Results 12,621-12,640 of 23,995 for speaker:Charlie McConalogue

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Horse Racing Industry (19 May 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: Horse Racing Ireland (HRI) is a commercial state body established under the Horse and Greyhound Racing Act, 2001 and is responsible for the overall administration, promotion and development of the horse racing industry. Point-to-Point racing is funded by HRI and operates under the rules and regulations of the Irish Horse Regulatory Board (IHRB). The Irish National Hunt Steeplechase...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Departmental Strategies (19 May 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: Harnessing Our Ocean Wealth (HOOW), Ireland’s integrated marine plan, published in 2012 set out the Government’s Vision, high-level Goals and integrated actions across a range of areas such as policy, governance, business and research & innovation to enable Ireland’s marine potential to be achieved. As HOOW was not a core operational plan or strategic statement of...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Fishing Industry (19 May 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: As the Deputy will be aware, I established the Seafood Sector Taskforce to examine the implications of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement between the European Union and the UK for our fishing sector and the coastal communities that are dependent on it. The Taskforce will recommend initiatives that could be taken to provide supports for development and restructuring so as to ensure a...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Regulatory Bodies (19 May 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: The Sea Fisheries Protection Agency (SFPA) commissioned PWC to undertake an independent review of the Organisational Capability of the organisation in 2019. A Steering Group comprised of three senior and expert persons, all independent of the SFPA, was put in place to oversee the review. The principal objective of the review was to contribute to the ongoing and future development of the SFPA....

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Aquaculture Industry (19 May 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: The report of the Licensing Review Group which reviewed the process of licensing for aquaculture and its associated legal framework was submitted to the Minister in May 2017. The Review Group carried out a detailed investigation of the existing aquaculture licensing process, undertook comprehensive stakeholder consultation and examined comparative national and international consent...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Gender Balance (19 May 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: The Programme for Government includes commitments to develop and implement a new National Strategy for Women and Girls and to act on the recommendations of the Citizens’ Assembly on Gender Equality. My Department will represent the agri-food sector in policy development on these commitments. The recently published draft Agri-Food Strategy to 2030 recognises the importance of...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Brexit Issues (19 May 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: The EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement creates a new framework for the EU-UK relationship. It ensures quota-free and tariff-free trade between the EU and the UK. This is of significant importance to the Irish agri-food and fisheries sectors. I would like to have seen a more comprehensive EU-UK Agreement that included an SPS agreement (commonly referred to as a Veterinary Agreement)...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forestry Sector (19 May 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: I propose to take Questions Nos. 191 and 192 together. The GLAS terms and conditions clearly indicate that afforestation is fully compatible with GLAS and is recognised as contributing to the creation of a valuable landscape mosaic at farm-level. It is also important to note that GLAS is not a whole-farm scheme and that opportunities continue to exist for afforestation and for other...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forestry Sector (19 May 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: The Programme for Government commits to rewarding farmers for adapting to more sustainable methods of farming and to the development of a new agri-environment scheme capable of delivering broad environmental and biodiversity benefits that will align financial supports with climate objectives. To advance this aim, a pilot project, the Results-Based Environmental Agri Pilot (REAP) opened for...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forestry Sector (19 May 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: I propose to take Questions Nos. 194, 195, 200 and 201 together. As the Deputy will be aware, the current Forestry Programme 2014-2020 (extended to end 2022) is entirely exchequer funded and received State aid approval from the European Commission. Due to the long-term nature of forestry, it is considered the best option to continue to deliver the forestry programme entirely separately from...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forestry Sector (19 May 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: The target for forestry licences remains at 4,500 new licences and we are committed to delivering this. Progress has been made with licences overall up 11% up on last year so far this year but this needs to be improved and sustained. To achieve an increase in licences of this size requires a number of factors from both the Department and from applicants. Along with Minister of State...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forestry Sector (19 May 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: I propose to take Questions Nos. 197 to 199, inclusive, and 203 together. It is important to note that all forestry licences are voluntary and that the area licensed, be it for afforestation or tree felling or for that matter any other forestry scheme, may not be fully utilised. The licensee may decide to afforest or to fell a smaller area, or indeed, not carry out the licensed operation...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forestry Sector (19 May 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: Forestry is one of the many land use options available to farmers throughout the country and Department officials are currently examining proposals that would allow the integration of some elements of afforestation into organic farming. Agroforestry has the potential to deliver multiple benefits for productive, resilient and environmentally integrated farm systems. It can enhance farm...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forestry Sector (19 May 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: I propose to take Questions Nos. 204 to 210, inclusive, together. New interim ‘Standards for Felling and Reforestation’ were circulated in October 2019. These Standards immediately replaced measures relating to felling set out in the existing standards ‘Forest Harvesting & the Environment Guidelines (2000)’. The ‘Standards for Felling and...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Food Labelling (19 May 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: My Department is responsible for enforcing EU marketing standards legislation on fruit and vegetables traded in Ireland which helps to ensure that produce on display is labelled properly and in such a way as not to mislead the consumer. There is no obligation on individual producers or traders of fruit and vegetables to individually label pieces of fruit and vegetables in this regard. ...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Agriculture Industry (20 May 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: I thank the Deputy for his question. It is important to clarify that there is no legal definition of a feedlot herd. The Department defines certain herds as controlled finishing units, CFUs, in the context of the bovine TB eradication programme. This definition is unique to that programme and does not necessarily mirror the use of the term "feedlot" by the public and-or other institutions....

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Agriculture Industry (20 May 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: More than that, I will ensure there is a national office set up not just to assess issues such as this but also to ensure transparency right across the food supply chain. I campaigned for this in opposition and ensured it went into the programme for Government. I am now working to deliver as a Minister in the Government. Central to my mission as Minister is doing all I can to support,...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Agriculture Industry (20 May 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: The idea behind setting up the national food ombudsman office or regulator is to ensure there will be an office in place to assess issues such as this and to ensure all activity in the market and activities that have an impact on the market will be fully delved into and have a light shone on them so we can have the necessary transparency. I am interested in hearing the Deputy’s...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Covid-19 Pandemic (20 May 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: I thank Deputy Bríd Smith. In the context of the Covid-19 pandemic, the Department, in addition to carrying out its statutory role in meat plants regarding food safety, animal health and animal welfare, is providing to the HSE and Health and Safety Authority, HSA, any support required at local and national levels. The Department continues to work closely with the relevant health...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Covid-19 Pandemic (20 May 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: I thank Deputy Smith for her comments. As I said, meat plants are a high-risk environment because of the nature of the work and, in particular, in the boning halls with the recirculation of air and the fact the air has to stay chilled, which is something we have seen both nationally and internationally over the past period of time throughout the pandemic. That is why we have taken a very...