Results 3,901-3,920 of 14,473 for speaker:Dara Calleary

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Freedom of Information (29 Jul 2020)

Dara Calleary: So far in 2020, my Department has received 191 valid requests under the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act 2014.  All valid requests have been dealt with within the statutory timeframe except for those set out in the following table and which are currently being processed.  Number of FOI requests extended by... 2020 2 week ...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Beef Industry (29 Jul 2020)

Dara Calleary: Last year, the Beef Taskforce was established to provide the leadership to develop a sustainable pathway for the future of the beef sector in terms of economic, environmental and social sustainability. The Taskforce is providing a robust implementation structure for commitments entered into in the Beef Talks Agreement of 15th September 2019, with timelines and...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Harbours and Piers (29 Jul 2020)

Dara Calleary: Howth Fishery Harbour Centre (FHC) is one of six FHCs owned, operated and maintained by my Department under statute.  The other five are located at Castletownbere, Dingle, Dunmore East, Killybegs and Ros An Mhíl. The FHCs are strategically important infrastructure which underpin the Government's Strategy to further develop a modern offshore Irish fishing fleet, attract...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Drainage Schemes (28 Jul 2020)

Dara Calleary: The former Irish Land Commission retained a portion of the purchase money from the acquisition of a small number of estates, for the ongoing maintenance and upkeep of embankments and sluices on those particular estates only.  These retained funds are entrusted to the Public Trustee, who is an official in my Department.   The Public Trustee has responsibility for the...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: European Council Meetings (28 Jul 2020)

Dara Calleary: Ireland’s key objective throughout the negotiations on the post-2020 EU budget has been the retention of a sufficient budget for CAP post-2020.  This is particularly important in light of the ongoing needs of farmers, including the requirements of higher levels of environment and climate ambition set out in the new EU Farm to Fork and Biodiversity...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Common Fisheries Policy (28 Jul 2020)

Dara Calleary: I would like to assure the Deputy that Fisheries is an important priority for Ireland. We are seeking to protect the interests of the Irish fleet in terms of both access and the quota share it currently enjoys in UK waters. From the outset of the negotiations, Ireland and our EU partners have been clear on our level of ambition in this area and on the fact that progress on an...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Greyhound Industry (28 Jul 2020)

Dara Calleary: Bord na gCon  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.  Bord na gCon (BnG) is a body corporate and a separate legal entity to the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine.  My Department devotes considerable resources to...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forestry Sector (28 Jul 2020)

Dara Calleary: I am acutely aware that delays in issuing licences has led to difficulties for some in the sector.   My Department is intensively engaging with all relevant stakeholders on these issues. The current licensing difficulties are as a result of the changes made to internal Appropriate Assessment Procedures (AAP).  These were introduced in response to important Court...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Food Industry (28 Jul 2020)

Dara Calleary: I wish to make the Deputy aware that Article 4(4) of Regulation (EC) No 1099/2009 on the protection of animals at the time of killing provides for a derogation, in the case of slaughter prescribed by religious rites, from the usual requirement for animals to be stunned before slaughter. Each Member State of the European Union exercises its discretion as to whether or not to avail of the...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forestry Sector (28 Jul 2020)

Dara Calleary: The commencement of the Forestry Act, 2014 in May, 2017 brought about significant changes in the consent process for forestry operations.  The Act makes provision for third-party submissions and establishes the Forestry Appeals Committee (FAC).    The current licensing difficulties are as a result of the changes made to internal Appropriate Assessment Procedures...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Aquaculture Development (28 Jul 2020)

Dara Calleary: My Department's €240 million European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF) Programme 2014-20 is the principal source of development funding for the fisheries, aquaculture and seafood processing sectors. The EMFF Sustainable Aquaculture Scheme provides supports to the aquaculture industry to enhance the competitiveness of small and medium-sized enterprises while...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Protected Disclosures (28 Jul 2020)

Dara Calleary: As required by the relevant legislation, my Department has a Protected Disclosures Policy in place under which a staff member who wishes to make a protected disclosure may do so via any of our designated confidential recipients. The recipient carries out an initial review, to establish whether the case meets the criteria for a Protected Disclosure. If it meets the...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Industry (28 Jul 2020)

Dara Calleary: I propose to take Questions Nos. 644 and 648 together. Wool production is an important component  of agri-industry and Ireland produces excellent quality wool.  In an industry such as the wool industry where prices tend to move in cycles, it is imperative that the players ensure and promote a diversity of  options for the product in the market place. The...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Fishery Harbour Centres (28 Jul 2020)

Dara Calleary: My Department owns, operates and maintains six designated State-owned Fishery Harbour Centres, located at Castletownbere, Dingle, Dunmore East, Howth, Killybegs and Ros An Mhíl under statute. In addition, my 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 beacons...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Beef Industry (28 Jul 2020)

Dara Calleary: Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2017/1184 of 20 April 2017 governs the monitoring of carcass classification, carcass presentation and weighing. The legal tolerances for authorisation of a mechanical classification system are set out in that legislation. The figure quoted of 60% is the minimum accuracy figure for conformation and fat cover that must be achieved for a mechanical...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Common Fisheries Policy (28 Jul 2020)

Dara Calleary: In July 2019, Ireland received a formal decision of the Commission's intention to conduct an administrative inquiry under Article 102(2) of the 2009 EU Fisheries Control Regulation to evaluate Ireland's capacity to apply the rules of the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP).  This is further to a 2018 audit carried out by the Commission in Killybegs which identified "several serious...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Targeted Agricultural Modernisation Scheme (28 Jul 2020)

Dara Calleary: The indicative allocation for the TAMS II scheme over the course of the Rural Development Programme is €395 million. To date, €229 million has been paid across all the available schemes and a further €72m in approvals have yet to be claimed by applicants.  Expenditure is being monitored closely on a weekly basis.   The scheme budget is part of...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Diseases (28 Jul 2020)

Dara Calleary: The Connemara Pony Breeders Society (CPBS) has been approved by my Department to maintain the Studbook for Connemara Ponies and, in this regard, operates a breeding programme for the breed. Within its breeding programme, the CPBS has identified the presence of Hoof Wall Separation Disease (HWSD) which is caused by a genetic defect that appears to occur only in the Connemara...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Departmental Staff (28 Jul 2020)

Dara Calleary: My Department has staff located at various offices throughout the country, performing a wide range of roles and functions.  The attached spreadsheet provides a detailed breakdown of the number of staff, their respective grades and their locations throughout the Department.

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Common Agricultural Policy (28 Jul 2020)

Dara Calleary: Please find below the information in relation to Pillar 1 expenditure under the Basic Payment Scheme (BPS, Greening Young Farmers Scheme and Protein Aid), for the years 2017 to 2020.  EU Regulation 1307/2013 sets out the maximum ceilings to apply for these payments each year, not a budget. The following should be noted when comparing the  expenditure column to the...