Results 7,661-7,680 of 23,957 for speaker:Charlie McConalogue

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Industry (31 May 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: 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. In March 2021, I initiated a public consultation to identify terms of reference for this review. The agreed terms of reference were: - identification of market opportunities...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Hare Coursing (31 May 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: As detailed in replies to the parliamentary questions referred to, coursing is regulated under the Greyhound Industry Act, 1958. The Irish Coursing Club (ICC) has confirmed that it has systems in place to underpin the welfare of the animals involved in coursing events. These include mandatory inspections of hares and coursing venues in advance of each meeting. The ICC also ensures...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Fishing Industry (31 May 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: I propose to take Questions Nos. 827 and 833 together. On 11 May, I announced a Brexit Voluntary Temporary Fishing Vessel Tie-up Scheme for the polyvalent and beam trawl fleets for 2022. The development of the scheme was based on a recommendation of the 'Report of the Seafood Task Force – ‘Navigating Change’ (October 2021). The 2022 scheme represents an extension of...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Commonage Land Use (31 May 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: I have consulted with the officials in my Department's Records Branch who have examined the relevant estate files. I am advised that my Department does not own the lands in question.

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Fishing Industry (31 May 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: I have previously advised the Deputy of almost €32 million in funding to local authorities for projects concerning public marine infrastructure over 2022 and 2023.  A further call for projects is planned for later in the year to allocate remaining funding identified for the scheme.  Of particular note in this context is that the Brexit Adjustment Reserve does not cover VAT...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forestry Sector (31 May 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: Since the first finding of ash dieback disease in Ireland, my Department has provided support to owners of ash plantations impacted by ash dieback disease through the ash dieback reconstitution scheme and more recently the Reconstitution and Underplanting Scheme (RUS) introduced in July 2020. RUS is open to all grant-aided private forest owners. The scheme helps forest owners to restore...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Industry (31 May 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: My Department launched a Reconstitution of Woodland scheme to address frost damage earlier this year.  The scheme was set up due to significant late spring frost events which took place during May 2019, May 2020, and May 2021.  The scheme was established to reconstitute newly planted forests significantly damaged by these frost events and replacing dead trees with plants of...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forestry Sector (31 May 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: Implementation of the Mackinnon report is well under way through Project Woodland, which was established by Minister of State Pippa Hackett, who has overall responsibility for the sector, over a year ago to improve the licensing system and deal with the backlog, and to drive forward the planting of trees under a shared vision for forestry in Ireland. I am pleased to report that...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Fisheries Protection (31 May 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: The information in relation to the SFPA final outturn for 2021 and 2020 is set out in tabular form below. The queries referred to in the Deputy’s question in relation to the staffing resources relate to operational matters pertaining to the SFPA. Accordingly, I have forwarded the Deputy’s question to the SFPA for direct response. Exchequer Funding Year ...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Organic Farming (31 May 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: I propose to take Questions Nos. 835 and 836 together. The Organic farming scheme which closed for applications in April resulted in the submission of380 new applicants to the Organic Farming scheme which is almost a 20% increase in application numbers in comparison to 2021. Altogether this means just under 700 new farmers joined the Organic Farming Scheme in the last 12 months. The scheme...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Fishing Industry (31 May 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: I am happy to advise that my Department has procured the services of consulting engineers and the detailed design for the Deep Water Quay Project is underway.  Additionally, the consulting engineers will manage the tender process for construction works, supervise the construction works, and in due course handover completed construction works back to my...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Fishing Industry (31 May 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: I propose to take Questions Nos. 833 and 839 together. The monitoring and control of fishing vessels within Ireland’s Exclusive Fisheries Zone are matters for the Irish control authorities.  Under the Sea Fisheries and Maritime Jurisdiction Act, 2006, all operational issues of this nature are exclusively for the Sea Fisheries Protection Authority (SFPA) and the Naval...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Fishing Industry (31 May 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: The data requested by the Deputy is held by the Sea Fisheries Protection Authority (SFPA) and I have referred the query to them for direct written response to the Deputy. As the Deputy will be aware, Ireland does not have a national quota for Bluefin tuna. A small Bluefin by-catch quota is available to Ireland, primarily for use in our important Northern Albacore Tuna fishery...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Common Agricultural Policy (26 May 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: Water quality is essential. We have to take steps to improve it and the regulation of nitrogen and fertiliser is important in that regard. It also delivers in reducing emissions. There will be great potential over the years ahead to work towards using more clover in swards and multispecies swards, which reduces significantly the need for chemical fertiliser but is also beneficial from a...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Farm Costs (26 May 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: In the context of the Ukrainian crisis, significant implications are being seen across all sectors, particularly the agrifood sector. I assure the Deputy that the illegal invasion of Ukraine and its impacts on our farm families continue to be the number one priority for me and the Department since the invasion occurred. At farm level, the crisis has been impacting significantly on the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Farm Costs (26 May 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: I am aware that Deputy Griffin has advocated strongly on this issue. On the need to support farmers with costs, the €1,000 we have provided for fodder production costs over the summer will be important in that regard. We did not apply that payment to the dairy sector in general because, thankfully, we are seeing record prices for milk. Teagasc figures will show that the increase in...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Farm Costs (26 May 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: There is a very important role for milk contracts, including fixed-price milk contracts going forward. In general, these contracts provide support for farmers given the fluctuations in markets. It is also important that there are safeguards in place for farmers around that. Lessons need to be learned from the experience in that regard in recent months. It is a matter for the co-operatives...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Common Agricultural Policy (26 May 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: As highlighted previously, the Climate Action Plan 2021 sets very ambitious and challenging targets for the agriculture and land use sector in reducing emissions as a key contribution to the overall economy-wide 51% target by 2030. My policy approach to achieving our climate targets in the agriculture, land use and forestry sectors centres on four different drivers of change. The first...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Farm Costs (26 May 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: To take Deputy McNamara's points first, I want to ensure that farmers are getting an income from those schemes. It is important that the conditions of the schemes are met in order to make sure that the income is available. If we can ensure that farmers do what they normally do and grow grass as well as they normally do, using the land that they have, we will be in a good position next year....

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Farm Costs (26 May 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: I have asked for that. It is disappointing that we have not had action on it yet but I have been asking for it.