Results 5,801-5,820 of 23,948 for speaker:Charlie McConalogue
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forestry Policy and Strategy: Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (25 Jan 2023)
Charlie McConalogue: There are certain thresholds below which state aid rules do not apply. That is what Coillte was exploring with ISIF. With regard to Coillte not being able to get directly involved as it did up to 2004, that is why it is now exploring this option.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forestry Policy and Strategy: Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (25 Jan 2023)
Charlie McConalogue: Coillte wants to afforest. As part of its strategic vision, it indicated that it was going to do this through the afforestation of public land, which it is doing, but also through working with private investors to acquire new land. That is what it has been rolling out. It has been conscious of state aid rules in its work with ISIF in that context.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forestry Policy and Strategy: Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (25 Jan 2023)
Charlie McConalogue: As part of the wider Coillte approach to managing land and doing so in an environmentally friendly manner------
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forestry Policy and Strategy: Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (25 Jan 2023)
Charlie McConalogue: -----its plan is to move to a 50:50 ratio of conifers to native species. All other forestry will be moving towards that 50:50 mix. It is also looking at acquiring mature forest, which will need to be replanted. Where it does replant, the ratio will be 50:50. Unlike forestry in private hands or even farmers' hands, Coillte's approach involves open access to all forests for the public....
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forestry Policy and Strategy: Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (25 Jan 2023)
Charlie McConalogue: It is moving towards it.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forestry Policy and Strategy: Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (25 Jan 2023)
Charlie McConalogue: The Minister of State is very in demand.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forestry Policy and Strategy: Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (25 Jan 2023)
Charlie McConalogue: Coillte is on a journey. I am not sure of the timeline but is gradually increasing the level. It will get to that 50:50 mix of all new plantation and all reforestation. The other important piece is open access to the public. Not much of the forestry in our country that is in private hands allows for open access. Coillte is very much moving to that so that the forests are also an amenity....
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forestry Policy and Strategy: Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (25 Jan 2023)
Charlie McConalogue: Mr. Hayes or Mr. Delany may have up-to-date detail on Coillte's plans.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forestry Policy and Strategy: Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (25 Jan 2023)
Charlie McConalogue: I said the approach taken to this agreement is not the way we want to do things.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forestry Policy and Strategy: Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (25 Jan 2023)
Charlie McConalogue: Yes. I hold it in conjunction with the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forestry Policy and Strategy: Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (25 Jan 2023)
Charlie McConalogue: You monitor things as they go. That is the process through which work is done and progress is made. Coillte was stepping out into something that was within its remit. We have now met with it in that regard. Given that we have a big interest in new afforestation and want to support Coillte, we are going to explore how we can do so-----
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forestry Policy and Strategy: Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (25 Jan 2023)
Charlie McConalogue: -----because what it has signed up to is only 1% of the total.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forestry Policy and Strategy: Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (25 Jan 2023)
Charlie McConalogue: It is a moot point.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forestry Policy and Strategy: Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (25 Jan 2023)
Charlie McConalogue: It is important to recognise that Coillte entered into this following its remit. The way we want to go forward and support Coillte is clear. We are very open to ideas and suggestions from the Deputy and other members of the committee about the type of structures, arrangements and partnerships we can put in place that will enable farmers and the State to work and support Coillte.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forestry Policy and Strategy: Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (25 Jan 2023)
Charlie McConalogue: Anything Coillte is identifying or seeking to manage will be done with the highest protocols and will be fully certified as meeting all the sustainability goals.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forestry Policy and Strategy: Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (25 Jan 2023)
Charlie McConalogue: I am always open to ideas. We are putting a strategy together that will consider all of that. We have the premiums and the work Coillte is doing but I am open.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forestry Policy and Strategy: Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (25 Jan 2023)
Charlie McConalogue: I will certainly keep it under very active review. I know there are very accountable people in it, most of whom are involved in other organisations and whom I have met. This is under active consideration.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forestry Policy and Strategy: Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (25 Jan 2023)
Charlie McConalogue: It was always clear. We have known since the start in January. We were answering questions in the Dáil and Seanad. It was public information.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forestry Policy and Strategy: Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (25 Jan 2023)
Charlie McConalogue: I do not-----
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forestry Policy and Strategy: Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (25 Jan 2023)
Charlie McConalogue: Or for Coillte.