Results 11,201-11,220 of 23,995 for speaker:Charlie McConalogue

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Departmental Bodies (17 Dec 2020)

Charlie McConalogue: My Department currently has no plans to digitise all of the eight million plus Land Commission records currently held in the Department. Digitisation of records on such a vast scale is not feasible at this stage, having regard to both the form and condition of many of the records held and given the sheer scale of such an operation. However, my Department is examining the possibility of...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Beef Industry (17 Dec 2020)

Charlie McConalogue: The Beef Taskforce was established to provide the leadership to develop a sustainable pathway for the future of the beef sector. The Taskforce provides a robust implementation structure for commitments entered into in the Beef Sector Agreement of 15th September 2019, with timelines and stakeholder engagement. At the meeting of the Taskforce in October, the discussion centred on an...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Veterinary Medicines (17 Dec 2020)

Charlie McConalogue: All stakeholders who are currently permitted to sell veterinary medicinal products (VMPs) under national legislation will continue to be able to sell VMPs following the new veterinary medicines Regulation coming into effect in January 2022. This includes Licensed Merchants. However, from January 2022, antiparasitic VMPs will require a veterinary prescription before they can be sold. ...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forestry Sector (17 Dec 2020)

Charlie McConalogue: Following the first confirmed finding of the ash dieback disease in October 2012, intensive surveys for the disease have been conducted every year since. The surveys conducted in 2019 included a targeted survey of forestry plantations and a systematic survey of National Forest Inventory points across the country. By the end of 2019, there had been findings in ash in over 650 locations in...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Welfare (17 Dec 2020)

Charlie McConalogue: My Department, in coherence with the Programme for Government, is fully committed to equine welfare and I can assure the Deputy that equine welfare is a priority for my Department. These three distinct pieces of legislation are being enforced by the multiple agencies and bodies responsible. The Animal Health and Welfare Act 2013 is the primary legislative instrument that underpins...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Afforestation Programme (17 Dec 2020)

Charlie McConalogue: I propose to take Questions Nos. 647 and 648 together. I fully recognise the impact the current forestry licensing delays are having on the sector and that these delays are a contributory factor in the downward trend in afforestation levels. It is my immediate priority to resolve the issues which have led to this backlog. Notwithstanding the current difficulties, over 4,000 hectares of...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forestry Sector (17 Dec 2020)

Charlie McConalogue: The Forestry Appeals Committee (FAC) is independent in the performance of its functions and scheduling of appeal hearings is a matter for the Chairman of the FAC. It is important that the Forestry Appeal Committee (FAC) operates with complete independence and I am informed that when scheduling appeal hearings a number of issues must be taken into consideration. Up to 9th November 2020, only...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Greyhound Industry (17 Dec 2020)

Charlie McConalogue: Rásaíocht Con Éireann (RCÉ) is a commercial state body, established under the Greyhound Industry Act, 1958 chiefly to control greyhound racing and to improve and develop the greyhound industry. RCÉ is a body corporate and a separate legal entity to the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine. RCÉ, as part of its Strategic Plan 2018-2022, has, as a clear...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Greyhound Industry (17 Dec 2020)

Charlie McConalogue: Rásaíocht Con Éireann (RCÉ) is a commercial state body, established under the Greyhound Industry Act, 1958 chiefly to control greyhound racing and to improve and develop the greyhound industry. RCÉ is a body corporate and a separate legal entity to the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine. RCÉ, as part of the modernising of the legislative...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Meat Processing Plants (17 Dec 2020)

Charlie McConalogue: All slaughter plants, whose meat is destined for human consumption, must meet the requirements set out in detailed EU regulations relating to food safety and animal health and welfare. Installation of CCTV at slaughter establishments is not a mandatory regulatory requirement. My Department has a permanent veterinary presence in each of the slaughter plants under its supervision and...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Budget 2021 (17 Dec 2020)

Charlie McConalogue: The budget measures announced under Budget 2021 to support suckler farmers build directly on the schemes established in recent years. The core support for the beef sector under the current RDP is the €300m Beef Data and Genomics Programme (BDGP). In addition to this support, over the last two years, over €200 million of additional supports were made available specifically to...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Potato Sector (17 Dec 2020)

Charlie McConalogue: I propose to take Questions Nos. 655 and 656 together. Under EU legislation, Ireland is one of a small number of areas within the EU officially recognised as a High-Grade Seed Area to produce seed potatoes. This is because the country is free from a number of significant potato diseases that occur in other Member States. My Department supports the Irish Seed potato sector by...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Aquaculture Development (17 Dec 2020)

Charlie McConalogue: The National Marine Planning Framework (Marine Spatial Plan) is currently being developed by the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage and my Department participates on the Interdepartmental Working Group on the Plan. In relation to aquaculture, the aquaculture licensing backlog in respect of shellfish aquaculture has now been eliminated as an issue affecting the...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Culls (17 Dec 2020)

Charlie McConalogue: I propose to take Questions Nos. 658 to 662, inclusive, together. My Department continues to engage with the farm operators in order to manage the next steps in this process. From a public health risk management perspective, my Department has conducted testing on mink on all three farms, with the most recent tests on 7thDecember. All tests were negative for Covid 19.

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Fishing Industry (17 Dec 2020)

Charlie McConalogue: The monitoring and control of fishing vessels within Ireland’s Exclusive Fisheries Zone are law enforcement matters for the Irish control authorities. Under the Sea Fisheries and Maritime Jurisdiction Act 2006, all operational matters are exclusively the responsibility of the Sea Fisheries Protection Authority (SFPA) and the Naval Service. Under the Act, I am expressly precluded...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Targeted Agricultural Modernisation Scheme (17 Dec 2020)

Charlie McConalogue: The TAMS II scheme operates on a rolling tranche-by-tranche basis. While the Deputy asked for data on a county basis, it must be remembered that TAMS II is a national scheme that operates countrywide. The application and closing dates are the same for every applicant irrespective of which county they are in. To date, over 45,500 applications have been received and 34,500 of those have...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Harbours and Piers (13 Jan 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: My Department owns, operates and maintains six designated State-owned Fishery Harbour Centres, located at Castletownbere, Dingle, Dunmore East, Howth, Killybegs and Ros An Mhíl under statute. In addition, my Department also has responsibility for the upkeep and maintenance of North Harbour at Cape Clear, as well as the maintenance of a small number of specific piers, lights and beacons...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Horticulture Sector (13 Jan 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: In relation to peat extraction, my Department has no involvement in its regulation. This is a planning process under the remit of the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage and an Integrated Pollution Control (IPC) license process, under the remit of the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment.   Regarding the future use of peat moss in the...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Beef Data and Genomics Programme (13 Jan 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: The Beef Data and Genomics Programme (BDGP) provides for six years of payments to participating farmers for the completion of actions which deliver accelerated genetic improvement in the Irish national herd and the improvement of its environmental sustainability. Payment under the 2020 BDGP issued to the bank account of the person named on 17 December 2020.

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Industry (13 Jan 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: The growing of hemp by farmers is subject to specific licence granted by the Health Products Regulatory Authority (HPRA), which operates under the auspices of the Department of Health. In addition, the cultivation of hemp (Cannabis genus) is restricted to varieties having less than 0.2% content of the narcotic compound Delta-9 Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). Cannabis (which includes...