Results 4,241-4,260 of 23,948 for speaker:Charlie McConalogue

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Industry (25 May 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: I remain confident that the outlook for the Irish dairy industry and Irish dairy exports remains very positive. The dairy industry is one of our largest and most profitable sectors. Irish dairy exports exceeded the €7 billion euro mark last year, making it the largest food and drink export category. Last year, we exported over 1.6 million tonnes of dairy products to over 130...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Industry (25 May 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: Irish sheep farmers produce a sustainable, world-class product as evidenced by the fact that it was exported to more than 30 destination markets in 2022. According to the CSO, the value of sheepmeat exports in 2022 increased by 17% to reach €453 million while volume rose by 14% to just over 66,300 metric tonnes. High-value EU markets accounted for approximately 75% of total exports...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Pigmeat Sector (25 May 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: Throughout my time as Minister, I have provided support to the pig sector as I am aware of its importance to the economy. In particular, I provided significant targeted support to the pig sector last year in the context of ensuring the long-term viability of the sector at a time when all pig producers were dealing with enormous pressures. As the Deputy will be aware, on 23rd March 2022,...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Industry (25 May 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: As in other meat sectors, global trade conditions will be crucial in determining the outlook for the Irish poultry sector over the medium to longer term. Poultrymeat, which is a high protein food source, has seen an increase in demand in recent years and this increase has seen a 13% increase in the average price paid in March 2023 when compared to the average price paid 12 months ago....

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Tillage Sector (25 May 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: The tillage sector is an important and integral component of the agri-food industry making a significant contribution to overall agricultural output estimated at over €1 billion at 2022 farm gate prices. The importance of the tillage sector is recognised in the Food Vision 2030 strategy and in the Climate Action Plan 2023 where a target is set out to increase the area in tillage to...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Diseases (25 May 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: I propose to take Questions Nos. 231 and 232 together. Bovine tuberculosis (bTB) is a challenging disease to control and eradicate. I am acutely aware of the financial and emotional trauma associated with a TB breakdown. It causes significant hardship for farmers and farming families, and I am fully committed to the objectives of the Bovine TB Eradication Strategy which aims to reduce and...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Food Industry (25 May 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: All food placed on the market in Ireland must conform to the European Union's food safety standards. These standards place specific food safety requirements on businesses placing food on the market in Ireland or in any other EU member state. These requirements, which are laid out in a series of European regulations, apply to all food businesses whether they are primary producers, processors,...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Greenhouse Gas Emissions (25 May 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: Ireland is one of the most food secure countries in the world. In fact, Ireland has come second of 113 countries assessed for food security, according to the latest Global Food Security Index. The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine has rmber of policies and strategies in place to ensure agriculture plays its role in meeting the national climate targets by 2030 and 2050, while...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Fishing Industry (25 May 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: This Government is committed to addressing the challenges facing our seafood sector following the adoption of the EU-UK Trade and Co-operation Agreement (TCA), which has been the most significant and enduring challenge faced by the fisheries sector in generations. I can assure the Deputy that I am pursuing all opportunities at EU level to help address the unequal burden sharing whereby...

Agriculture and Food Supply Chain Bill 2022: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (24 May 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: This is an amendment we discussed on Committee Stage and which I indicated I was not in favour of. As with many other organisations, their representatives often attend Oireachtas committees but the chairperson would do so, not the CEO before their appointment. It is the board of the food regulator that has responsibility for the strategic direction of the office, not the CEO, so it would...

Agriculture and Food Supply Chain Bill 2022: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (24 May 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: I move amendment No. 24: In page 53, line 21, after “the” to insert “agricultural and”. This is an editorial amendment to replace "food" with "agricultural and food".

Agriculture and Food Supply Chain Bill 2022: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (24 May 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: I move amendment No. 25: In page 53, line 21, after “chain” to insert the following: “(which may, in particular, include provision allowing the regulator to compel the provision of information referred to in section 12(3)(d))”.

Agriculture and Food Supply Chain Bill 2022: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (24 May 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: I thank all the Deputies for their work over the thorough process that was involved in bringing this legislation through to where it is. I thank Members for the massive work they put in during Committee Stage and for the comprehensive pre-legislative scrutiny report that was afforded me. Right through this process my objective has been, as it was with Members, to ensure we set up a...

Agriculture and Food Supply Chain Bill 2022: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (24 May 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: I move amendment No. 20: In page 16, line 3, after “buyers” to insert “, consumers”. This is a straightforward amendment to insert the word "consumers". We discussed it on Committee Stage. Sinn Féin tabled an amendment that I think was ruled out of order. I agreed to look at it to see whether I would bring it back, which I have now done.

Agriculture and Food Supply Chain Bill 2022: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (24 May 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: I move amendment No. 21: In page 16, lines 13 to 17, to delete all words from and including “(1) The” in line 13 down to and including line 17 and substitute the following: “(1) The regulator shall consist of— (a) a member (in this Act referred to as the “chairperson”) designated by the Minister to chair the regulator, and (b) seven ordinary...

Agriculture and Food Supply Chain Bill 2022: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (24 May 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: I thank Deputies Kerrane, Carthy, Michael Healy-Rae and Danny Healy-Rae. My objective in this legislation is to introduce something that will make a real difference on the ground, will bring transparency and will be implementable and effective. I explained earlier about the below-cost selling and the example of beef and how that approach would not benefit farmers or consumers. That had...

Agriculture and Food Supply Chain Bill 2022: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (24 May 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: -----to do what the Deputies are trying to claim it will achieve.

Agriculture and Food Supply Chain Bill 2022: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (24 May 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: If the Deputy feels there are issues and challenges there, the way to do that is to amend the legislation when the architecture is in place, not to introduce one line in another Bill.

Agriculture and Food Supply Chain Bill 2022: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (24 May 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: To touch on that point, and also on the question raised by Deputy Michael Healy-Rae, I am bringing in this legislation to ensure there is fairness, oversight and transparency in the food supply chain, and to be able to give that confidence to farmers, as well as the practical effect that there is fairness in the food supply chain. That is what this food regulator legislation and setting up...

Agriculture and Food Supply Chain Bill 2022: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (24 May 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: I thank Deputies Kerrane, Michael Healy-Rae, Carthy and Danny Healy-Rae for their contributions. We had a significant discussion on this matter on Committee Stage as well. I outlined the position in relation to it then. I worked to be collaborative to make sure that the office we bring in here serves farmers and primary producers well, is effective and has the powers necessary to do its...