Results 11,361-11,380 of 23,995 for speaker:Charlie McConalogue

Brexit (Fishing Industry): Statements (21 Jan 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: I know that the questions concern beef, and that is perfectly good with me.

Brexit (Fishing Industry): Statements (21 Jan 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: Is my microphone live?

Brexit (Fishing Industry): Statements (21 Jan 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: We are all supposed to wear a mask as much as we can.

Brexit (Fishing Industry): Statements (21 Jan 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: If the Deputy was paying attention to the budget last October, he would have seen that I delivered an 11% increase in the agriculture budget for the year ahead, based on the previous year. That was so that we can ensure that many of the schemes that are key to our farming sector can continue at full capacity and with ongoing payments. There was also an additional €79 million of fresh...

Brexit (Fishing Industry): Statements (21 Jan 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: I will address the issues raised by Deputy Fitzmaurice first. As he is aware, Pillar 1 payments are 100% EU-funded. There is no capacity for domestic funds to be allocated towards it.

Brexit (Fishing Industry): Statements (21 Jan 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: The overall EU budget has been increased in monetary terms. Also, as the Deputy is aware, and as I pointed out previously, in the most recent national budget I delivered an 11% increase from last year, which was important overall.

Brexit (Fishing Industry): Statements (21 Jan 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: On the question of machinery, there is currently an issue in respect of ensuring that paperwork is complete. Unfortunately, there are many additional administrative burdens as a result of Brexit. It is challenging as those adjustments are made. On the points raised by Deputy Pringle on the designation of ports, they were designated for illegal, unregulated and unreported, IUU, purposes...

Brexit (Fishing Industry): Statements (21 Jan 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: There were three years of negotiations. The actual outcome of that was achieved on Christmas Eve. That made clear that authorisations would be required. As I said earlier, the departmental staff were working right up to late on New Year's Eve to get those authorisations out and put in tremendous work within the time involved. On the Deputy's final point that a no-deal Brexit would have...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Covid-19 Pandemic (21 Jan 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: For public health reasons, the Government has advised that people should stay at home except in a number of situations, including if they are travelling to and from work where the work is considered to be an essential service. Those essential service providers are listed and Regulations are in place to support them. Measures are based on expert advice from the National Public Health Emergency...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Covid-19 Pandemic (21 Jan 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: My Department is continuing to support the farming community in these difficult times, in particular, by ensuring that scheme payments can continue to issue to farmer clients. Conducting on-farm inspections is deemed essential work. Officials in my Department and I are very conscious of the challenges and concerns for all stakeholders posed by the COVID-19 situation. At all times, our...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Fisheries Protection (21 Jan 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: Unfortunately, due to an administrative error, the previous PQ from the Deputy was not referred to the Sea Fisheries Protection Authority (SFPA) and I wish to apologise for this error. The question has now been sent to the SFPA for direct and urgent reply.

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Hazardous Waste Removal (21 Jan 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: While Haulbowline island has been under my Department’s care for the duration of the East Tip remediation works, those works are concluded and the island is soon to transfer to the ownership of the Minister for Defence.

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Young Farmer Capital Investment Scheme (21 Jan 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: The person named submitted an application under the Young Farmer Capital Investment Scheme of TAMS II on 4 August 2020. Supporting documentation in relation to this application was requested and was received by the Department on 9 December 2020, following which a pre-approval inspection was completed on 22 December 2020. Processing of the application is currently being finalised and the...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (21 Jan 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: My Department provides direct support to the horticulture industry through the Scheme of Investment Aid for the Development of the Horticulture Sector. The Scheme provides grant aid towards capital investments in specialised plant and equipment, as well as emerging technologies specific to commercial horticulture production. In the current situation, this support is also important to help...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Breeding Regulations (21 Jan 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: Within EU Member States, purebred animal breeding of the domestic species (bovines, porcines, ovines, caprines and equines) is governed by EU legislation, namely, Regulation (EU) 2016/1012, aimed at ensuring a harmonised approach to trade and for entry into the European Union. The exiting of the UK from the European Union, impacts on Irish breeders that are members of UK breed societies...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Scheme Appeals (21 Jan 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: I wish to inform the Deputy that the Agriculture Appeals Office operates independently of my Department. The Office was established in 2002 in accordance with the Agriculture Appeals Act 2001 and the Agriculture Appeals Regulations 2002. There are distinct and specific statutory functions assigned to the officials delivering the appeals service which require the Appeals Officers and the...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forestry Sector (21 Jan 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: I fully recognise the impact the current forestry licensing delays are having on the sector. I am in regular and intensive consultation with all stakeholders to resolve these issues and I also issue a weekly dashboard to update on my Department's licensing dashboard. I have received the correspondence to which the question refers and a direct response will issue from my office to the person...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Brexit Issues (21 Jan 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: Fisheries was an extremely important priority for Ireland and the EU as a whole in the Task Force negotiations with the UK. The EU-UK Trade and Co-operation Agreement will, unfortunately, have an impact on our fishing industry. However, this impact would have been far greater had the Barnier Task Force agreed to UK demands or had we been in a no-deal scenario which would have seen all EU...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Apiculture Industry (21 Jan 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: I propose to take Questions Nos. 489 to 492, inclusive, together. I fully acknowledge the important contribution bees make to agriculture and biodiversity as both pollinators and honey producers. In this regard, my Department provides a range of supports and initiatives to encourage and assist beekeepers and the national beekeeping associations. These supports include funding to carry out...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Fishing Industry (21 Jan 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: My Department is the competent authority under the EU Common Market Organisation Regulation (1379/2013) for recognition of fisheries and aquaculture producer groups as EU Producer Organisations. In 2020, my Department published new national Recognition Criteria under the CMO to be satisfied by applicants for recognition. In line with the commitments in our Programme for Government to...