Results 10,961-10,980 of 23,995 for speaker:Charlie McConalogue

Select Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Estimates for Public Services 2020
Vote 30 – Agriculture, Food and the Marine (Supplementary) (3 Dec 2020)

Charlie McConalogue: I thank the Chair and I welcome the opportunity to present to the committee this request for a Supplementary Estimate for 2020. We require this Supplementary Estimate to pay for the Department’s share of the Brexit infrastructure costs undertaken by the Office of Public Works. We are also using the opportunity to provide for an early payment to the World Food Programme, which is...

Select Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Estimates for Public Services 2020
Vote 30 – Agriculture, Food and the Marine (Supplementary) (3 Dec 2020)

Charlie McConalogue: On the issue of forestry, there have been fewer expressions of interest coming forward and there is no doubt that the licensing situation has had a significant impact. The backlog should never have reached its current level, as has been well documented in contributions in both Houses of the Oireachtas by myself and the Minister of State, Senator Hackett. An immense amount of effort, time...

Select Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Estimates for Public Services 2020
Vote 30 – Agriculture, Food and the Marine (Supplementary) (3 Dec 2020)

Charlie McConalogue: I responded to the Chairman and Deputy Carthy on the forestry issue. There is no doubt that the licensing backlog and licensing challenges have contributed to the reduction in the forestry area planted. If a licensing system is not operating smoothly and has delays, it acts as a discouragement to applicants. It does not make it attractive. We have a great deal of work to do and we are...

Select Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Estimates for Public Services 2020
Vote 30 – Agriculture, Food and the Marine (Supplementary) (3 Dec 2020)

Charlie McConalogue: Yes, since the legislation went through, we are. Undoubtedly there is a crunch in supply within the sector, which has built up as a result of the backlog that was there. That undoubtedly is causing massive challenges and difficulties for the sector. The Minister of State, Senator Hackett, and I are very conscious of it and every step that can be taken is taken within the Department to...

Select Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Estimates for Public Services 2020
Vote 30 – Agriculture, Food and the Marine (Supplementary) (3 Dec 2020)

Charlie McConalogue: Yes, and further spending in addition to that.

Select Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Estimates for Public Services 2020
Vote 30 – Agriculture, Food and the Marine (Supplementary) (3 Dec 2020)

Charlie McConalogue: A total of 2,700 of the applications do not require ecological input. The significant backlog has been in respect of those that need additional work because of the ecological requirements for those particular applications.

Select Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Estimates for Public Services 2020
Vote 30 – Agriculture, Food and the Marine (Supplementary) (3 Dec 2020)

Charlie McConalogue: Those 2,700 applications are being processed and being dealt with, and 2,300 licences were issued this year over the course of 2020. As licence applications are coming in, licences are going out but there has been a backlog there. Where there are 4,700 on hand currently, 2,300 have been issued over the year 2020. That needs to be more. It is ramping up and volume is coming out but it...

Select Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Estimates for Public Services 2020
Vote 30 – Agriculture, Food and the Marine (Supplementary) (3 Dec 2020)

Charlie McConalogue: The big crunch at the moment is in volume for felling.

Select Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Estimates for Public Services 2020
Vote 30 – Agriculture, Food and the Marine (Supplementary) (3 Dec 2020)

Charlie McConalogue: Will the Deputy give me the figure again?

Select Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Estimates for Public Services 2020
Vote 30 – Agriculture, Food and the Marine (Supplementary) (3 Dec 2020)

Charlie McConalogue: I do not have those figures here.

Select Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Estimates for Public Services 2020
Vote 30 – Agriculture, Food and the Marine (Supplementary) (3 Dec 2020)

Charlie McConalogue: Let us look at the output since the legislation passed and since additional staff have come on board. If we look at where we were throughout 2020 and where we have been in the last couple of months, we see volume is starting to ramp up again significantly and it needs to continue to ramp up. I can assure the committee that in terms of the additional staff coming on board, and more will come...

Select Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Estimates for Public Services 2020
Vote 30 – Agriculture, Food and the Marine (Supplementary) (3 Dec 2020)

Charlie McConalogue: I was going to say that the notes I have with me are around the Estimate, which is not relevant to the forestry question. I do not have the dashboard in front of me at the moment to compare the figures that the Deputy has in front of him. What I can be very clear on is that every effort is being made to address the supply crunch that is there, and to address the issues in regard to volume...

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed) - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Brexit Supports (8 Dec 2020)

Charlie McConalogue: I thank Deputy Carthy for the question. Whatever the outcome of the EU-UK future relationship negotiations, significant changes will take place from 1 January 2021. These will have considerable implications for the agri-food and fisheries sector and will require considerable adjustment, particularly for businesses trading with Great Britain. The focus of my Department has been on getting...

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed) - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Brexit Supports (8 Dec 2020)

Charlie McConalogue: We have been working closely with all agri-food companies, and exporters in particular, to ensure they prepare for 1 January because, regardless of what happens in the next number of days, there will be significant changes from that date when Britain becomes a third country. For every company that exports to Britain, that will mean additional customs checks and, for the agri-food sector more...

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed) - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Brexit Supports (8 Dec 2020)

Charlie McConalogue: On supporting companies to prepare for the additional requirements in terms of customs and SPS, significant financial support has been put in place by the Government. In particular, there is a €9,000 grant for all businesses to avail of to ensure they have a member of staff in their company who will have knowledge, understanding and responsibility to prepare for customs checking. ...

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed) - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Trade Agreements (8 Dec 2020)

Charlie McConalogue: I thank the Deputy for his question on the assessment of the potential impact on the agrifood sector of the EU-Mercosur deal. As was stated at the time of last year's EU-Mercosur political agreement, Ireland was disappointed with the inclusion of a 99,000-tonne tariff-rate quota for beef from Mercosur countries. If ratified, this quota would be phased in under the agreement in six equal...

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed) - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Trade Agreements (8 Dec 2020)

Charlie McConalogue: The concern about the Mercosur agreement relates to its beef aspect and the 99,000 tonnes of tariff-rate quota. Wider trade agreements have a benefit for Ireland, including our agrifood industry. We export 90% of all of our agricultural produce. As such, being able to trade internationally is important. The part of the Mercosur agreement that I am concerned about is the tariff-rate...

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed) - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Trade Agreements (8 Dec 2020)

Charlie McConalogue: The Deputy will find that I am consistent in outlining my concerns about the 99,000-tonne beef aspect. I have also pointed out to him the wider value of trade to Irish agrifood. The approach from his party is anti-trade in general. It is opposed to many of our free trade agreements, for example, the EU-Canada Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement, CETA, which has been positive for the...

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed) - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Trade Agreements (8 Dec 2020)

Charlie McConalogue: No, we were not.

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed) - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Trade Agreements (8 Dec 2020)

Charlie McConalogue: Certainly not.