Results 5,821-5,840 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: I do not have the answer to that question. My understanding-----
- 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 and ISIF have entered into contractual obligations with regard to that, which is 1% of our total ambition to 2050. We have much work to be getting on with in the context of working with Coillte and working with farmers to support them in their efforts regarding afforestation. Our approach with regard to Coillte is seeing how we can support it from-----
- 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: That is a contractual deal between Coillte and ISIF.
- 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 contractual deal that Coillte has entered into with ISIF and Gresham House. I am not aware of the finer detail of the contract.
- 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: Any of which protections?
- 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 have the finer detail of the agreement. When we met Coillte last week, our focus was on getting an update about where it is with this and its contractual obligations, and, in particular, to focus on how we as a Government and State can work with it in future to support its afforestation objectives. I simply do not have the finer contractual details.
- 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: We will be supporting Coillte to do more afforestation. Its objective was to manage forest in an effective way for the environment and for the climate. Somebody might have planted mature forestry 40 years ago, then when it comes up for being harvested, somebody might not want to do the planting again. It is normally not the same person who planted it in the first place but might be a son,...
- 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's objective is to be able to manage that in a way that means the public have access to it and that it is done with 50% native trees and 50% conifers. It is done in a way that sets the highest standards from a sustainability point of view.
- 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 Deputy is asking what rationale Coillte has for afforestation.
- 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: If it is managed by Coillte, according to its protocols, then it will be done to the highest of standards. That is how Coillte would look at 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: This is 1% of the overall target. We plan to work with Coillte to step out and look at how we can support it in future. It has signed up to a contractual obligation that will see 4,000 ha of new afforestation and 8,000 ha of existing forest. It has committed to that with ISIF and Gresham House. We will work with them to see how we can do much more in future, working for the State.
- 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: First of all, in relation to the fund as it stands, ISFF has invested €25 million so far, which would be national Government funding. Coillte has made a request in relation to investing €10 million. We have sent that request to NewERA for its assessment.
- 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 wait until NewERA assesses it and comes back to me with its advice. Only after that can we assess the request.
- 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 will be our decision then. We will decide what to do. First of all, we will get the advice of NewERA. Then we would have to consider the fact that if it is a €200 million fund and Coillte is investing €10 million, then €10 million more of the fund would be nationally owned, rather than owned by investors. That is something that we will reflect on. We will consider...
- 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: If Coillte had more ownership of it, there would be less private ownership.
- 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 have listened to the Deputy's views and perspective on that. What he is advocating is that Coillte would not put in €10 million. That would mean that there would be €10 million from private investors instead, to replace that €10 million from Coillte. That is what-----
- 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: Well, because we are going to support Coillte. We are going to look at supporting Coillte to do all the rest, in terms of working with the State and with farmers. That is what we are going to do. Coillte has already signed up to working with ISFF and Gresham House in respect of a €200 million fund and Coillte has the option to invest in that fund. If Coillte invests in the fund,...
- 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: No. Coillte has already signed up to do 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: If Coillte does not invest in it, then there will be more private investment. The Deputy's objective would mean that more of the €200 million would be private investment rather than-----
- 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: That would be----