Results 10,941-10,960 of 23,995 for speaker:Charlie McConalogue

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Covid-19 Pandemic (2 Dec 2020)

Charlie McConalogue: Since the beginning of the Covid19 global pandemic, my Department has worked intensively, in cooperation with marts representative organisations, to ensure that marts may remain in operation. My Department has adapted the conditions under which marts must operate since April, to reflect the various measures introduced by the Government to stop the spread of this disease. The Taoiseach...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Climate Change Policy (2 Dec 2020)

Charlie McConalogue: The European Green Deal is a set of policy initiatives by the European Commission with the overarching aim of making Europe climate neutral in 2050. The President of the European Commission has made the European Green Deal a priority for her mandate from the start and it includes raising the EU's ambition on reducing greenhouse gas emissions to at least 55% below 1990 levels by 2030 and is in...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forestry Sector (2 Dec 2020)

Charlie McConalogue: The Department has put in place a process for dealing with forestry licensing applications requiring ecology input. A dedicated project plan, using a systematic approach to processing the backlog of licences requiring an appropriate assessment (AA), prioritises cases where the applicant submits a Natura Impact Statement (NIS). On receipt of a satisfactory NIS, the length of time it would...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forestry Sector (2 Dec 2020)

Charlie McConalogue: I am acutely aware that current timescales for the determination and issue of forestry licences are not in line with expected norms. These delays have arisen because of significant changes introduced in the Department's appropriate assessment process, as a result of European Court of Justice cases and their subsequent interpretation by the courts and the Forestry Appeals Committee. My...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (2 Dec 2020)

Charlie McConalogue: I very much appreciate that students in the agricultural colleges face financial challenges this year due to the impact of COVID 19. To assist those learners, Teagasc is proposing broadly similar measures to those recently announced by the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science in the wider education sector to support remote learning and to provide...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Forestry Sector (2 Dec 2020)

Charlie McConalogue: Let me acknowledge there are delays in the issuing of forestry licences and there are currently real challenges and difficulties in the sector as a result. I fully recognise the impact this is having on the sector. My immediate priority is to resolve the issues which have led to this backlog and issue licences in the volume needed for this important sector to continue to contribute to our...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Forestry Sector (2 Dec 2020)

Charlie McConalogue: Some 4,700 files are in hand, 2,000 of which require an ecology input and assessment. Those require much more work and are where the delays have primarily occurred. The others, which do not require an ecological input, tend to be processed more quickly. As I said, so far this year, 2,300 licences have been issued to date. The fact the number of licences being issued has not been what is...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Data Protection (3 Dec 2020)

Charlie McConalogue: The Data Protection Commission (DPC) has contacted my Department eight times since 2016 and sought clarification regarding Data Protection cases raised by individual DAFM clients. Two of these contacts were notified as formal investigations (one in 2016 and one in 2018). The other contacts were requests for information and/or clarifications on cases. The nature of these cases raised has...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Schemes (3 Dec 2020)

Charlie McConalogue: The Beef Finisher Payment (BFP) scheme is a one off, exchequer funded grant aid scheme under the Covid 19 State Aid Temporary Framework. The objective of the BFP has been to provide support for beef finishing farms in Ireland which have been severely impacted by the economic effects of the Covid-19 pandemic. The scheme was open to all beef farmers who presented animals for slaughter in the...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Aquaculture Regulation (3 Dec 2020)

Charlie McConalogue: The use of wrasse on salmon farms is regulated under the provisions of EU Directive 2006/88 on animal health requirements for aquaculture animals and products thereof, and on the prevention and control of certain diseases in aquatic animals. Statutory Instrument 261 of 2008 – European Communities (Health of Aquaculture Animals and Products) Regulations 2008 gives effect to the EU...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Aquaculture Regulation (3 Dec 2020)

Charlie McConalogue: Responsibilty for the designation of protected habitats and species and for reporting on their status rests with my colleague the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage. Wild caught wrasse are widely used in Irish salmon farms as cleaner fish. Ireland is not alone in this and this practice is commonly used internationally. The ecological risk, associated with fishing in...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Aquaculture Regulation (3 Dec 2020)

Charlie McConalogue: Under the Sea Fisheries and Maritime Jurisdiction Act, 2006, all operational issues of this nature concerning law enforcement of sea fisheries law are, as a matter of Statute, exclusively for the Sea Fisheries Protection Authority (SFPA). I am expressly precluded from getting involved in operational law enforcement matters such as this. I have referred the Deputy's request to the Sea...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Horticulture Sector (3 Dec 2020)

Charlie McConalogue: My Department provides a range of supports to the horticulture and field vegetable sector through the Scheme of Investment Aid for the Development of the Commercial Horticulture Sector. However, this scheme does not include the purchase of equipment for the processing of potatoes.

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Horticulture Sector (3 Dec 2020)

Charlie McConalogue: My Department provides a range of supports to the horticulture and field vegetable sector through the Scheme of Investment Aid for the Development of the Commercial Horticulture Sector. However, this scheme does not include the purchase of equipment for the washing of potatoes.

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forestry Sector (3 Dec 2020)

Charlie McConalogue: A tree felling licence application was received by my Department, from the person named in November 2019. Every application for a forestry licence must be carefully assessed to ensure that any potential effects that the proposed operations may have on the surrounding countryside and environment are considered. For this reason, the application has been referred to my Department’s...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forestry Management (3 Dec 2020)

Charlie McConalogue: Coillte CGA was established as a private commercial company under the Forestry Act, 1988 and day-to-day operational matters, such as the management of their forest estate, are the responsibility of the company. I have therefore passed the questions raised to Coillte for response and direct reply to the Deputy with 10 days.

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Pigmeat Sector (3 Dec 2020)

Charlie McConalogue: I propose to take Questions Nos. 394 and 396 together. My Department is fully committed to ensuring compliance with the legal requirements as set out in Council Directives 98/58/EC and 2008/120/EC and Commission Recommendation 2016/336 on measures to ensure the rearing of pigs with intact tails. My Department has communicated with all stakeholders on the details of the Commissioner's...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Live Exports (3 Dec 2020)

Charlie McConalogue: My Department is acutely conscious of the need and works diligently to ensure the welfare of animals in transit and is satisfied that the systems in place in respect of the intra-community movement of these animals are fully supportive of the welfare of the animals and in compliance with the relevant legislation. The care of calves is a priority of mine. My Department has put a...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Live Exports (3 Dec 2020)

Charlie McConalogue: Heretofore, Ireland issued a single Certificate of approval in accordance with Article 19 of Regulation (EC) No. 1 of 2005. Such certificates were issued under S.I. No. 356/2016 and S.I. No. 675/2006. This covered both approval under Regulation 1/2005, and under the more stringent Irish national standards laid down in S.I. No. 356 of 2016. These standards have been notified to the...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Diseases (3 Dec 2020)

Charlie McConalogue: Farmers affected by outbreaks of TB are covered by the TB Compensation Scheme. This includes the On-farm Market Valuation (OFMV) Scheme, Income Supplement, Depopulation Grant and the Hardship Grant The principal compensation mechanism is the OFMV Scheme. This is an indemnity payment per reactor animal removed. This is paid at a rate that the farmer would ordinarily expect to achieve on the...