Results 5,481-5,500 of 23,948 for speaker:Charlie McConalogue
- Select Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Estimates for Public Services 2023
Vote 30 - Agriculture, Food and the Marine (Revised) (8 Feb 2023) Charlie McConalogue: I do not have the updated position as of this morning, except that they are engaging closely. As soon as we believe we have it in a position where it can get the best and quickest answer possible, we will submit it.
- Select Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Estimates for Public Services 2023
Vote 30 - Agriculture, Food and the Marine (Revised) (8 Feb 2023) Charlie McConalogue: Our objective is once we submit it, we get the approval back as quickly as we can. If it takes a little bit more time to prepare the application to shorten the time it takes to get an answer, that is what we will do and the approach we will take. My question then is what indication we got from the Commission of the timeframe for the application considering we are frontloading all of the...
- Select Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Estimates for Public Services 2023
Vote 30 - Agriculture, Food and the Marine (Revised) (8 Feb 2023) Charlie McConalogue: I do not think the Commission will be in a position to say for definite and to tie its own hands. All we can do is make sure that in terms of engaging with it in advance, as many of the likely questions and likely queries are dealt with in the application itself to shorten and toing and froing that happens once the application is made. The objective is, whether before it is submitted or...
- Select Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Estimates for Public Services 2023
Vote 30 - Agriculture, Food and the Marine (Revised) (8 Feb 2023) Charlie McConalogue: The formal timeframe is two to eight months, if I recall. Whenever we submitted a previous application it took four months to get it. Best efforts will certainly be made on everyone's part to deal expeditiously with applications. At the moment and since 1 January that has been in relation to preparing as strong an application as possible.
- Select Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Estimates for Public Services 2023
Vote 30 - Agriculture, Food and the Marine (Revised) (8 Feb 2023) Charlie McConalogue: As I said-----
- Select Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Estimates for Public Services 2023
Vote 30 - Agriculture, Food and the Marine (Revised) (8 Feb 2023) Charlie McConalogue: It is fair to say it is time well spent in terms of getting the application to be as comprehensive as it possibly can be before we submit it. In terms of several briefings we have given on this so far, we would love to be able to give a definitive date and we would if it was possible but we have to work with the application process and respect the prerogative of those who we applied to, to...
- Select Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Estimates for Public Services 2023
Vote 30 - Agriculture, Food and the Marine (Revised) (8 Feb 2023) Charlie McConalogue: We continue to assess the situation and to engage with Coillte about possibilities as to how it can work with farmers into the future and also how we can work together as a State. We will then engage with the Commission around state aid queries as to what is possible.
- Select Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Estimates for Public Services 2023
Vote 30 - Agriculture, Food and the Marine (Revised) (8 Feb 2023) Charlie McConalogue: We are currently engaging with Coillte about the methods that we might step out. We will then seek clarification from the Commission in relation to the capacity for such approaches to be accommodated through state aid.
- Select Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Estimates for Public Services 2023
Vote 30 - Agriculture, Food and the Marine (Revised) (8 Feb 2023) Charlie McConalogue: In terms of Coillte being able to directly benefit from premiums, that was the situation that was clarified in 2004, I believe. We have been clear regarding the fact that in terms of how Coillte is supported going forward to do afforestation we want that to be working directly with the State and with farmers. We are exploring ways that can happen with Coillte and we will also engage as...
- Select Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Estimates for Public Services 2023
Vote 30 - Agriculture, Food and the Marine (Revised) (8 Feb 2023) Charlie McConalogue: We will be engaging with the Commission to seek clarification. I do not have the up-to-date position as of this week as regards any engagement we have had over the last week or two but we have been very clear about the way we want to go forward and the clarifications we will seek.
- Select Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Estimates for Public Services 2023
Vote 30 - Agriculture, Food and the Marine (Revised) (8 Feb 2023) Charlie McConalogue: What we want to do is for any afforestation that Coillte is doing that it is done alongside the State. We are exploring that with Coillte and will explore that with it further. We will also explore it with the Commission and we have also been very clear the approach taken with Gresham House is not the preferred way we want to go forward.
- Select Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Estimates for Public Services 2023
Vote 30 - Agriculture, Food and the Marine (Revised) (8 Feb 2023) Charlie McConalogue: We are working very closely with Coillte at the moment in relation to how we take options forward. We are now engaging on an ongoing basis with Coillte.
- Select Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Estimates for Public Services 2023
Vote 30 - Agriculture, Food and the Marine (Revised) (8 Feb 2023) Charlie McConalogue: It is my view that we will continue. There are many ways in which we can engage and we are engaging closely with Coillte at the moment and will step that out. The shareholder letter as we go forward will then reflect the pathway we want to take. We are engaging very closely with it.
- Select Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Estimates for Public Services 2023
Vote 30 - Agriculture, Food and the Marine (Revised) (8 Feb 2023) Charlie McConalogue: I think it is fair to say there has been a lot of engagement between my Department and Coillte, and there will continue to be. We are very connected in that regard-----
- Select Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Estimates for Public Services 2023
Vote 30 - Agriculture, Food and the Marine (Revised) (8 Feb 2023) Charlie McConalogue: -----in terms of how we step it forward.
- Select Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Estimates for Public Services 2023
Vote 30 - Agriculture, Food and the Marine (Revised) (8 Feb 2023) Charlie McConalogue: Yes.
- Select Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Estimates for Public Services 2023
Vote 30 - Agriculture, Food and the Marine (Revised) (8 Feb 2023) Charlie McConalogue: We will do everything possible to reach it. We have phenomenal new premiums in place as of last month.
- Select Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Estimates for Public Services 2023
Vote 30 - Agriculture, Food and the Marine (Revised) (8 Feb 2023) Charlie McConalogue: As I outlined to Deputies Flaherty and Fitzmaurice, there was a lag in planting in the second half of last year because people were waiting for the new premiums to come in. Those new premiums are now in. I expect that to be a step change in the context of afforestation and a kick-starter in increasing the rates. There are more than 7,000 ha of licences issued and in the system. The...
- Select Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Estimates for Public Services 2023
Vote 30 - Agriculture, Food and the Marine (Revised) (8 Feb 2023) Charlie McConalogue: Some of it goes back but my point is that people were awaiting the new afforestation rates. Those rates are now in place. Only time will tell, but I expect there would have been a lower conversion rate last year because people were waiting on the new premiums to come in and there is every possibility there will be a higher conversion rate of licences to plantations once the new rates are in...
- Select Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Estimates for Public Services 2023
Vote 30 - Agriculture, Food and the Marine (Revised) (8 Feb 2023) Charlie McConalogue: I do not have that figure with me. I do not have the update here.