Results 10,561-10,580 of 14,886 for speaker:Dara Calleary

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Areas of Natural Constraint Scheme (28 Jul 2020)

Dara Calleary: Over the years 2018 and 2019, an increase in funding amounting to €48 million was secured for the Areas of Natural Constraints (ANC) Scheme by my Department, bringing the total annual budget for the scheme to €250 million for 2019 and 2020. The budget for the ANC scheme, and indeed for other schemes administered by my Department, for 2021 and future...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Areas of Natural Constraint Scheme (28 Jul 2020)

Dara Calleary: The table below shows the total breakdown in funding for the Areas of Natural Constraints Scheme between EU and Exchequer funding in the years 2015 - 2020. As my Department has secured additional funding for the Scheme in recent years, this has been funded via the Exchequer and thus the balance between EU and Exchequer funding has changed over the relevant period. Please note,...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Organic Farming (28 Jul 2020)

Dara Calleary: The information sought by the Deputy is not readily available. Officials in my Department are currently collating the information requested and I will respond to the Deputy within 10 days.

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Farms Data (28 Jul 2020)

Dara Calleary: My Department maintains linear hedgerow data in relation to a subset of farmers who have Ecological Focus Area obligations under the Greening Scheme. However, it does not currently maintain a national dataset on the area of hedgerows per county. The information relating to scrub is currently being collated and will be forwarded directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forestry Sector (28 Jul 2020)

Dara Calleary: The Programme for Government makes a number of commitments for the forestry sector in Ireland. These include the alignment of the licensing and appeals processes with other similar processes, a commitment to implement the recommendations of the Mackinnon Review and to ensure the licensing system is sufficiently resourced to clear the existing backlog. The Deputy will be aware...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Diseases (28 Jul 2020)

Dara Calleary: It is not possible to provide a response to the Deputy in the required timeframe. I wish to advise the Deputy that a deferred reply will be issued to him in respect of this Parliamentary Question, in line with Standing Order 42A.

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Meat Processing Plants (28 Jul 2020)

Dara Calleary: Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2017/1184 of 20 April 2017 governs the monitoring of carcase classification. My Department fully endorses and supports the objective of ensuring a robust system of carcass classification and maintaining the confidence of farmers in it. To this end, carcase classification controls in slaughter plants are carried out by a dedicated team of...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Industry (28 Jul 2020)

Dara Calleary: Statistics on area farmed and livestock numbers are compiled by the Central Statistics Office (CSO) on a regional rather than a county basis in most cases. The table details, in respect of 2019 shows: - area farmed (Utililsable Agricultural Area) in June by region and by type of land use - number of cattle in June by region and by county - number of sheep, pigs, poultry etc by region Number...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Farms Data (28 Jul 2020)

Dara Calleary: The CSO's 2016 Farm Structures Survey provides detailed information on the number of farms by size on a regional basis. The average farm size in 2016 was 32.4 hectares. However, farms in the Border Midlands and West region averaged 27.1 hectares in 2016, compared to 38.3 hectares in the South and East region. Data on farm size by county is not readily available. Tables 1 provides a...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Farms Data (28 Jul 2020)

Dara Calleary: My Department maintains linear hedgerow data in relation to a subset of farmers who have Ecological Focus Area obligations under the Greening Scheme, However, it does not currently maintain a national dataset on the area of hedgerows per county. The information relating to scrub is currently being collated and will be forwarded directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Forestry Sector (29 Jul 2020)

Dara Calleary: I thank Deputy Moynihan for raising this very important issue. Many Members of both Houses have been raising it with me. Along with the Minister of State, Senator Hackett, who has direct responsibility for forestry, I brought a memo to Government earlier this week proposing a number of initiatives for the forestry sector with a particular emphasis on licensing issues. These initiatives...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Forestry Sector (29 Jul 2020)

Dara Calleary: I thank the Deputy once again for his suggestions. I am happy to confirm to him that we are in the process of appointing ecologists and we will have a number of new ecologists in place in the Department by the end of the month. We have a detailed project plan in place for dealing with the backlog and new applications which includes significant extra resources. As I said, these will include...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Welfare (29 Jul 2020)

Dara Calleary: Veterinary Inspectors and Technical Agricultural Officers of my Department around the country are tasked with striving to ensure that animals are being farmed ethically, developing initiatives aimed at cultivating best practice, particularly in relation to animal health and welfare, and conducting disease control related inspections at farm level under Animal Health and Welfare...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Horticulture Sector (29 Jul 2020)

Dara Calleary: The extent of any commercial impact on the horticulture sector arising from a decision by Bord na Mona to suspend all peat harvesting will depend initially on the level of domestic stocks of horticultural peat on hand, alternative suppliers of peat and the development of alternative growing mediums. My Department is participating in a cross-departmental working group led by the...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Freedom of Information (29 Jul 2020)

Dara Calleary: So far in 2020, my Department has received 191 valid requests under the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act 2014.  All valid requests have been dealt with within the statutory timeframe except for those set out in the following table and which are currently being processed.  Number of FOI requests extended by... 2020 2 week ...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Beef Industry (29 Jul 2020)

Dara Calleary: Last year, the Beef Taskforce was established to provide the leadership to develop a sustainable pathway for the future of the beef sector in terms of economic, environmental and social sustainability. The Taskforce is providing a robust implementation structure for commitments entered into in the Beef Talks Agreement of 15th September 2019, with timelines and...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Harbours and Piers (29 Jul 2020)

Dara Calleary: Howth Fishery Harbour Centre (FHC) is one of six FHCs owned, operated and maintained by my Department under statute.  The other five are located at Castletownbere, Dingle, Dunmore East, Killybegs and Ros An Mhíl. The FHCs are strategically important infrastructure which underpin the Government's Strategy to further develop a modern offshore Irish fishing fleet, attract...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Timber Supply (30 Jul 2020)

Dara Calleary: I propose to take Questions Nos. 912, 967 and 968 together. The commencement of the Forestry Act, 2014 in May, 2017 brought about significant changes in the consent process for forestry operations. The Act makes provision for third-party submissions and establishes the Forestry Appeals Committee (FAC). The current licensing difficulties are as a result of the changes made to...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Young Farmers Scheme (30 Jul 2020)

Dara Calleary: Teagasc is the primary education provider for the farming community delivering a wide range of programmes on a full-time, part-time and distance education basis including the Green Cert Programme.  I am advised that Teagasc has not cancelled any courses arising from COVID 19. In regard to full-time courses, its agricultural colleges plan to reopen in September...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Schemes (30 Jul 2020)

Dara Calleary: The Programme for Government has set out clearly our strategy for agri-environment policy not least our ambition to allocate €1.5bn to a flagship environmental scheme under the next CAP. I have been very clear that the strong environmental ambition for the sector must be matched by a suitable CAP budget. This will be included in Ireland’s CAP Strategic Plan and we...