Results 3,201-3,220 of 23,950 for speaker:Charlie McConalogue

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Agriculture Schemes (26 Oct 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: I already laid out the position that it was and remains my intention in terms of tranche two. Both the trailing shoe and the dribble bar are very expensive pieces of equipment and are very long-term investments. They are significant investments from the State's point of view in relation to TAMS, and a significant investment from a farmer's point of view as well. It is important we take...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Solar Energy Guidelines (26 Oct 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: I thank the Deputy for raising this question, for his work on this matter over the last number of months, and his engagement on it. Farm safety is an absolute priority for my Department and is always given considerable thought in the design of schemes. The new TAMS is aligned to our climate goals with enhanced support for farmers to invest in renewable energy solutions on their farms....

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Solar Energy Guidelines (26 Oct 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: I am not sure if we have such a list but I will inquire into that and facilitate a further engagement between Deputy Stanton and the Department on this matter. It is important that we do have the full oversight and view of the terms, conditions and safeguards regarding how this work is carried out. In my response I outlined the registration courses and the qualifications required. The...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Solar Energy Guidelines (26 Oct 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: We have to make sure these jobs are done right. It is a very significant investment from a Government point of view of 60% grant aid. There is a separate grant ceiling as well from any other investment a farmer might make. It is a significant investment that is undertaken by the farmer also. We are talking about power generation and electricity and it is important that is done right...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Tillage Sector (26 Oct 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: I appreciate the Deputy raising the issue here today. The Deputy's colleagues, the Minister of State, Deputy Browne, Senator Malcolm Byrne and Deputy Kehoe, have been in touch with me on numerous occasions and have updated me in detail on that meeting and the outcome of it. Nobody is looking for slaps on the back here. We are looking to see how we can support the sector through what is a...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Tillage Sector (26 Oct 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: -----unprecedented and difficult time. I want to see the tillage sector grow in this country over the years ahead. For the first time in the past two years, we have seen a 6% growth in the area under tillage. The really challenging situation this year is going to put real pressure on that. That is something I want to support the sector with over the next period. As I said, a few weeks...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Tillage Sector (26 Oct 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: The Deputy is an expert at the spin and the criticism herself. She is not offering many solutions or anything constructive. As I said, I have been working with the Deputy's three Government colleagues in Wexford on an ongoing basis over recent weeks on this issue. It is good to engage with the Deputy this morning on it.

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Tillage Sector (26 Oct 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: The Deputy majors in giving out and trying to show, through giving out, that maybe she might be doing something for someone.

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Tillage Sector (26 Oct 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: That is her modus operandi, and she has her approach well off by heart. There is also-----

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Tillage Sector (26 Oct 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: The Deputy might not like giving other people a chance. I know she likes to give out plenty and to hold the platform. In relation to tillage-----

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Tillage Sector (26 Oct 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: If the Deputy wants to speak to herself, she can go off and shout on local radio. I am working to try to support the sector through a difficult year and to make sure it grows in the future and will continue to do so.

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Agriculture Schemes (26 Oct 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: As the Deputy is aware, the targeted agriculture modernisation scheme, TAMS, 3 provides grants to farmers to build or improve a specified range of farm buildings and equipment on their holdings. There is an indicative budget of €370 million available for the period 2022 to 2027, whereby all investments are linked to climate, environment or animal welfare. Following the success of...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Agriculture Schemes (26 Oct 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: It will be concluded in time for the next opening and I will make a decision in advance of that. That is what I have requested. There is massive work going on in the Department. The comment the Deputy made at the end of her response was a rather flippant one. There are a record number of applications in at the moment for TAMS 3, which shows the appetite for on-farm investment. We are...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Agriculture Schemes (26 Oct 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: As the Deputy is aware, on 6 October I announced important flexibility to the lime-spreading deadline under the national liming programme. While the deadline of 31 October remains in place for receipt of claims, and for payment for lime, applicants now have until 31 March 2024 to spread their approved quantity of lime. Approximately 38,500 farmers have been approved for the programme. The...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Agriculture Schemes (26 Oct 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: I am closely monitoring the situation. I want as many farmers as possible to avail of this. Not enough farmers are spreading lime. It used to be done far more and it needs to be done far more in future. It will help to ensure farmers have more profitability for the work they carry out. That is why, this year, I put in place for the first time a lime scheme. It was great to see the...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Agriculture Schemes (26 Oct 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: I am considering that and monitoring it closely. I want as much follow through as possible in respect of farmers purchasing lime and spreading it. I am closely monitoring it daily and getting feedback from farmers. I have to balance the need to ensure farmers get paid and the need to utilise the budget this year for it. Many farmers spread lime earlier this year too. It has been much...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Tillage Sector (26 Oct 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: I have been in regular contact with farming organisations and farm groups on issues relating to the tillage sector. Yesterday, I met with one of the stakeholders, namely, the Irish Grain Growers, and last week I met the IFA tillage committee to discuss the challenging situation in the sector at the moment in the light of the poor harvest. Earlier this year, I specifically requested and...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Departmental Funding (26 Oct 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: In relation to the tillage sector, which has had a very difficult year, I have delivered three tranches of funding: €7 million from the EU; €7 million in additional funding this year through the straw incorporation scheme; and €7 million in the budget for next year. If there were ways of drawing down BAR funding for the sector I would do so but we are talking here about...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Agriculture Schemes (26 Oct 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: I secured funding of €1.5 billion for ACRES. This is the largest amount ever committed to an agri-environment scheme. The Government committed this funding to support what is the central and flagship agri-environment climate measure in Ireland’s Common Agricultural Policy Strategic Plan 2023-2027. ACRES will not only play a huge role in driving environmental improvements, it...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Agriculture Schemes (26 Oct 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: Over the five-year period, the funding we have profiled for ACRES is sufficient to meet the needs of 50,000 applicants. Over the course of the next year we will get to that 50,000 figure and obviously we will then have to assess how many more farmers are in the scheme and monitor that as it goes forward. In terms of next year's budget, we will be bringing it up to the 50,000 and we have...