Results 641-660 of 23,948 for speaker:Charlie McConalogue

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Industry (26 Sep 2024)

Charlie McConalogue: My Department continually monitors the levels of employment in the agriculture and wider agri-food sector. Employment figures are primarily sourced from the Central Statistics Office's (CSO) quarterly Labour Force Survey. The agri-food sector is an essential part of the economic and social fabric of Ireland, especially in rural and coastal areas. Irish food is produced by farmers, fishers...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Dairy Sector (26 Sep 2024)

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 €6 billion euro mark for the second year in a row last year, making it the largest food and drink export category. Last year, we exported over 1.6 million tonnes of...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Climate Change Policy (26 Sep 2024)

Charlie McConalogue: As the Deputy will be aware, the agriculture sector has committed to reducing emissions by 25% by 2030 based on an emissions baseline of 23MT CO2 eq in 2018. It is clear that we are on the right track and that the sector is rising to the challenge. We saw a reduction of 4.6% in emissions from agriculture in 2023. This is attributed to the work done at farm level, supported by my...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Pigmeat Sector (26 Sep 2024)

Charlie McConalogue: The continued development of the pigmeat sector is a priority for the Government, given the pivotal role the industry plays in the national economic context. The sector supports approximately 8,000 jobs spanning production, slaughter, processing, feed manufacture and services. Gaining new market access and enhancing access to existing markets for Irish pigmeat exports is integral to...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Beef Sector (26 Sep 2024)

Charlie McConalogue: I am very confident that the outlook for the Irish beef industry is positive. Irish beef exports amounted to almost 476,000 tonnes and were worth almost €3 billion in 2023. The vast bulk of these exports are shipped to high-value markets in the UK and the EU, notably France, Netherlands, Italy & Germany. While the EU will continue to be the dominant market for Irish beef...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Fishing Industry (26 Sep 2024)

Charlie McConalogue: I can assure the Deputy that my Department constantly monitors the needs of the fisheries sector. In addition to meeting representatives of the sector, holding formal consultations and attending public forums, we monitor developments in key economic indicators. I established the Seafood Task Force in 2021 to examine the impacts of the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA) on our...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Poultry Sector (26 Sep 2024)

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. My Department continues to monitor the markets for any impacts on the agri-food sector in this regard. I am acutely aware of the pressures being faced by many in the agri-food sector due to the increase in input costs, exacerbated by...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Food Industry (26 Sep 2024)

Charlie McConalogue: Irish sheepmeat was exported to more than 30 markets last year, which is testament to the world-class product produced on our farms. The introduction of the Sheep Improvement Scheme in 2023 combined with the rollout of the National Sheep Welfare Scheme in 2024 demonstrates my commitment to supporting sheep farmers. Between the support I have provided under these two schemes, €20...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Diseases (26 Sep 2024)

Charlie McConalogue: Bovine tuberculosis (bTB) is a challenging disease to control and eradicate. I am committed to making real progress in eradicating TB because I am acutely aware of the emotional and financial trauma associated with a TB breakdown for farmers. As the spread of this disease is multifactorial, it is being fought on many fronts. The TB programme in each county focuses on factors including...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Harbours and Piers (26 Sep 2024)

Charlie McConalogue: Purteen Harbour is the responsibility of Mayo County Council. The responsibility for the development and maintenance of local authority owned piers, harbours and slipways rests with each local authority in the first instance. The primary governance role for local authorities rests with the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage and any wider funding issues for local authorities...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Schemes (26 Sep 2024)

Charlie McConalogue: Balancing payments in respect of participation in ACRES in 2023 started to issue in mid-June 2024. Payments in full have now been issued to 38,701 participants. Payments will continue to issue on a regular basis as cases pass all required validations. With regard to scorecards, a summary report on the scores assigned is issued to all participants following the processing of their payment....

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Fishing Industry (26 Sep 2024)

Charlie McConalogue: As the Deputy may be aware, the advice on fish stocks, including Pollack, published by the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) forms the basis of the scientific advice used by the European Commission in proposing Total Allowable Catches (TACs). The ICES advice for Pollack in ICES Areas 6-7 (the waters around Ireland) for 2024 was for zero catch. Following the...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Schemes (26 Sep 2024)

Charlie McConalogue: The Organic Farming Scheme was allocated funding of €56 million in the last CAP over the period 2014-2020. In the new CAP Strategic Plan for the period 2023-2027, funding of €256 million has been allocated - virtually a five fold increase. Along with increased advisory, marketing and processor supports, this has driven a trebling of the area farmed organically in the last...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Schemes (26 Sep 2024)

Charlie McConalogue: ACRES is an environmental scheme that is unprecedented in the scale of its ambition, and it has enormous potential to deliver significant long-term dividends for farmers and for the environment. However, I want to acknowledge the delays that have been experienced in the processing of payments for farmers who joined ACRES in Tranche 1. The remaining year one balancing payments are being...

Select Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Appeals (Amendment) Bill 2024: Committee Stage (25 Sep 2024)

Charlie McConalogue: I might ask my official, Ms Lynda O’Regan, to respond to that.

Select Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Appeals (Amendment) Bill 2024: Committee Stage (25 Sep 2024)

Charlie McConalogue: Does the Cathaoirleach wish for me to provide a quick narrative of each of the sections as we go along? I have a short explainer of three or four lines for each section. Would that be helpful?

Select Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Appeals (Amendment) Bill 2024: Committee Stage (25 Sep 2024)

Charlie McConalogue: Section 5 amends the Agriculture Appeals Act 2001 by the insertion of section 4A providing for the establishment of an agriculture appeals review panel and its functions to conduct reviews of the decisions of appeals officers.

Select Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Appeals (Amendment) Bill 2024: Committee Stage (25 Sep 2024)

Charlie McConalogue: Section 6 amends section 8 of the Agriculture Appeals Act 2001 by providing that oral hearings may be held in person or, subject to agreement of the parties, remotely by electronic means. That is only subject to agreement of the parties. This provision was amended following pre-legislative scrutiny and a recommendation from the joint committee here that hearings should only be held remotely...

Select Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Appeals (Amendment) Bill 2024: Committee Stage (25 Sep 2024)

Charlie McConalogue: Section 7 amends section 9 of the Agriculture Appeals Act 2001 by providing that the decision of an appeals officer under section 7 is final, subject to a review by the agriculture appeals review panel and the existing right of appeal to the High Court. The purpose of this amendment is to replace the right of review to the director with a right of review to the agriculture appeals review...

Select Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Appeals (Amendment) Bill 2024: Committee Stage (25 Sep 2024)

Charlie McConalogue: Section 8 amends section 10 of the Agriculture Appeals Act 2001 and introduces a time limit of six months for seeking a review of an appeal officer's decision pursuant to section 10 where the was no time limit in place before. It provides that the decision of an appeals officer under section 10 is final, subject to a review to the agriculture appeals review panel and the High Court, of...