Results 3,581-3,600 of 23,950 for speaker:Charlie McConalogue

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

Charlie McConalogue: I propose to take Questions Nos. 731 and 732 together. Rásaíocht Con Éireann (RCÉ) is a commercial state body, established under the Greyhound Industry Act, 1958 chiefly to control greyhound racing and to improve and develop the greyhound industry. RCÉ is a body corporate and a separate legal entity to the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine. The questions...

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

Charlie McConalogue: The new CAP 2023-2027 came into force this year and payments will commence for ANC and the other Schemes from 17 October this year. With this being the first year of the new CAP Strategic Plan, a whole range of new schemes is being introduced,along with substantial changes to existing schemes over a relatively short time period. My Department is fully committed to making payments to...

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

Charlie McConalogue: I propose to take Questions Nos. 735, 736, 738, 739 and 745 together. Ireland received a State aid approval letter from the EU Commission regarding its new Forestry Programme. Among other things, this letter states that afforestation under the new programme “will be avoided on environmentally unsuitable sites. Afforestation will be adapted to environmental sensitivities, such as...

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

Charlie McConalogue: The acid sensitivity protocol, agreed by my Department, the COFORD council and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), defines areas of the country where the underlining geology indicates a limited capacity of surface waters to ‘buffer’ acidification and knock-on impacts on aquatic ecosystems, especially the hatching of salmonids. These Acid Sensitive Areas amount to a total...

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

Charlie McConalogue: I propose to take Questions Nos. 740, 744, 748, 754, 758, 760, 772, 773, 776 and 778 together. The farmer definition as defined in section 6.8 of the Afforestation Scheme document 2023 – 2027 requires the applicant to have been an approved participant in the Basic Income Support for Sustainability (BISS) Scheme in the application year and an approved participant in either BISS or the...

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

Charlie McConalogue: I propose to take Questions Nos. 741, 763 and 764 together. Peat soils are an extremely important store of carbon in Ireland and any future afforestation must not undermine this function. As part of the development of the Forestry Programme 2023 to 2027, my Department reassessed its policy with regard to future afforestation on peat soils. Consideration had to be given to requirements of...

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

Charlie McConalogue: I propose to take Questions Nos. 742 and 747 together. I am pleased to say that the new Afforestation Scheme, which offers an increased establishment grant and increased premiums for up to 20 years, was opened on 6th September 2023, and we are now in a position to grant afforestation licences and scheme approvals under the new 2023-2027 Forestry Programme. The aim with the new Forestry...

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

Charlie McConalogue: A focussed and dedicated Communications and Promotion Campaign to inform stakeholders about the new 2023-2027 Forestry Programme is planned for the coming weeks. My Department’s presence at the National Ploughing Championships this week is forestry-themed, with a dedicated area for promotion of the Programme. An advertising campaign, which will include radio and print media, has also...

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

Charlie McConalogue: The premium rates in the new Forestry Programme represent the calculation of income foregone from other farm enterprises and an additional amount for forest management and forest-environmental and climate services provided by the forest owner. The relevant rotation period for the mix of tree species was also taken into account so that the income foregone was considered for the rotation period...

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

Charlie McConalogue: I would like to assure the Deputy that the 20% broadleaf requirement will be achievable on the vast majority of sites. The evaluation of site productivity, by using a method that includes giving existing vegetation on site combined Reaction plus Nitrogen (R+N) values, is part of the assessment that my Department undertakes on afforestation applications. All sites submitted for...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Harbours and Piers (20 Sep 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: My Department owns, operates and maintains six designated State-owned Fishery Harbour Centres (FHCs), located at Castletownbere, Dingle, Dunmore East, Howth, Killybegs and Ros An Mhíl under statute. In addition, the Department also has responsibility for the upkeep and maintenance of North Harbour at Cape Clear, as well as the maintenance of a small number of specific piers, lights and...

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

Charlie McConalogue: I propose to take Questions Nos. 751 and 752 together. The new forestry programme 2023-27 will support the biggest and best-funded Forestry Programme ever in Ireland, and provides unprecedented incentives to encourage the planting of trees that can provide a valuable addition to farm income, and help to meet national climate and biodiversity objectives. The published proposed grant rates for...

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

Charlie McConalogue: The annual number of forestry licences required by the industry is determined by a number of economic and environmental factors. My Department's targets for afforestation are informed by the Climate Action Plan, the targets for roads by historic and projected activity, and the targets for felling licences by the timber harvest forecasts from the COFORD Roundwood Production Forecast 2016-2035....

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

Charlie McConalogue: The Forestry Programme 2023-2027 provides significant grant increases across all forest types, including increases in the eligible rates per metre for each type of fence erected, as well as an increased maximum financial cap per forest. The rates detailed in the fencing grant table follow the same format as the rates described in the previous Forestry Programme, and there are no errors....

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

Charlie McConalogue: My Department will be writing to holders of valid grant aided road licences and valid RUS approvals, who have not opted into the De Minimis Schemes, in the coming weeks offering them the opportunity to opt into the new Roads and Reconstitution Ash-dieback schemes under the new Forestry Programme. Those who received approval under the Department's De Minimis Schemes may commence work in line...

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

Charlie McConalogue: I propose to take Questions Nos. 757, 765 and 766 together. Significant training requirements exist to support the delivery of the new Forestry Programme, and this work is underway. Last month my Department held two initial online information sessions for Registered Foresters on the new afforestation scheme in advance of its launch on the 6th of September. Further training is required...

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

Charlie McConalogue: I am pleased to say that the Afforestation Scheme under the new 2023-2027 Forestry Programme opened for applications on the 6th of September 2023, and in tandem we are opening the Deer Tree Shelter, Hare and Deer Fencing Scheme this week. Applicants who wish to use deer shelters will need to receive written approval under the Deer Tree Shelter, Hare and Deer Fencing Scheme prior to...

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

Charlie McConalogue: I propose to take Questions Nos. 761 and 762 together. The State Aid approval for the Forestry Programme 2023-2027 contains new environmental requirements. These additional requirements fully align the licence application and assessment process for afforestation with both environmental legislation and with the State Aid conditions underpinning the new Forestry Programme. I would like...

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

Charlie McConalogue: Last year Ireland secured a new Nitrates Derogation covering the period 2022-2025. When these discussions were taking place, largely in 2021, there had been increases in Ireland’s national herd and chemical nitrogen use combined with declines in water quality. As a result, the European Commission attached increased conditionality to Ireland’s Nitrates Derogation, including the...

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

Charlie McConalogue: The European Commission is not obliged to grant any Member State a nitrates derogation and to do so they must be assured that derogation will not compromise achievement of the Nitrates Directive’s objectives of reducing and preventing water pollution caused by agriculture. Last year Ireland secured a new Nitrates Derogation covering the period 2022-2025. The European Commission...