Results 19,001-19,020 of 24,010 for speaker:Charlie McConalogue

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Schemes (21 Mar 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: The Deputy will be aware that on 15th June 2022, I announced the launch of the €56 million Fodder Support Scheme 2022, which aimed to incentivise farmers to grow more fodder (silage and/or hay). This was to ensure that Ireland had sufficient supplies of fodder heading into winter 2022/spring 2023. The online application system for the scheme closed on 27th August 2022. In the case...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: International Agreements (21 Mar 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: Ireland has an existing sanitary agreement for dairy and related products with Algeria. My Department has recently made representation to Algeria in relation to market access for Infant Formula. The Embassy of Ireland in Algeria is also engaging directly with the Algerian authorities, on behalf of my Department, to clarify certain points in the interpretation of this agreement. A response...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Solar Energy Guidelines (21 Mar 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: In order to encourage the purchase of solar investments thereby reducing dependence on fossil energy by farmers, the solar scheme will be ring fenced with its own investment ceiling increased from €80,000 to €90,000 and the grant rate increased from 40% to 60% and the maximum installed capacity increased from 11kW to 62kW. There is no distinction between young farmers and other...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Solar Energy Guidelines (21 Mar 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: To help encourage on-farm renewable technology uptake and usage, grant aid is provided through TAMS to assist farmers in maximising their contribution to the production of renewable energy through the installation of Solar PV technology along with battery storage on Irish farms. The purpose of the Tams scheme is to enable farmers to consume solar PV generated electricity onsite to meet...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Sustainable Development Goals (21 Mar 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations is a significant and ambitious framework. A whole-of-Government approach to its implementation has been taken in Ireland. My Department is a lead on the following five SDGs: - Goal 2: Zero Hunger - Goal 12: Responsible Consumption and Production - Goal 14: Life below Water - Goal...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Schemes (21 Mar 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: The importance of beef production enterprises to the overall agri-food sector and to a balanced regional economy is well understood by the Government. Under the new CAP strategic plan (CSP), which is worth almost €10 billion to Irish agriculture over its lifespan, beef farmers will be able to join the Suckler Carbon Efficiency Programme (SCEP). This programme, which will run from 2023...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Schemes (21 Mar 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: The importance of beef production enterprises to the overall agri-food sector and to a balanced regional economy is well understood by the Government. Under the new CAP strategic plan (CSP), which is worth almost €10 billion to Irish agriculture over its lifespan, beef farmers will be able to join the Suckler Carbon Efficiency Programme (SCEP). This programme, which will run from 2023...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Welfare (21 Mar 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: The Programme for Government places a positive emphasis on animal welfare and specifically commits to the continued robust enforcement of the Animal Health and Welfare Act 2013. This Act provides a modern framework for regulating and applying standards in the area of animal health and welfare My Department keeps the Act under review given developments in the area of animal welfare and the...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Fishing Industry (21 Mar 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: In December last year I was pleased to announce that Ireland’s EMFAF Seafood Development Programme had been adopted by EU Commission. This new programme consists of funding up to €258.4 million, which includes a €134 million EU contribution and a Government of Ireland contribution of €116 million. Small scale coastal fisheries are called out for special...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Departmental Funding (21 Mar 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: As the Deputy is aware, I established the Seafood Task Force to examine the implications of the EU/UK Trade & Cooperation Agreement (TCA) for the Fishing Industry and Coastal Communities and to consider initiatives and make recommendations to address those implications. The Task Force had among its members representatives of the inshore sector including the Irish Islands Marine...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Departmental Expenditure (21 Mar 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: The above named person had a cross-compliance inspection in 2022 and following that inspection, certain parcels which he had declared as eligible on his application were deemed ineligible. This inspection had two separate impacts on his payments. Firstly, he received a 25% penalty on his BPS payment under cross-compliance rules. Separately the parcels that were deemed ineligible caused a...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Brexit Supports (21 Mar 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: The Brexit Adjustment Reserve (BAR) provides financial support to the most affected Member States to counter the adverse economic, social, territorial and, where appropriate, environmental consequences of the withdrawal of the UK from the EU. Expenditure under the Reserve must demonstrate a direct link to the negative impact of the withdrawal of the UK from the EU, and failure to do so...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Culls (21 Mar 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: The Animal Health and Welfare and Forestry (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2022, provides for the statutory prohibition of fur farming. The commencement order was dated the 9th December 2022 and it has been confirmed that there are no live mink on any of the concerned premises. I appointed an assessor on the 6th December 2022 to administer the compensation scheme in respect of the closure...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Schemes (21 Mar 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: As part of the work of the TB Forum, a dedicated Financial Working Group comprising representatives from my Department and the farming organisations was set up to review the current financial model of the TB programme under the chairmanship of Mr Gerry Kiely. The TB Forum concluded agreement on proposed changes to compensation criteria proposed by the Financial Working Group of the Forum on...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Departmental Expenditure (21 Mar 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine provides a thirteen and a half hour service, seven days a week in Dublin Airport. Department officials are present between 7:30am and 9:00pm, Monday to Sunday. They provide a range of services including inspections on imports from non-EU countries and compliance checks on pets before they can move freely in Ireland. Travellers coming from...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Schemes (21 Mar 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: The Government has committed €1.5 billion to ACRES over its duration with the aim of facilitating the participation of 50,000 farmers. This is a significant number so the intake into the scheme is being phased, with at least two tranches. Tranche 1 of ACRES opened for applications on Monday 17th October 2022 and closed Wednesday 7th December 2022 and all interested farmers were...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Schemes (21 Mar 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1568, 1569 and 1570 together. I know how crucial all payments are to our farm families and I am committed to delivering all payments associated with my Department as quickly as possible. The new CAP 2023 -2027 came into force this year and payments will commence in the final quarter of the year across a very broad range of schemes. With this being...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Human Trafficking (21 Mar 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: A range of specialised training is made available across the range of grades within my Department (Administrative, Agricultural, Engineering, Forestry, IT, Laboratory, Technical and Veterinary). The identification of this training is based on the knowledge and skills required to perform a particular role. My Department has not provided training to date to Agricultural Inspectorate staff on...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Schemes (21 Mar 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: The person named was approved for the Results-Based Environment-Agri Pilot Project (REAP) with a contract commencement date of 1st January 2021. I can confirm that the REAP contract of the person named ended 31st December 2022. The final REAP payment issued to the person named 19th December 2022. The Agri-Climate Rural Environment Scheme (ACRES) is the agri-environment climate measure in...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forestry Sector (21 Mar 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: I wish to re-iterate that I am acutely aware of the cash-flow difficulties being experienced by some registered foresters and to repeat that the role of the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine is focused on maximising the volume of work available while continuing our intensive efforts to secure State Aid approval for the most comprehensive and attractive forestry programme ever. ...