Results 7,201-7,220 of 23,956 for speaker:Charlie McConalogue

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forestry Sector (14 Jul 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: I established Project Woodland to improve the forestry licensing system and deal with the forestry licensing backlog, and to drive forward the planting of trees under a shared vision for forestry in Ireland. As part of the work undertaken to deliver on the Project, a legal and regulatory review of forestry licensing was carried out by Philip Lee Solictors and, following extensive stakeholder...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Fishing Industry (14 Jul 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: As I advised the Deputy in May last, in December 2018, the then Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine announced that vessels over 18 metres length overall will be excluded from trawling in inshore waters inside six nautical mile zone from 1st January 2020. A transition period of three years for vessels over 18 metres length overall targeting sprat was allowed to enable adjustment for...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Industry (14 Jul 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: I am very supportive of small farmers, who contribute in a very meaningful way to the economic, environmental and social sustainability of rural communities and the rural economy. Having grown up on a small, family farm I personally know the importance they have. The draft CAP Strategic Plan which has been submitted by my Department to the European Commission for approval includes total...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Live Exports (14 Jul 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: The Irish meat sector has been very successful in accessing and developing new market opportunities in both European and international markets. Diversifying and developing markets for beef, sheep meat, pig meat and poultry meat will continue to be a priority for me and the Government. An intensive programme of Ministerial trade missions to priority international markets is central to...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forestry Sector (14 Jul 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: The Climate Action plan 2021 sets a separate target for the land use sector to reduce emissions by 51% by 2030. Measures set out by my Department to reach this target include enhanced sequestration measures such as improved management of grassland on mineral soils, cover crops, incorporation of straw and afforestation. Recent initiatives supported through funding from my Department will...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Fishing Industry (14 Jul 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: Management arrangements for the State’s fisheries, including the Mackerel fishery, have been set and developed over many years since the commencement of the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) and the introduction of quotas. Pelagic stocks, such as Mackerel, are managed on an annual or seasonal basis with catch limits set based on allocation regimes developed over many years and related to...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Fishing Industry (14 Jul 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: The Report of the Seafood Task Force – Navigating Change (October 2021) recommended 16 support schemes at an estimated cost of €423 million, collectively designed to address the impacts of Brexit and the Trade and Cooperation Agreement on our seafood sector and coastal communities. Given the large number of recommendations and the work required to examine each from the...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Industry (14 Jul 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: As the Deputy may be aware, one of the commitments of the current Programme for Government is to conduct a review of the potential demand for wool-based products such as for insulation and fertilisers in domestic and international markets. Despite its versatility in many industries, wool prices remain unacceptably low so in order to address this issue and seek a more favourable outlook...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Industry (14 Jul 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: The Programme for Government ‘Our Shared Future’ contains a commitment to seek to resolve the issue of support for the category of farmers known as Forgotten Farmers. I have asked officials in my Department to examine options to address the issue of forgotten farmers both through the next CAP and also through other measures to support this group. I am committed to helping this...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Organic Farming (14 Jul 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine reconvened the Organic Strategy Forum this year, the members of which are undertaking a full examination of the Organic Sector. The Forum includes representatives of small-scale and artisinal organic producers and processors. It also includes Bord Bia as the agency responsible for the promotion and marketing of Irish food, drink and...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Wind Energy Generation (14 Jul 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: I am acutely aware of the concerns of fishers and fishing representatives in relation to potential impacts on fishing grounds and livelihoods as a result of Offshore Renewable Energy (ORE) developments. I can confirm that my Department has worked constructively throughout the past year with officials in the Department of Environment, Climate and Communications and the Department of...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Industry (14 Jul 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: I have not had any meetings with the owners of the country's meat processors since being appointed Minister of Agriculture, Food and the Marine in September 2020. I have had meetings with Meat Industry Ireland, the IBEC-based representative group for the country's meat processing industry, on three occasions. The meetings took place on 4/9/2020, 1/2/2021 and 10/5/2021.

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forestry Sector (14 Jul 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: As members may know my Department has committed to issuing 5,250 forestry licences this year, which is an increase of 30% on the number issued last year. The Forestry Licensing Plan was published at the start of the year and sets out a range of forestry priorities set to run for the whole of 2022. As regards progression towards our overall target at the end of Quarter 2 up to 30th June,...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Organic Farming (14 Jul 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: I am fully committed to achieving our target under the current Programme for Government which is to align the utilisable agricultural area under organic production in Ireland with the EU average of 7.5%. In 2021, I re-opened the Organic Farming Scheme and a total of 317 applications were received. Of these, 300 received approval bringing in approximately 12,000 hectares of additional land...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Industry (14 Jul 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: I have moved to support the pig sector as farm families have had to had to deal with enormous pressures in recent months. On 23rd March, the EU Commission announced the adoption of exceptional adjustment aid to producers in agricultural sectors which have been impacted by Russia's illegal invasion of Ukraine. The aid provided for was granted as a measure supporting agricultural markets...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Food Industry (14 Jul 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: As the Deputy may be aware, in April 2021, I signed the Statutory Instrument transposing the UTP Directive directly into Irish law. At that time, I also established the UTP Enforcement Authority in my Department on an interim basis pending the finalisation of the primary legislation for the new Office. As the Deputy may also be aware, the Heads of the Agr-Food Bill 2022 were approved by...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Schemes (14 Jul 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: Measures to incentivise young farmers have been a key feature of my support in the promotion of generational renewal in Irish agriculture. It is crucial that we have new blood coming into the sector and I am a stroing advocate of generational renewal. New measures to underpin this support for young farmers are planned for the new CAP from 2023. The CAP Strategic Plan submitted to the EU...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Public Procurement Contracts (14 Jul 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine has no direct role in the procurement of food for public sector settings such as schools, hospitals, government buildings, and prisons. The Office of Government Procurement, which is under the responsibility of my colleague, the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, has responsibility for the National Public Procurement Policy...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Tourism Promotion (14 Jul 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: I am committed to supporting the agri-food tourism industry. It marries our great food producers with our excellent tourism industry. The two sectors work very well together and compliment each other perfectly. Under the 2022 Rural Innovation and Development Fund, funding of €299,176 has been made available to 19 agri-food tourism projects. This initiative highlights the...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Fishing Industry (14 Jul 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: As the Deputy is aware, Ireland has never made any claims to Rockall, nor has Ireland ever recognised British sovereignty claims over Rockall and accordingly has not recognised a 12 nautical mile territorial sea around it either. This remains the position of the Government. The Government has been in contact with the relevant Scottish and UK authorities on Rockall over recent years and...