Results 3,221-3,240 of 23,950 for speaker:Charlie McConalogue

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

Charlie McConalogue: We have got to grips with our forestry sector. Massive work has gone into it over the past couple of years. As the Deputy knows, the outcome of a court case in 2019 radically changed the way each licence had to be assessed. This led to a big backlog in licence applications but we have now worked our way through that. Anybody applying for a forestry licence today will receive it within six...

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

Charlie McConalogue: I thank the Deputy for her question. With the indulgence of the House, I note at the outset that we do not have any questions at the top of the ranking on the list in respect of payments. That is a reflection of the hard work that the payments section has done in recent times to work through the new Common Agricultural Policy, CAP, and to pay out significant payments. Some 90% of the...

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

Charlie McConalogue: I thank the Deputy. We have received proposals from different representative organisations and have been very keen to encourage people to bring proposals to us in recent years. Each proposal we have received has been assessed, and we have worked to make such proposals eligible for the BAR scheme in any way we can. It has been my objective to do everything possible to draw down BAR funding...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Nitrates Usage (26 Oct 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: Let me be very clear in stating that securing the continued opportunity to avail of a nitrates directive for Irish farmers is Government policy. It was in the last Programme for Government and remains a policy position. I will work with farmers to improve water quality which is key to securing that derogation in the next round of negotiations and into the future. Ireland's current...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Climate Change Policy (26 Oct 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: On the marine side, I am happy to see that the transition of Ireland’s seafood sector to carbon neutrality has already commenced. Important developments supporting this transition are emerging at European level as part of the review of the Common Fisheries Policy and the associated package of measures to improve the sustainability and resilience of the EU fisheries and aquaculture...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Departmental Bodies (26 Oct 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: In November 2021, my Department commissioned a study of the wool sector. Published in July 2022, the report was titled Review off Market Opportunities for Irish-Grown Wool Based Products, or the Wool Feasibility Study for short. One of the key recommendations of the Wool Feasibility Study was the establishment of an independent, all-island wool council that would be industry-led and comprise...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Schemes (26 Oct 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: In response to increased input costs arising from the war in Ukraine, I introduced the Liming Programme earlier this year. This was a once-off measure to incentivise the use of ground limestone, commonly called lime, a natural soil conditioner which corrects soil acidity, make nutrients more available for plant uptake, and improves overall soil health. This in turn has a positive impact on...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Schemes (26 Oct 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: The core payment for ACRES Co-operation Project participants is determined by results-based scoring. As I'm sure the Deputy can appreciate, in order to avoid double funding for actions on the same land, there is an additional payment for Organics farmers in ACRES, but at a reduced rate, once the baseline requirements for the Organic Farm Scheme are met. I can assure you that Organic...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Schemes (26 Oct 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: At the outset, it must be noted that CAP payments, including those made under the Areas of Natural Constraints (ANC) scheme, are governed by EU regulations and are subject to rigorous audit and control by the European Commission. It is important that applicants meet all the eligibility requirements for the ANC Scheme and other area-based schemes they have applied to participate in in...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Nitrates Usage (26 Oct 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: Securing the continuance of a nitrates directive for Irish farmers is Government policy. It was in the last Programme for Government and remains a policy position. I will work with farmers to improve water quality which is key to securing that derogation in the next round of negotiations and into the future. The Nitrates Directive sets down strict scientific criteria in respect to the...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Schemes (26 Oct 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: The Targeted Agriculture Modernisation Scheme provides grants to farmers to build and/or improve a specified range of farm buildings and equipment on their holdings. The Targeted Agriculture Modernisation Scheme (TAMS II) closed to applications on 16 December 2022. To date this extremely successful scheme has paid out in excess of €425 million in respect of 35,457 payment claims. A...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Farm Costs (26 Oct 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: The table below sets out the latest available CSO Agricultural Price Index for fertilisers which covers the period August 2021 to August 2023: I am happy to share what is a detailed table with the Deputy after this engagement. Date Aug-21 100.2 Sep-22 231.6 Sep-21 104.3 Oct-22 ...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Schemes (26 Oct 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: The Areas of Natural Constraints scheme provides payments to people farming land in designated areas who face significant hardships from factors such as remoteness, difficult topography, climatic problems, and poor soil conditions. Ireland’s CAP Strategic Plan (CSP) 2023-2027 underpins the sustainable development of Ireland’s agriculture sector by:supporting viable farm incomes...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Departmental Bodies (26 Oct 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: On the fifth of April 2023, over 50 stakeholders from the wool sector in both Ireland and Northern launched the all-island Irish Grown Wool Council. Members of the council were selected from a wide range of interests within the wool sector, including farmers; wool merchants; sheep shearers; educators; designers; crafters; as well as industry representatives and farming organisations....

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Schemes (26 Oct 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: As part of the work of the TB Forum, a dedicated Financial Working Group was established to review the financial modelling of various elements of the Bovine TB Eradication programme. In March 2023, this Financial Working Group reached agreement on various enhancements to the Income Supplement Scheme, the Hardship Grant and the Depopulation Grant as well as enhanced ceilings for select...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Schemes (26 Oct 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: My Department provides significant support to the sheep sector under the CAP Strategic Plan (CSP), through a targeted scheme for sheep farmers - the Sheep Improvement Scheme (SIS) - as well as other CSP interventions such as ACRES and the Organic Farming Scheme which are open to both specialist sheep and mixed beef and sheep enterprises. This is a priority sector for me and was a key focus of...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Schemes (26 Oct 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: I am acutely aware and fully appreciate the many challenges that horticulture growers have experienced in 2023 as a result of continued high costs of production and reduced output prices. These challenges were further compounded by the unfavourable weather conditions throughout the 2023 growing season. In recognition of these challenges I secured €2.382 million under the EU...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Departmental Functions (26 Oct 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: My Department supports farmers in the delivery of biodiversity through voluntary actions, such as agri-environmental schemes but also by implementing regulations designed to protect our biodiversity. In the first instance, conditionality controls in respect of Common Agricultural policy payments are part of this approach. Conditionality is a set of Statutory Management Requirements...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Schemes (26 Oct 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: The Deputy has clarified that she is primarily interested in Consanguinity Relief from Stamp Duty. My colleague the Minister for Finance carried out a review of the measure in advance of Budget 2024, which was published on budget day. Arising from that review, the Government decided to extend Consanguinity Relief from Stamp Duty for a further five years. This is a hugely important relief to...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Regulatory Bodies (26 Oct 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: The primary legislation required to establish An Rialálaí Agraibhia, the Agricultural and Food Supply Chain Act was signed into law by President Higgins on 11th of July. This is a true delivery for me having spearheaded this initiative while in opposition, securing its inclusion in the programme for Government, advancing it through all stages of the legislative process and now into...