Results 19,621-19,640 of 24,048 for speaker:Charlie McConalogue

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Legislative Measures (16 May 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: Section 12 (4) of the Horse and Greyhound Racing Act 2001 states that “The Minister shall pay into the Fund out of moneys provided by the Oireachtas, in the year 2002 and in each subsequent year, an amount, determined by the Revenue Commissioners, equivalent to the revenue from excise duty on off-course betting paid into the Exchequer in the preceding year or the year 2000 increased by...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Culls (16 May 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: The Deputy will be aware that responsibility for wildlife, including deer, lies with the National Parks and Wildlife Service within the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage. As Minister for Agriculture Food and the Marine, I am, however, aware of the importance of the sustainable management of our national deer population for agriculture, as well as our nature ecosystems....

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Schemes (16 May 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: The EU regulations (Article 17 of EU Regulation 1305/2013) that provide for the TAMS scheme under the RDP 2014 – 2020, specify that TAMS beneficiaries must be farmers or groups of farmers. The regulatory transitional provisions for support from the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) in the years 2021 and 2022 do not alter this definition. These are also the legal...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Schemes (16 May 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: ACRES is the Agri-Climate Rural Environment Scheme and is an agri-environment climate measure in Ireland’s CAP Strategic Plan (CSP) 2023-2027. The Government has committed €1.5 billion to ACRES over its duration. It has been confirmed that there will not be an extension granted in relation to any of the actions where fencing is required under ACRES. However, an extension has...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forestry Sector (16 May 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine has delivered considerable reductions in the backlog of all forestry licences, as well as reductions in the time taken to process newer files. In August 2021, we had over 6,100 licences on hand for processing and this number has now been reduced to just over 2,500. It continues to reduce each week. In 2022 we issued 4,713 licences, which is...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forestry Sector (16 May 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine published the Forestry Licensing Plan 2022 in February last year. The plan informed stakeholders of our targets for the delivery of afforestation, felling and forest road licences, and of our commitment to reducing the backlog and committed to issuing 100 licences, of all types, per week. The Plan committed to issuing 65 felling licences per...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forestry Sector (16 May 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: Under Section 17 of the Forestry Act 2014, the Minister may specify the amount of time that a felling licence is valid for. Section 17(3)(a) states that the felling licence shall be valid for such period as the Minister decides, but shall not exceed 10 years. However, this is qualified by Section 17(3)(b) which permits the Minister to extend the duration of the licence for one or more further...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Brexit Supports (16 May 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: Although there has been a solid and sustained increase in average sheep prices since the end of February, I recognise that sheep farmers are experiencing more difficult market conditions in 2023 compared to recent years. The Government, as the Deputy can appreciate, has no role in determining commodity prices in the sheep sector. However, it is heartening to see that markets are now...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Fishing Industry (16 May 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: The Brexit Voluntary Permanent Decommissioning Scheme was announced in July 2022 and was subsequently published by BIM along with all terms and conditions. A necessary condition of the scheme prior to payments being made, and for the vessel deregistration process is for applicants to supply evidence that the mortgage providers have approved in writing the proposed decommissioning of the...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Social Media (16 May 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: The information requested by the Deputy is being collated by the Department and a reply will be forwarded within 10 working days. As regards the 12 State Bodies under the aegis of my Department, the information requested is an operational matter for the State Bodies themselves. I have referred the Deputy’s question to the Agencies and have requested that a response should issue within...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Equality Issues (16 May 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: The Employment Equality Acts 1998 to 2015 require employers to take appropriate measures, where needed in a particular case, to enable a person with a disability:to have access to employment,to participate or advance in employment,to undergo training,Unless the measures would impose a disproportionate burden on the employer. My Department has a Disability Liaison Officer who fosters awareness...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Departmental Staff (16 May 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: My Department has numerous staff members engaged in work relating to import controls functions. The following table shows the number of officers currently deployed as such; Staff with import control duties FTE Agricultural Inspector 1.3 Assistant Agricultural Inspector 15 Assistant...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Bord Bia (16 May 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: I can confirm that the promotion of cereals falls under the functions of Bord Bia and as such is an operational matter for Bord Bia. A vibrant and sustainable tillage sector is central to increasing Ireland’s food and feed security while also contributing to climate change objectives. Maintaining the current tillage area with an ambition for further growth is therefore an...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Departmental Communications (16 May 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: According to the 2021 Power Report, commissioned by RCÉ, the greyhound industry provides and supports considerable employment both directly and indirectly across the Irish economy. It is estimated that in 2019, the industry supported 4,150 full-time and part-time jobs in the economy. In addition, there are 6,211 active greyhound owners. The total number of people deriving economic...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: International Agreements (16 May 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: Ireland has an existing sanitary agreement for dairy and related products with Algeria. My Department has made a number of representations to Algeria in relation to market access specifically for Infant Formula and has been in ongoing communication with Infant formula companies. An official Department letter was forwarded to the Algerian government on 1st February, which detailed a...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Supports (16 May 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: The objective of the Beef Environmental Efficiency Programme – Suckler (BEEP - S) is to further increase economic and environmental efficiency in the suckler herd through better quality data on herd performance, supporting decision making on farm and support of best practice in welfare management. The person named had not successfully applied for the 2020 Beef Environmental...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Agriculture Supports (25 May 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: I thank the Deputy for raising this issue. As she knows, I have long supported the cohort of farmers known as the forgotten farmers and I have committed to supporting those farmers who find themselves in this situation, through no fault of their own in many cases, and I have committed to addressing this issue. We are working on a tailored support package for these farmers and I want to...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Agriculture Supports (25 May 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: I will be having a meeting with the team in my Department shortly for a full update on all of the work I have asked them to do and to progress. The same team has been working on rolling out all of the various new schemes which are opening week-on-week. I have sought to give as much certainty as possible to those farmers in the forgotten farmer category that this will happen but I have also...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Agriculture Supports (25 May 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: We have received submissions from the various farming organisations on this issue and on how they feel it should be addressed. The various options and ways forward are being looked at by my officials so we do not have full clarity on that yet because a range of options are being looked at. As soon as I have that clarity I will bring it but there has been engagement and we have gathered...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Tillage Sector (25 May 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: I thank Deputy Cairns for raising this. I start by again reaffirming my commitment to our domestic tillage sector. It is dynamic, sustainable and world-class and I am committed to securing the long-term future of the sector. I want to see it grow in the years ahead and we understand the tillage sector's importance and how it is an integral component of our industry. We also know it makes...