021 and on post-summit work with the UN Food Systems Co-Ordination Hub. The UN Food Systems Stocktaking moment (UNFSS +2) is the first global follow-up to the UNFSS to assess progress towards the implementation of national food systems transformation pathways. Ireland's delegation to UNFSS+2 will be led by my...