Results 17,061-17,080 of 24,010 for speaker:Charlie McConalogue

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Schemes (20 Oct 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: The Agri-Climate Rural Environment Scheme (ACRES) is the agri-environment climate measure which forms part of Ireland’s CAP Strategic Plan 2023 – 2027 and is the successor to the Green Low Carbon Agri-environment Scheme (GLAS) which was available under Ireland’s Rural Development Programme 2014-2020.  I was pleased, given the delay in negotiating and finalising...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forestry Sector (20 Oct 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: I propose to take Questions Nos. 380 and 390 together. Considering the voluntary nature of the Scheme, it is not possible to determine the area that will be planted in November and December.  However, there are currently valid licences issued for approximately 7,000ha that could be utilised before the end of 2022. Of these 3,417ha  represents 1,048 applications with a GPC3...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Food Industry (20 Oct 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: Arising from ongoing engagement with sector stakeholders, my Department is in regular contact with the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment (DETE) regarding the labour shortages that exist in certain sub-sectors of agri-food, including meat processing. The Deputy will be aware that DETE has lead responsibility for this issue and in November 2021 announced quotas of 500 general...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Industry (20 Oct 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: Preliminary CSO data for June 2022 shows dairy cow numbers at 1,627,300, an increase of 1.4% over the same period in 2021. Detailed information on dairy cow numbers by year is published in the June and December editions of the CSO Crops and Livestock Survey each year, which is available on the CSO website.

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Industry (20 Oct 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: According to the Central Statistics Office (CSO) December 2021 livestock survey, there were 6,649,300 bovine head in the national herd. A large volume of historical data is also available on the CSO website, which is accessible to the public.  In particular the Deputy may be interested in the CSO publication Farming since the Famine, available on the CSO website, which covers the...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Industry (20 Oct 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: According to the Central Statistics Office (CSO) December 2021 livestock survey, there were 3,991,200 ovine head in the national flock. A large volume of historical data is also available on the CSO website, which is accessible to the public.  In particular the Deputy may be interested in the CSO publication Farming since the Famine, available on the CSO website, which covers the...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Horticulture Sector (20 Oct 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: According to figures from The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine's horticultural database of fresh fruit and vegetable producers there are currently 1,169 registered Food Business Operators actively engaged in primary production and associated activities in the sector. Similar historical data for the period 1922-1973 is not retained on this database.  Information on...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Industry (20 Oct 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: According to the preliminary results of the 2020 Census of Agriculture, carried out by the CSO, there were 6,049 farms engaged in poultry farming in the State in 2020 (most recent figures available).  A large volume of historical data is also available on the CSO website, which is accessible to the public.  In particular the Deputy may be interested in the CSO publication...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Industry (20 Oct 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: The figures below relate to the number of Pig Farms who were required to participate in the Annual Pig survey, carried out by the Central Statistics Office (CSO), who collect data on pig numbers within the State, held by specialised producers.  The data is collected in accordance with Regulation (EC) No.1165/2008. No. of Specialised  pig farms Pig Survey June 2022345  Pig...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Industry (20 Oct 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: The Central Statistics Office (CSO) carries out a census of agriculture every ten years, with the last census held in 2020. The census provides data on the number of family farm holders who regard farming as their 'sole', 'major' or 'subsidiary' occupation. Since the census held in 2000, the number of family farm holders who indicate that farming is their sole occupation or major occupation...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forestry Sector (20 Oct 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: As the Deputy may be aware, the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine has recently published a Shared National Vision for Trees, Woods and Forests in Ireland until 2050.  A new Forestry Strategy for Ireland is currently being developed. The draft Forest Strategy to 2030 has been shaped by the extensive public feedback received on the Vision over the last twelve...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (25 Oct 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: Will I answer?

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (25 Oct 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: Deputy Christopher O'Sullivan asked about support for the fisheries sector to deal with the increase in price of fuel. It is something he has been raising with me and keeping on the agenda. I did step in and put in place an extra month of a tie-up option being available, which invested €12 million specifically to support the sector to deal with the fuel crisis at the request of the...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Land Issues (25 Oct 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: I thank the Deputy for raising this important issue. The proposed nature restoration law was formally adopted by the European Commission in June. The proposals set out legally binding targets in the form of a regulation that will have direct effect across a broad range of ecosystem types, both on land and marine. These proposed targets would require the restoration of parts of these...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Land Issues (25 Oct 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: I agree. Engagement with farmer representatives will be important in this regard because there is concern. The Deputy is also correct that it is very much at an early stage and is just emerging from European level at this stage. A number of Departments are involved and will be affected. It will be important from a farming point of view and I will meet with farm representative...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Land Issues (25 Oct 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: My team is engaged in assessing the proposals with a view to me engaging further with farmer representative organisations to discuss them. There is also a land-use review under way, which will be important in informing our approach. My Department and myself are centrally involved in that. The issue is important. The regulation and the proposals are getting significant attention from my...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Greenhouse Gas Emissions (25 Oct 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: The compilation of the agricultural greenhouse gas inventory is a matter for the Environmental Protection Agency, EPA. As part of this process, the EPA determines the total amount of methane, N2O and CO2emissions generated by the aggregation of all farms. The EPA takes activity data, for example, total animal numbers by category or fertiliser sales data and applies an emissions factor to...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Greenhouse Gas Emissions (25 Oct 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: I would not agree. I outlined in my initial response the activity that has been ongoing for a significant period, or since 2014, regarding carbon assessments, on-farm navigators that have been developed and carbon-footprint calculations that have been done in this regard. I agree with the Deputy that it will be really important for farmers to have an income stream from the sequestration of...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Greenhouse Gas Emissions (25 Oct 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: The research, science and measurement tools will be really important. We are doing a lot of work in that regard. Other member states and other countries across the world are putting a lot of effort into this also. Getting the measuring tools right and accurate represents an important starting point. The infrastructure that needs to be put in place to allow for carbon to be traded and...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Animal Diseases (25 Oct 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: I thank the Deputy. I am very much aware of the acute stress caused by a TB breakdown on a farm, and I am committed to driving down TB rates. Everyone in the industry is single-minded in their ambition to reduce the incidence of TB. As a result of EU Animal Health Law Regulation 2016/429, new requirements concerning TB testing have been introduced. These regulations came into effect in...