Results 18,961-18,980 of 24,010 for speaker:Charlie McConalogue

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Food Industry (9 Mar 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: Officials in my Department perform ongoing inspections on food and food products to ensure compliance with Irish & European Union legislation on food and feed. Official controls, such as food safety inspections, ensure compliance with these regulations. These controls are performed with the same level of care by my officials for food and food products goods which are placed on...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forestry Sector (9 Mar 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: The Deputy may be aware that my Department 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: Food Industry (9 Mar 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: Ireland is among the most food secure countries in the world and ranks second of 113 countries assessed for food security, according to the latest Global Food Security Index released last September. The population of Ireland in Census 2022 was 5.1 million people, up by almost 362,000 (7%) since the census in 2016. The Irish agri-food sector is globally orientated, with approximately 90%...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Industry (9 Mar 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: The Irish tillage sector is a sector that I am a huge proponent of and is an important and integral component of the Agri-Food industry. The importance of the sector was recognised in the recently released Climate Action Plan 2023 in which there is a target to increase the area in tillage to 400,000 hectares. I am acutely aware of the current challenges being faced by the sector,...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Industry (9 Mar 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: The tillage sector is an important and integral component of the Agri-food industry. It is a sector that I have backed with new and innovative schemes in recent years. I am acutely aware of the current challenges being faced by the sector including high input costs and lower forward grain prices compared to last year. In response to the illegal invasion of Ukraine by Russia, I...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Industry (9 Mar 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: In the context of the poultry sector continuing to protect against disease, good biosecurity is the overarching key preventative measure. With regard to the risk from Avian Influenza, I have introduced Avian Influenza (Bio security Measures) Regulations and Avian Influenza (Precautionary Confinement of Birds) Regulations which remain in place. Wild birds continued to test positive for...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Supports (9 Mar 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: The CAP Strategic Plan for the period 2023-2027 provides funding of €9.8bn over the 5 years, of which €7.5bn is EU funding and €2.3bn is national funding to co-fund rural development measures. This EU funding is split between Pillar I (Direct Payments and Sectoral Interventions - €5.97 billion) and Pillar II (Rural Development - €1.56 billion). This plan...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (21 Mar 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: I thank the Deputy for the question. It is obviously a really important issue and there have been a number of really distressing incidents over the past two or three months in particular. It is an issue that the Government takes very seriously. Myself and the Minister, Deputy Humphreys, are in the two Departments that have responsibility for overseeing the issue of dog control. We...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (21 Mar 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: I thank Deputy Healy-Rae. This issue concerns many farmers. The nitrates derogation is not something that we are guaranteed. We have to apply for it at European level. The standard stocking rate across Europe, which is a common market area, is 170 kg of organic nitrogen per hectare per annum. A state can apply for a derogation, which other member states have to vote to give. If a state...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (21 Mar 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: The challenge with the derogation is that we are not guaranteed it. We have to work for it and secure it from other member states. I am conscious of it and will engage on it further, along with the Minister, Deputy Darragh O'Brien, and his team, and the European Commission.

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Nitrates Usage (22 Mar 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: I thank Senator Dooley for raising this matter. It reflects his commitment to representing the agriculture sector across County Clare. I begin by saying that I fully recognise the importance to the rural economy of maintaining Ireland’s nitrates derogation. I am committed to seeking to maintain it in the longer term. We want the derogation to be maintained and continued. As the...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Nitrates Usage (22 Mar 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: I thank the Senator for raising this today. I acknowledge the concern among many farmers, particularly those who are more highly stocked. There is a particular concern among medium and small farmers on the impact any change from 250 to 220 would have on them. We had to agree to the mid-term review, and to the fact that 250 could be reduced to 220 in certain catchments if water quality was...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Programme for Government (22 Mar 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: In 2019, an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Funded Project, the Biomass Retrieval in Ireland using Active Remote (BRIAR) sensing project, conducted by Teagasc, estimated that Ireland has an estimated national hedgerow length of 689,000km. In line with the commitment in Programme for Government regarding a national hedgerow survey, my Department has mapped farmland hedgerows nationally...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Fishing Industry (22 Mar 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: I propose to take Questions Nos. 279 and 282 together. In early 2022, I asked the Quota Management Advisory Committee (QMAC) to examine measures to strengthen the management arrangements for the 2022 Mackerel Hook and Line Fishery, within policy, for my consideration. A working group was set up involving industry representatives and my Department officials and recommendations made,...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forestry Sector (22 Mar 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: As regards the felling license application TFL00162718, my officials continue to engage proactively with the applicant and his representatives. Meetings have been organised by officials of my Department with a view to progressing this felling licence application,  in what is an environmentally extremely challenging site. The applicant is aware that further information ) is being...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Hedge Cutting (22 Mar 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: The Environmental Impact Assessment (Agriculture) (EIA) Regulations came into effect in September 2011 and were amended in 2013 and 2017. These Regulations were introduced following European Court of Justice rulings that Ireland had failed to adequately implement certain aspects of the EIA Directive (EU cases C215-06 and C66-06). The development of these Regulations and the...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Maritime Jurisdiction (22 Mar 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: Council Regulation 1224/2009, known as the Control Regulation, establishes a Community control system for ensuring compliance with the rules of the Common Fisheries Policy and establishing a level-playing field across the EU on fisheries control. In 2018, the Commission published a proposal to amend the Control Regulation. Negotiations on the proposal are ongoing at a political trilogue...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Maritime Jurisdiction (22 Mar 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: The Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) is a set of rules for managing European fishing fleets and for conserving fish stocks. Under this policy, EU fishing fleets are given equal access to EU waters and fishing grounds subject to allocated fish quotas. Fishing vessels, irrespective of size, must comply with the rules of the CFP, including rules on access and catch limits/quota. In relation to...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Civil Service (22 Mar 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: The information requested is not readily available, a response will be prepared and forwarded in due course.

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Civil Service (22 Mar 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: The information is not readily available and will be forwarded to the Deputy as soon as possible.