Results 19,921-19,940 of 24,048 for speaker:Charlie McConalogue

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Departmental Schemes (20 Jun 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: The Native Woodland Conservation Scheme was offered under the Forestry Programme 2014-2022, and it is proposed to offer a version of the Scheme under the next Forestry Programme 2023-2027. The new Programme is subject to State Aid approval under the Guidelines from the EU Commission. It is also subject to an ongoing Strategic Environmental Assessment and Appropriate Assessment process, which...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Health Promotion (20 Jun 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: My colleague the Minister for Health has responsibility for public health policy, and his Department is responsible for the issue raised. I have been informed that the Department of Health is unable to send representation to the meeting referenced by the Deputy taking place in Geneva in June 2023, because of other diary commitments. The Department of Health has also advised that it...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Industry (20 Jun 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: Farming and the agri-food sector are hugely important to our economy and our society. The agriculture, forestry and fishing sector employs over 101,000 people, representing 4% of total employment in the country, but a far greater proportion in rural and coastal areas. The produce of these farms, forestry and fishers directly generate a further 64,000 downstream jobs for a total almost 165,000...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Supports (20 Jun 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: There are a number of rainwater harvesting investments currently available for grant aid in TAMS 3 under the Animal Welfare and Nutrient Storage Scheme, Young Farmer Capital Investment Scheme and Tillage Capital Investment Scheme. Rainwater harvesting investments will also be available under the Women Farmer Capital Investment Scheme which is due to open shortly. TAMS 3 provides funding...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Schemes (20 Jun 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. My Department has already rolled out two schemes this year that will provide significant benefits to the beef sector. The Suckler Carbon Efficiency Programme (SCEP), which will run from 2023 to 2027, is designed to support farmers in improving...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Schemes (20 Jun 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: The objective of the Suckler Carbon Efficiency Programme (SCEP) is to provide support to suckler and beef farmers to improve the environmental sustainability of the national beef herd. The programme aims to build on the gains delivered in recent years through the Beef Data and Genomics Programme (BDGP) and the Beef Environmental Efficiency Programme (BEEP) by improving the genetic merit of...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Schemes (20 Jun 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: I propose to take Questions Nos. 481 and 482 together. As the Deputy is aware, I introduced a new Suckler Carbon Efficiency Programme (SCEP) in March 2023 which is the replacement for the Beef Data and Genomics Programme (BDGP). My Department has published the eligibility requirements applicants must meet. Membership of the Bord Bia Sustainable Beef and Lamb Assurance Scheme (SBLAS)...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: State Bodies (20 Jun 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: My Department has robust processes and procedures in place to support State bodies under its aegis with respect to compliance with corporate governance requirements. Relevant liaison divisions as well as our Corporate Affairs Unit oversee the Department’s governance of State Bodies and, in particular, for monitoring compliance with the Code of Practice for the Governance of State...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forestry Sector (20 Jun 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: As the Deputy may be aware, a new and ambitious €1.3bn Forestry Programme 2023-2027 will replace the previous programme which expired at the end of 2022. The new programme is subject to State Aid approval under the Guidelines from the EU Commission. It is also subject to an ongoing Strategic Environmental Assessment and Appropriate Assessment process, which is well advanced. My...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Water Pollution (20 Jun 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: The management of livestock manure is regulated under Good Agricultural Practice for Protection of Waters Regulations known as the ‘GAP Regulations’ (S.I. 113 of 2022, as amended). These regulations provide legal effect in Ireland to the Nitrates Directive (Council Directive 91/676/EEC as amended) and to our Nitrates Action Programme (NAP). The Department of Housing, Local...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Departmental Funding (20 Jun 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: Social farming is the practice of offering, on a voluntary basis, farming and horticultural participation in a farming environment as a choice to people who avail of a range of therapeutic day support services. These operations are run in a number of settings ranging from working family farms, local community initiatives through to more institutional frameworks. Funding is available...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Departmental Data (20 Jun 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: In March it was announced that 42 vessels had accepted offers made under the Brexit Voluntary Permanent Cessation Scheme. These vessels had a combined total capacity of over 6,700 gross tonnes, equivalent to 84% of the target of 8,000 Gross Tonnes to be voluntarily withdrawn from the Irish fleet that was recommended by the Seafood Taskforce. The total cost for decommissioning these vessels...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Fishing Industry (20 Jun 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: I have been closely monitoring the trends in fuel prices and have engaged with the industry frequently on this matter. It has been a welcome signal, that after peaks in the summer, fuel prices began to fall towards the latter part of 2022 and for 2023 to date have continued to fall and stabilise at levels similar to those experienced prior to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. During these...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Live Exports (20 Jun 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: The management and operation of any vessel carrying livestock from Ireland is subject to EU rules, including prior inspection and approval of the vessel by this Department. Ireland has also introduced its own national legislation regulating animal welfare in dedicated livestock vessels, which lays down more stringent controls that go further than those in EU law. Vessels can only be used...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Food Industry (20 Jun 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: The Central Statistics Office will release the April 2023, Goods Exports and Imports figures on Wednesday 21 June 2023. It is anticipated that there will be revisions to the beef import figures for the first quarter 2023 and for parts of 2022. I will forward directly the requested data when available to the Deputy. Ireland is amongst the largest net exporters of beef in the world and Irish...

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

Charlie McConalogue: The practice of Low Emission Slurry Spreading (LESS) is an important environmentally sustainable technology that will facilitate Ireland meeting its environmental commitments through reductions in ammonia and other reactive nitrogen emissions from soil. The practice leads to greater nutrient recovery from slurries and indirectly improved nutrient use efficiency, as well as a reduced...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Farm Partnerships (21 Jun 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: Coillte is a private limited company established under the Forestry Act 1988 and is operationally independent from my Department. I have referred the matter raised to Coillte for direct follow-up with the Deputy.

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

Charlie McConalogue: I introduced the Tillage Incentive Scheme (TIS) last year in response to the illegal invasion of Ukraine by Russia. The Scheme is a support measure for farmers to incentivise the increase in eligible tillage crops thereby reducing dependency on imports. A payment of €400/ha was made on eligible tillage crop area. To qualify for the payment, there must have been an increase in the...

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

Charlie McConalogue: I am pleased to advise the Deputy that the promotion of arable crops for food is already covered under the functions of 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 important...

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

Charlie McConalogue: The tillage sector is an important and integral component of the Agri-food industry. It is dynamic, sustainable and world-class and I am committed to securing its long-term future. It is sector that I want to see grow and flourish in the years ahead. The importance of the tillage sector is recognised in the Food Vision 2030 strategy and in the Climate Action Plan 2023 where a target is...