Results 5,221-5,240 of 23,948 for speaker:Charlie McConalogue

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Climate Action Plan 2023: Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine (2 Mar 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: On this being a food island, we export 90% of what we produce. We have tremendous industries here and sectors in relation to lamb, beef and dairy production. We are very strong, but need to get stronger, in domestic tillage production. We cover a lot of our own pig requirements as well. Particularly in the horticulture and fruit sector, we have a real opportunity to produce more of our...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Climate Action Plan 2023: Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine (2 Mar 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: For example, if you take the new agri-climate rural environment scheme, ACRES, we have significant measures included there, along the lines of riparian zones, where they are left alone to act as riparian zones, and also to act as a space for nature within that. Across the board, we have a range of measures, which are about incorporating space for nature, and space for improving and...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Climate Action Plan 2023: Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine (2 Mar 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: What we want to do is to provide a suite of options, which are comprehensive and address different needs. If the Deputy looks at the agri-climate rural environment scheme, ACRES, and the various measures in place there, whether it is a riparian zone, low-input, permanent pasture, which is scored now and results-based or tree and hedge planting, there is a whole range of options in place...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Climate Action Plan 2023: Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine (2 Mar 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: We are carrying out ongoing recruitment to meet our needs. It is a big priority for the Department to make sure we are operating at full capacity in this space. On the various professions needed for that, we are recruiting ecologists, as one example. On the forestry programme, there is very significant and ongoing recruitment there, and likewise, where it is needed across the Department too.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Climate Action Plan 2023: Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine (2 Mar 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: I thank Deputy Whitmore. From 1 March to 1 September, burning is illegal. Outside of that window, it is possible to apply and get a permit for it. I will continue to assess all advice on this. Where controlled burning is taking place, there has to be an application to the local authority, and full engagement and co-operation. It has to be approved. The balance to be struck then is in...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Climate Action Plan 2023: Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine (2 Mar 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: I procured a report, which was published, on alternatives to burning. We have to look at all options, and ensure we are adopting the most appropriate one.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Climate Action Plan 2023: Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine (2 Mar 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: I do not know. I can come back to the Deputy with an answer.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Climate Action Plan 2023: Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine (2 Mar 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: The deduction in eligibility for agricultural payments stems from the fact that it is not agricultural land, and it is not able to be farmed if it has been burned. That is the reason it is deducted from the payments. The actual fines outside of that and the prosecution, if it was burned outside of when it was permitted and without licence, is a separate system. European payments, to be...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Climate Action Plan 2023: Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine (2 Mar 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: There are different criteria relating to basic agricultural condition and good agricultural condition. It is focused on whether it is farming land or not. For example, if it is not being farmed, there is no evidence of that or it is not suitable for that, there is no farm payment for it.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Climate Action Plan 2023: Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine (2 Mar 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: I thank Senator Higgins. She made the point about tillage. One of our key objectives is to improve and increase the area under tillage nationally. That makes a lot of sense.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Climate Action Plan 2023: Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine (2 Mar 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: I have been engaging with farm representative organisations about how we can work together on that. I am considering it because there is great potential. We thankfully made good progress last year and we want to continue to support it. We discussed the infant formula previously. The key overall point, regardless of which product we are talking about, is the pre-eminence of the Irish...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Climate Action Plan 2023: Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine (2 Mar 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: That is a broader policy question. Meat proteins and milk proteins are important parts of the human diet for good nutrition and will continue to be so. Looking at how we produce that and the expertise and natural capacity we have, we are world-leading with regard to the sustainability and quality of the product. That is why it is so sought after. We should continue to do that because it...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Climate Action Plan 2023: Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine (2 Mar 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: That is a broader policy question.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Climate Action Plan 2023: Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine (2 Mar 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: Regarding whether we should decrease the herd, we are not looking to reduce our food production. We are looking to reduce the emissions footprint. The parallel I would make is to 1998 to 2011. We just discussed the removal of dairy quotas and its impact. From 1998 to 2011, Irish farmers and the agricultural sector reduced their emissions footprint by 15%. That was prior to any climate...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Climate Action Plan 2023: Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine (2 Mar 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: I thank the Deputy. On the solar, there are two strands to it. There is massive potential here, as the Deputy has acknowledged. Just last week we announced new funding and grants under the Common Agricultural Policy, CAP, targeted agricultural modernisation scheme, TAMS, on-farm investment. We know that we need to drive this on significantly and farmers have a very strong appetite for it....

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Climate Action Plan 2023: Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine (2 Mar 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: The objective is that by 2030 up to 200 anaerobic digestion plants will be fed primarily by grass. Farmers in a locality will be growing grass crops in a sustainable manner and growing grass crops to feed anaerobic digestion plants, which will be producing biomethane gas. This will have the capacity for a 10% target of our total national needs to be produced in that way by 2030. It will be...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Climate Action Plan 2023: Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine (2 Mar 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: I agree entirely. There is sustainability conditionality and criteria around how that should happen. It has to be done in a way that is sustainable and which actually produces a positive outcome in emissions reduction and around how the forage, grass and feeding is grown. It will comply with those sustainability criteria.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Climate Action Plan 2023: Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine (2 Mar 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: The Senator is correct to say the diversification options include organics. She will, like me, have seen that the Minister of State, Senator Hackett, has done strong work in this regard. There has been a change in the interest levels among farmers, with farmers now seeing organics as a viable option and we are putting in the funding to back that. It is an important aspect and we are seeing...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Climate Action Plan 2023: Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine (2 Mar 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: Yes.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Climate Action Plan 2023: Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine (2 Mar 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: There is a training aspect on which there will be a series of seminars. The agricultural advisers are going to have a massive role, as will the new co-operation project teams. It is new and there will be a learning for everyone involved but it is about scaling up that capacity and reorienting everyone to the results-based system, with farm advisers and advisory professionals at the centre...