Results 16,561-16,580 of 23,995 for speaker:Charlie McConalogue

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Food Industry (12 Jul 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: The global agri-food market has been extremely volatile in recent times, with much uncertainty caused by, firstly, Brexit and the COVID-19 pandemic and, more recently, by the impacts on supply chains and the international trading system arising from the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Despite this challenging backdrop, our agri-food sector's resilience and success in developing new markets...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forestry Sector (12 Jul 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1138 and 1139 together. The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine issued 4,050 forestry licences last year, which was an increase of 56% on the number issued in 2020 albeit this was a challenging year for the sector. Along with Minister of State Pippa Hackett, who has overall responsibility for the sector, it is our ambition this year to increase the...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Slaughtering (12 Jul 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: Controlled Finishing Units (CFUs) as part of the bovine TB Eradication Programme are subject to enhanced biosecurity measures and can only sell direct to slaughter. Data in respect of animals from CFUs slaughtered, as well as other data, are published and regularly updated on the Department's section of the gov.ie website. See the link below for the current figures available. It should be...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forestry Sector (12 Jul 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: The person named applied for a forestry premium on 4th July, 2022 and will receive payment to their bank account this week, either on 12th or 13th depending on banking arrangements. Their forestry grants were paid some years ago.

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forestry Sector (12 Jul 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: This felling application was received on 22nd May 2018. A Natura Impact Statement (NIS) was requested in May 2020 and received from applicant in Nov 2020. A Further Information Request was issued by my Department in June 2021 and was received from the applicant in February 2022. This file is now undergoing an Appropriate Assessment Determination (AAD). The file will be processed as soon as...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Brexit Supports (12 Jul 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: I trust that the Deputy is referring to payments in respect of the Brexit Inshore Fisheries Business Model Adjustment Scheme, which was established in line with the recommendations of the Report of the Seafood Task Force - Navigating Change (October 2021). The Brexit Inshore Fisheries Business Model Adjustment Scheme operated over the January to March period and is closed since 31 March....

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: General Scheme of the Agricultural and Food Supply Chain Bill 2022: Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (29 Jun 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: The CEO will be appointed by means of a competitive recruitment process - probably through the Public Appointments Service. We have been engaging with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform about approval for the post and the criteria for it. It will be the first post to be filled. The capacity and abilities of that person will be really important when it comes to leading-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: General Scheme of the Agricultural and Food Supply Chain Bill 2022: Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (29 Jun 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: Yes.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: General Scheme of the Agricultural and Food Supply Chain Bill 2022: Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (29 Jun 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: Powers relating to competition are under competition law-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: General Scheme of the Agricultural and Food Supply Chain Bill 2022: Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (29 Jun 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: At the moment, we do not have an independent office with credibility that assesses, reports and plays an active role in the context of having oversight over and ensuring transparency in respect of the food chain. If we think back to the beef protests of 2019, so much of that was about a lack of trust and transparency. In order to address that, the beef task force was set up. A number of...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: General Scheme of the Agricultural and Food Supply Chain Bill 2022: Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (29 Jun 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: It can examine the entire supply chain and assess what is happening.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: General Scheme of the Agricultural and Food Supply Chain Bill 2022: Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (29 Jun 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: I do not have a firm view on that at this stage. It is important that, through the primary legislation, we have a mechanism in place. We would need to see how the office is being used. What is fresh in my mind is the experience regarding forestry appeals. A vast number of appeals that could be submitted simply by firing off an email, which went into an appeals committee that got clogged...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: General Scheme of the Agricultural and Food Supply Chain Bill 2022: Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (29 Jun 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: I wish to correct a previous answer I gave. The board will comprise a chair and five members. The process will be similar to that of most State boards in the country. It will be an open application process, through the Public Appointments Service. Advertisements will go out, people will apply and the criteria for the various board members would be stated. For example, as I said, two of...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: General Scheme of the Agricultural and Food Supply Chain Bill 2022: Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (29 Jun 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: Can the Deputy repeat the question?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: General Scheme of the Agricultural and Food Supply Chain Bill 2022: Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (29 Jun 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: A number of unfair trading practices are specified, and the office will have the power and the capacity to investigate and audit them. In terms of wider pricing and value in the supply chain as such, the office can do reports in regard to that. It can assess what is going on in the market and make a report on that. In regard to unfair trading or practices, it will have the capacity to do...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: General Scheme of the Agricultural and Food Supply Chain Bill 2022: Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (29 Jun 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: The office will not have the power to require compensation, but a company can be prosecuted and fines can be imposed on it. There are no specific financial remedies for suppliers in the Bill. What the Bill provides is that the office can issue a compliance notice in the first instance to bring an end to an unfair trading practice. The failure to comply with the compliance notice is an...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: General Scheme of the Agricultural and Food Supply Chain Bill 2022: Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (29 Jun 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: No. Below-cost selling will not be banned. Various trading practices are being prohibited in which a supplier would engage with somebody who is larger than him and to whom he is selling a product, but it does not address price.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: General Scheme of the Agricultural and Food Supply Chain Bill 2022: Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (29 Jun 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: I will ask Mr. Collins to give a brief update. He is managing the UTPEA and knows how it is currently operating.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: General Scheme of the Agricultural and Food Supply Chain Bill 2022: Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (29 Jun 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: We have not yet made a final determination on that, but our estimation is there could potentially be up to 15 or 20 people.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: General Scheme of the Agricultural and Food Supply Chain Bill 2022: Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (29 Jun 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: Yes, we are looking at a wide range of expertise. Perhaps Mr. Collins would comment on the type of competencies that will be required. A range of specialist competencies will be required to staff the agency and enable it to do its work. Mr. Collins might comment further on the type of competencies that will be required.