Results 3,481-3,500 of 23,944 for speaker:Charlie McConalogue

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: State Bodies (3 Oct 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: The lease referred to by the Deputy expires on 1 September 2024. I am advised that Bord Iascaigh Mhara has no formal agreement with the lease holder and is an occasional user of facilities available at the property. The current tenant submitted a business case in support of their request for renewal of their current lease. This request for renewal of the current lease is currently under...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Schemes (3 Oct 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: The Liming Programme was introduced by my Department to incentivise the use of Lime a natural soil conditioner, which corrects soil acidity by neutralising the acids that are present in the soil. I appreciate it has been a difficult year weather-wise. The closing date for receipt of claims under the Liming Programme is 31 October. The Programme itself is funded by the National Exchequer...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Regulatory Bodies (3 Oct 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: The Agricultural and Food Supply Chain Act was signed into law by the President on 11 July 2023, The Act provides for a new independent Office, An Rialálaí Agraibhia, which will promote and enforce the principles of fairness and transparency in the agricultural and food supply chain. Preparations are well underway for the establishment of the new Office. These include the...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Schemes (3 Oct 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: As is the case with all EU co-funded schemes, all ACRES applications must pass regulatory controls and validations before payment can issue. It is anticipated that payments for those cases that have passed all validations will commence in late November, and will continue to issue thereafter on a weekly basis. All necessary material to enable ACRES payments to be calculated needs to be...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Food Industry (3 Oct 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: There are currently 77 food business operators approved by the Department under SI 22 of 2020 that are involved in cheese making. Records held by the Department show that, since 2013, some 41 food business operators who were approved by the Department under SI 22 of 2020, and involved in cheese making, have ceased operating and had their approval numbers suspended and/or revoked.

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Statutory Instruments (3 Oct 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: The Department is fully compliant with the mandatory derogations set out in Regulation 3 and Regulation 4 of SI 22 of 2020 which establish that the EU Regulation No 852/2004 and EU Regulation No 853/2004 do not apply to certain primary producers and/or suppliers that meet specified criteria. There are no further derogations contained within the statutory instrument relating to food producers.

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Industry (3 Oct 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: Conditionality under CAP is compulsory. It covers nine GAEC standards including GAEC 2 (Protection of Peatland and Wetlands) as well as eleven Statutory Management requirements (SMRs). and is a minimum requirement for receiving any area-based payments from the Common Agricultural Policy. Conditionality ensures a certain minimum public/environmental good is achieved through CAP...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Industry (3 Oct 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: Decisions in relation to the export of ammonia to Great Britain are commercial decisions. Fertiliser containing ammonia in both liquid and granular form can be marketed in Ireland, once labelling and nutrient content requirements are met and it complies with either National or EU fertiliser legislation.

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forestry Sector (3 Oct 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: The IT structures are in place for the processing of afforestation applications under the new Forestry Programme 2023 to 2027. The Afforestation Scheme opened for applications on 6 September 2023 and we have begun issuing licences.

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forestry Sector (3 Oct 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: Significant training requirements exist to support the delivery of the new Forestry Programme, and this work is already underway. My Department held two initial online information sessions for Registered Foresters on the new afforestation scheme in advance of its launch on 6 September. Further training is required in a number of areas, particularly land types identification. In-person and...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forestry Sector (3 Oct 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: I am pleased to advise that following on from recent State Aid approval from the European Commission, the Government adopted this programme on 6 September. This is a significant milestone for forestry that will allow for the expansion, protection and development of Ireland’s forests and forestry sector. I have always been conscious of the needs of the sector and therefore to...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forestry Sector (3 Oct 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: Last year, my Department published for the first time a Shared National Vision for Trees, Woods and Forests in Ireland until 2050 which was informed by a series of extensive engagement and consultation. This Vision then informed a new Forestry Strategy for Ireland, which was developed via Working Group 2 of Project Woodland. In conjunction, a Forest Strategy Implementation Plan was also...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forestry Sector (3 Oct 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: I am happy to say that the new forestry programme includes an Environment Report Grant to ensure that applicants and their agents are reasonably reimbursed for the additional costs associated with the required standard and scope of the environmental reports submitted. Environmental reports that are eligible for this grant may include: – A Pre-Screening Report – A Habitat...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forestry Sector (3 Oct 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: I propose to take Questions Nos. 504, 505 and 506 together. Within my Department, the Forestry Inspectorate assessed the technical aspects of forestry licence and scheme applications. Currently within the Forestry Inspectorate there are a total of 65 permanent professional/technical staff, 56 of whom have a role in licencing either directly or by providing support functions. These include...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Supports (3 Oct 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: I am pleased to state that the reconstitution scheme for ash dieback is open for applications under the new Forestry Programme 2023 - 2027. This scheme includes the following enhanced features: 100% increase in the site clearance grant rate, from €1,000 to €2,000; Enhanced replanting grant rates under the new Forestry Programme 2023-2027; Those applicants whose sites are still...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forestry Sector (3 Oct 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: Irelands forests provide an important supply of timber for our construction sector. The most recent forecast submitted to my Department estimates that annual roundwood production will increase from around 4 million cubic metres now to nearly 7 million cubic metres by 2035. This significant increase in supply is mainly driven from private forests, grant aided since the 1990s, that are now...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Industry (3 Oct 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: Biochar is primarily used in combination with other fertilising materials before application to soil to increase carbon content which may result in increased plant establishment and growth. The use of biochar is permitted under EU fertiliser legislation. Currently, an EU Commission-led working group comprised of biochar experts across Europe are examining the use of biochar in agriculture....

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Brexit Supports (3 Oct 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: The Seafood Capital Processing Support Scheme, aimed at supporting industry-led transformative capital investments, has a budget of €45million. Projects approved under schemes funded under the Brexit Adjustment Reserve (BAR) must be completed and paid before the end of 2023. To date 61 applications, with a total approved applications value of €33.4 million, have been...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Brexit Supports (3 Oct 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: The Seafood Task Force was established to examine the implications arising from the EU/UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA) for the Irish Seafood Sector. The Task Force recommended a number of initiatives that could be taken to provide supports for the development and restructuring of this sector, so as to ensure a profitable and sustainable sector and to identify opportunities for jobs...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Departmental Policies (3 Oct 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: The Department does not have a policy that relates solely to the use of artificial intelligence but does have policies in place on the use of technology in the Department, including those that use artificial intelligence. No Departmental functions are assisted by language model-based chatbots such as ChatGPT