Results 15,561-15,580 of 23,995 for speaker:Charlie McConalogue

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Schemes (24 Mar 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: As set out in the terms and conditions of the Areas of Natural Constraints (ANC) scheme, only 50% of an applicant's stocking density requirement can be fulfilled using donkeys. Applicants are required to use other livestock to fulfil the other 50% stocking density requirement. Donkeys held by a farmer will be taken into account towards satisfying the minimum stocking density...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Industry (24 Mar 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: The current situation in relation to the cost and availability of fertilisers is a significant concern. There is no sign of fertiliser prices easing in the short to medium term as prices are being driven by a number of factors including global demand, energy prices and availability. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has led to significant hikes in energy prices and significant concerns...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Fishing Industry (24 Mar 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: I propose to take Questions Nos. 408 and 413 together. The Atlantic Mackerel is a widely distributed, migratory pelagic fish that inhabits much of the north-eastern Atlantic shelf. The distribution of catches ranges from the north of the Norwegian Sea to the south coast of Portugal and Spain. Mackerel is targeted by a number of fleets throughout the year with large catches in northern...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Industry (24 Mar 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: As the Deputy will be aware, the Unfair Trading Practices Enforcement Authority (EA) recently commissioned a market research company to conduct a survey of farmers and fishers to establish baseline information on the following issues – - awareness of the UTP Regulations and of the EA itself; - supplier understanding of the protections afforded to them under the UTP Regulations; and -...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Schemes (24 Mar 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: The measures put forward as part of the new CAP Strategic Plan (CSP) seek to address, inter alia, gender balance to ensure greater representation by women as farm holders in decision-making on farms and also seeks to address the need for generational renewal on farms. Subject to the approval of the European Commission, it is proposed under an On-Farm Capital Investment Scheme under the CSP...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Fuel Prices (24 Mar 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: While primary responsibility for taxation policy is with the Minister for Finance, I continue to work closely with him to ensure that the tax code reflects the Government’s priorities for the agrifood sector and the economy generally. On 9th March the Government announced a 20 cent reduction in the excise rate for petrol and a 15 cent reduction on auto diesel, with a...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Departmental Records (24 Mar 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: My officials continue to work towards the goal of providing greater access to the records of the Irish Land Commission. As a first step, my Department is working to digitise the search aids used to navigate the archive with a view to making them available to the public in due course. My Department is currently engaging with external experts on how best to achieve that objective. The timeline...

Seanad: Impact on Farming Sector Arising from the Situation in Ukraine: Statements (29 Mar 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: I thank Members for the invitation to be here. On behalf of the Government, once again I utterly condemn the illegal invasion of Ukraine. We are also mindful of the terrible toll being inflicted on Ukrainian citizens. As a Government and as a people, we remain resolute in our solidarity and support for Ukraine and we reiterate the call on Russia to cease all hostilities immediately and to...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Pigmeat Sector (29 Mar 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: I thank the Deputies for raising this Topical Issue matter. I recently met representatives of the IFA, including members of its pig committee, in addition to farmers and I fully understand the scale of the challenge facing the sector. Indeed, we will meet the representatives again at 9 o'clock tonight. As Deputy O'Sullivan said, I met the farmers on Kildare Street today and spoke to them....

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Pigmeat Sector (29 Mar 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: I thank the Deputies. I accept that clarity as quickly as possible is important. Farmers are making decisions about the situation in which they find themselves. Every pig that leaves a farm at the moment is losing the farmer a significant amount of money, and that is increasing by the day. I am very much aware of the situation and have been liaising very closely with the sector for a...

Seanad: Impact on Farming Sector Arising from the Situation in Ukraine: Statements (29 Mar 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: I thank all Senators for their comments and contributions to what was a very constructive debate. We are all very aware of the challenging situation we are currently facing but I assure the House that my Government colleagues and I are sparing no effort to lessen the negative impacts of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. It is not possible or desirable for the Government to respond to every...

Seanad: Animal Health and Welfare and Forestry (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2021: Report Stage (29 Mar 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: I want to acknowledge the presence of families and some workers from the three fur farms, who are present in the Gallery this evening. Obviously, the Bill has massive implications for their livelihoods and for the professions that they have built up over a couple of generations from the early 1960s with the support of the State. A number of the amendments have been ruled out of order for...

Seanad: Animal Health and Welfare and Forestry (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2021: Report Stage (29 Mar 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: It was the Minister of State, Deputy Heydon.

Seanad: Animal Health and Welfare and Forestry (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2021: Report Stage (29 Mar 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: I thank Senator Higgins. On Senator Boylan's point, she was mistaken. The Minister of State in question was not Deputy Peter Burke, but Deputy Heydon. She was also mistaken as regards what he said. The Minister of State said he would discuss the matter with me and bring it back to me, which he did. As I said very clearly during the engagements I had previously in the Seanad, I will be...

Seanad: Animal Health and Welfare and Forestry (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2021: Report Stage (29 Mar 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: I thank all of the Senators for their very constructive suggestions on this. I have an update on amendment No. 7. There had been a request previously for a note to be sent from my Department to supply statistics on local electoral areas. I can confirm that this had been forwarded on as part of the debate on that amendment. I thank Senator Higgins for the comprehensive explanation and...

Seanad: Animal Health and Welfare and Forestry (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2021: Report Stage (29 Mar 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: A lot more detail is required, which will follow through from the regulation and subsequently to the forestry scheme that will be put in place to enable this. The Bill provides the platform to enable that to happen. It also sets key principles that will inform the regulation and the scheme. The points the Senator has raised are points that can be accommodated and considered further. There...

Seanad: Animal Health and Welfare and Forestry (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2021: Report Stage (29 Mar 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: The list of trees in the legislation is the list. If Senator Higgins was writing the legislation, she might have missed a couple because she did not include them in the amendment.

Seanad: Animal Health and Welfare and Forestry (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2021: Report Stage (29 Mar 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: Okay. Overall, the thrust of some of her previous arguments is that we should be particularly prescriptive in the legislation lest some pesky Minister in the future might wreak havoc and do things via the legislation that we would not have intended. What she is saying now is the reverse, namely, that there should be more flexibility in addition to what is in the primary legislation in order...

Seanad: Animal Health and Welfare and Forestry (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2021: Report Stage (29 Mar 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: It is in the primary legislation. Regarding the amendment the Senator has tabled, which is to insert the native Irish pine, the Burren pine, I understand that the reference relates to the small population of Scots pines in Rockforest, County Clare, which are said to be derived from the original native Scots pine trees. While people refer to these trees as native Irish or Burren pine, these...

Seanad: Animal Health and Welfare and Forestry (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2021: Report Stage (29 Mar 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: I am under a little time pressure because I have to be in the Dáil. I thank Senator Pauline O'Reilly for being brief in her final comments. I thank the Senators for their contributions throughout the various Stages of the Bill. There are a lot of good things in it. It is very positive to see the 1 ha initiative. I commend the Minister of State, Senator Hackett, on her role in that....