Results 18,541-18,560 of 24,010 for speaker:Charlie McConalogue

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Diseases (14 Feb 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: I am aware of the recent identification of Salmonella typhimurium in a number of broiler flocks which were identified as part of surveillance under the national salmonella control programme. In these cases the business operator undertook a cull of the birds to mitigate any food safety risk. My Department has and continues to work closely with the Food Business Operator, the Food Safety...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forestry Sector (14 Feb 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: The Code of Practice for the Governance of State Bodies requires that Government Departments should ensure that they have written oversight agreements clearly defining the terms of the State Body’s relationship with the relevant Minister/parent Department. For commercial State bodies the oversight agreement between the relevant Minister/parent Department and the State Body is...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forestry Sector (14 Feb 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: Coillte’s dividend policy focuses on delivering a material financial dividend to shareholders based on the optimal use of the significant commercial assets, in particular forests, vested in the company by the state. The dividend policy was last reviewed in 2019 and provides for a dividend payment of 20% to 30% of normalised profits each year, which has formed the basis for all...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Food Industry (14 Feb 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: Organic regulations which were introduced on 1st January 2022 restricted the previously allowed 5% non-organic feed protein derogation to young poultry and pigs, resulting in older, mature stock requiring a 100% organic feed. It became apparent in early 2022 that a scarcity of organic protein feed had developed as a consequence of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, impacting on the...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forestry Sector (14 Feb 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: The Deputy may be aware that the Government has recently secured funding of €1.3 billion for the Forestry Programme 2023-2027. Subject to State Aid approval, this will support the biggest and best-funded Forestry Programme to date in Ireland. This funding provides unprecedented incentives to encourage the planting of trees that can provide a valuable addition to farm income and also to...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Control of Dogs (14 Feb 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: I am fully committed to promoting responsible pet ownership among the general public. The Animal Welfare Strategy 2021-2025 Working Together for Animal Welfareincludes a commitment to establish an Advisory Council on Companion Animal Welfare (ACCAW). The ACCAW convened in November 2021 and has diverse range of skill sets, so that it can advise me on matters relating to companion animals...

Select Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agricultural and Food Supply Chain Bill 2022: Committee Stage (Resumed) (15 Feb 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: I move amendment No. 41: In page 31, line 24, after “Expenditure” to insert “, National Development Plan Delivery”.

Select Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agricultural and Food Supply Chain Bill 2022: Committee Stage (Resumed) (15 Feb 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: This is something I have considered. Equally, this committee engaged with all the stakeholders it met and put together its own report. One of the recommendations the committee made to me was that we should set the fines at €10 million and 10% of overall turnover. I accepted that fully as one of the recommendations from this committee. I believe it is proportionate and appropriate...

Select Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agricultural and Food Supply Chain Bill 2022: Committee Stage (Resumed) (15 Feb 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: It is something that will be kept under review over time. Regarding specific fines like this, we are saying they can be up to €10 million or 10% of a company's turnover. If we had a company, for example, with a turnover of €1 billion, then the fine could be up to €100 million in a specific instance. It is appropriate that such a high and punitive penalty would be...

Select Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agricultural and Food Supply Chain Bill 2022: Committee Stage (Resumed) (15 Feb 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: I understand the Deputy’s point, but it is not the appropriate measure. We should facilitate and rely on the judgment of the regulator instead of specifying in a concrete way in legislation for situations that we cannot predict. Section 80(2)(b) provides that the Minister may, by regulation, make such provision for "the procedures for the making of complaints under this Act,...

Select Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agricultural and Food Supply Chain Bill 2022: Committee Stage (Resumed) (15 Feb 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: Yes. That is fair. I take Deputy Carthy’s point. The Bill provides the Minister the ability to do what he suggested by regulation. Section 80(2)(b) allows the Minister to make such provision, by regulation, for "the procedures for the making of complaints under this Act, including the format, timing, evidence, standing and other requirements for efficient and fair processing of...

Select Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agricultural and Food Supply Chain Bill 2022: Committee Stage (Resumed) (15 Feb 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: I move amendment No. 44: In page 44, line 31, after “Expenditure” to insert “, National Development Plan Delivery”.

Select Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agricultural and Food Supply Chain Bill 2022: Committee Stage (Resumed) (15 Feb 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: I move amendment No. 47: In page 54, to delete lines 15 and 16.

Select Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agricultural and Food Supply Chain Bill 2022: Committee Stage (Resumed) (15 Feb 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: I thank the members for their detailed Committee Stage assessment. I also thank them for the significant work they all put into the prelegislative scrutiny hearings the committee held with stakeholders and for the report the committee sent to me. I worked hard to accommodate that report and I fully or substantially accepted 18 of the 20 recommendations. I thank members for the time and...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Schemes (15 Feb 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine is fully committed to encouraging the increased use of Low Emission Slurry equipment. The Low Emission Slurry Scheme (LESS) has been a real success. Interest in grant aid for the purchase of LESS equipment has been very strong with over 10,700 farmers approved to purchase LESS machinery under the Targeted Agricultural Modernisation Scheme...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Schemes (15 Feb 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: The Food Vision 2030 Dairy Group was established in 2022 to advance the actions for the dairy sector identified in the Food Vision 2030 strategy; taking account of the requirement for the dairy sector to contribute to achieving the targets set for agriculture emissions in the Climate Act process, i.e. a 25% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture by 2030. The Dairy Group...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Schemes (15 Feb 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: An application for participation in the 2021 Basic payment Scheme (BPS) scheme was received under a reference number from the person named on 17thApril 2021. The application was linked to a herd number in February 2022. In processing the application, it was found that the area claimed by the applicant was greater than the maximum eligible area for the land parcels. Photos have been...

Veterinary Medicinal Products, Medicated Feed and Fertilisers Regulation Bill 2023: Second Stage (Resumed) (16 Feb 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: I thank Deputy Fitzmaurice for his contribution today and thank other Deputies for their very wide-ranging and mostly well thought-out contributions from across the floor the last time we were discussing this Bill. It has been a positive start to the legislative journey through the Dáil and the Seanad. I will certainly be taking on board the various contributions made by Deputies to...

Veterinary Medicinal Products, Medicated Feed and Fertilisers Regulation Bill 2023: Second Stage (Resumed) (16 Feb 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: I want to ensure, first of all, that the structure we put in place means that the lines of supply and the means for people to purchase product are available and can continue, while ensuring that there is a robust veterinary input and oversight. Many of these products are overused. I was listening to Deputy Cahill, who as the Deputy is aware, is the Chair of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on...

Veterinary Medicinal Products, Medicated Feed and Fertilisers Regulation Bill 2023: Referral to Select Committee (16 Feb 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: I move: That the Bill be referred to the Select Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine, pursuant to Standing Orders 95(3)(a) and 181(1).