Results 10,841-10,860 of 23,995 for speaker:Charlie McConalogue

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Trade Missions (25 Nov 2020)

Charlie McConalogue: Gaining third country market access and opening trading opportunities around the world for Irish exports have long been integral to my Department’s strategic approach to the development of the agri-food sector. This is particularly important as we deal with the challenges presented by Brexit and the COVID-19 pandemic. Trade missions have become an integral part of this strategy,...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Schemes (25 Nov 2020)

Charlie McConalogue: The On-farm Market Valuation Scheme is the principal compensation scheme available to farmers who suffer a bovine TB breakdown. Under this scheme, applications for compensation on the basis of a live valuation are issued to all farmers who suffer a breakdown with the exception of those whose animals are discovered to have TB lesions at the time of slaughter. Live valuations are carried out by...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Public Procurement Contracts (25 Nov 2020)

Charlie McConalogue: My Department ensures that there is an appropriate focus on good practice in procurement and that procedures are in place to ensure compliance with relevant guidelines and legislation. Social clauses cover a broad range of considerations and include for example labour standards, training for young people and environmental sustainability. EU and national rules promote an open,...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Departmental Bodies (25 Nov 2020)

Charlie McConalogue: I have recently established a new Forestry Policy Group to help inform forest policy development in Ireland. The group is due to have its first meeting this week. I expect the group to work together to contribute to the development of current and future forestry policy and to help in delivering on the ambitious objectives of the Programme for Government. I have considered very carefully...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Schemes (25 Nov 2020)

Charlie McConalogue: New Entrant to Farming is one of the two priority categories supported under the National Reserve. Part of the eligibility requirements under the new entrant category of the National Reserve is that the applicant must have commenced the present agricultural activity in the two calendar years prior to the year of application under the scheme. Additionally, the applicant is required to not...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Beef Industry (25 Nov 2020)

Charlie McConalogue: As the Deputy is aware, the draft application by Bord Bia for a PGI for Irish Grass Fed Beef was agreed in principle by stakeholders at the last meeting of the Beef Task Force on 22 October. My Department is currently completing the necessary steps to finalise the application for submission to the European Commission, and I hope that this will happen shortly. These steps include the...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Beef Industry (25 Nov 2020)

Charlie McConalogue: As the Deputy is aware, the draft application by Bord Bia for a PGI for Irish Grass Fed Beef was agreed in principle by stakeholders at the last meeting of the Beef Task Force on 22 October. My Department is currently completing the necessary steps to finalise the application for submission to the European Commission, and I hope that this will happen shortly. As the Competent Authority,...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Departmental Reports (25 Nov 2020)

Charlie McConalogue: My Department, through our agency Teagasc, conducted research under the 'SQUARE' research project on the extent of soil compaction in grassland soils across a range of different soil and drainage types. In this research 40 grassland field-sites were assessed from across Ireland and within this a range of permanent pastures and improved grassland. Due to increased organic matter, and the...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: GLAS Issues (25 Nov 2020)

Charlie McConalogue: The person named was approved into GLAS 3 with a contract commencement date of 1 January 2017 and has received full payments for scheme years 2017, 2018 and 2019 and has also received the 2020 85% advance payment. In this case, the Chough action was not listed on the application at the time of its submission and approval. It is not possible to add additional actions once the GLAS contract is...

Seanad: Horse and Greyhound Racing Fund Regulations 2020: Motion (25 Nov 2020)

Charlie McConalogue: I am glad to be here today to discuss this issue. An important pillar of Government policy is to ensure the horse and greyhound racing industries have achieved their maximum potential and, in doing so, contribute to economic and social development across a wide geographic swathe of the country. Those industries make a valuable contribution to our economy. It is estimated the thoroughbred...

Seanad: Horse and Greyhound Racing Fund Regulations 2020: Motion (25 Nov 2020)

Charlie McConalogue: I thank everybody who contributed to the debate in the House this afternoon. It was important to have the debate and to provide oversight of the spending of the horse and greyhound fund. Between yesterday and next Tuesday I will have appeared on four occasions in one week in the Houses of the Oireachtas to discuss the horse and greyhound fund. Senator Ruane mentioned earlier that it would...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: GLAS Issues (26 Nov 2020)

Charlie McConalogue: The person named was approved into GLAS 1 with a contract commencement date of 1 October 2015 and is fully up to date with their payments. The participant was selected for an on farm inspection and has requested a review of the inspection findings. The Department will inform the applicant directly, in writing, of the outcome once the review has been completed.

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Basic Payment Scheme (26 Nov 2020)

Charlie McConalogue: Solar panels are considered as ineligible features within a land parcel and deductions to the eligible area must be made in accordance with the guidelines set out in the “Guide to Land eligibility” booklet published by my Department in 2015. A land parcel containing solar panels may be considered eligible once there is an agricultural activity (e.g. grazing sheep) within the...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: GLAS Issues (26 Nov 2020)

Charlie McConalogue: Where land is burned between the period of 1 March and 31 August of any given year, it is not in a state suitable for an agricultural activity such as grazing or cultivation and, therefore, it is not eligible for payment under the Basic Payment Scheme (BPS), except where controlled burning is carried out. My Department actively investigates incidents of illegal burning using satellite...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forestry Sector (26 Nov 2020)

Charlie McConalogue: A decision on the application for an afforestation licence in the reference provided was appealed by the persons named to the Forestry Appeals Committee (FAC). The FAC is operationally independent of my Department and I cannot correspond with the Committee on any single appeal. The FAC will be in direct contact with the parties to the appeal in relation to any hearing that may be...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Food Industry (26 Nov 2020)

Charlie McConalogue: I propose to take Questions Nos. 412 and 413 together. The EU Quality schemes for agriculture products include Protected Geographical Indications (PGI), Protected Designations of Origin (PDO), and Traditional Specialties Guaranteed (TSG) and also Geographical Indications (GIs) for wine and spirits. Over the past five years, 16 applications have been received from food producers seeking to...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Food Industry (26 Nov 2020)

Charlie McConalogue: Following a Geographical Indications conference arranged by my Department in early 2019, it was decided that an application to have an Irish beef product registered as a PGI (Protected Geographical Indication) should be submitted to the European Commission. The conference was attended by the EU Commission officials as well as farming and industry stakeholders. From that time, Bord Bia...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Food Industry (26 Nov 2020)

Charlie McConalogue: My Department, as the Competent Authority for food and spirit drink Geographical Indications (GIs), scrutinises all applications received under the EU GI Quality Schemes to check for manifest errors and also to ensure that the application conforms to the requirements of the EU Regulations. As the Competent Authority, my Department must also be satisfied, in submitting a PGI application...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Schemes (26 Nov 2020)

Charlie McConalogue: The herd number for the persons name has been amended to include a second name. To ensure compliance by both participants with the requirements of the programme, a Declaration of Undertaking signed by both participants was required for the BDGP. This was received on 18 November 2020, and has now been processed. Outstanding payments under BDGP will issue shortly. Payments in respect of...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Livestock Issues (26 Nov 2020)

Charlie McConalogue: My Department officials have made great progress in addressing problem of unregistered cattle in this herd. The results of DNA tests have been returned for a number of animals and, as a result, a number of animals have been registered. My officials are still awaiting on some DNA results to be finalised and, once known, the relevant registrations will may be completed. When these...