Results 8,321-8,340 of 23,950 for speaker:Charlie McConalogue

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Organic Farming (29 Mar 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: The current Programme for Government target is to align the utilisable agricultural area under organic production in Ireland with the EU average of 7.5% The organic sector in Ireland is experiencing considerable growth at present with the area of land under organic production now at approximately 90,000 hectares at the end of 2021. I am committed to continuing the implementation of...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Organic Farming (29 Mar 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: At present there are 1,734 participants in the Organic Farming Scheme. The table below outlines the average payment by year and farm system from 2019 to date. The total expenditure figure in 2022 to date represents payments due in respect of the 2021 scheme year. Year Total Payment Average Payment 2019 €9.3m €6,078...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Bord Bia (29 Mar 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: For 2022, the total funding for Bord Bia provided by my Department in the form of an Exchequer Grant through my Department's Vote was €53m. Within this sum there are no ring-fenced amounts for the marketing of organic or other produce and the disposition of these funds is an operational matter for Bord Bia in line with its Statement of Strategy Strategic Priorities for the year as...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forestry Sector (29 Mar 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: The forest sector has an important part to play in meeting the ambitious roadmap towards climate neutrality. Afforestation is the process of establishing a forest on lands not previously forested. In 2021, 2,016 hectares of afforestation was achieved in Ireland. The breakdown of this is 41% broadleaf (829 ha) and 49% conifer (1,187 ha). Ireland’s forests and harvested wood products...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forestry Sector (29 Mar 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: My Department is operating some 12 afforestation Schemes at present and a full list of those are available at: www.gov.ie/en/collection/73aea-schemes-and-services-agricult ure-food-and-the-marine/#forestry The overall afforestation target as contained in the Climate Action Plan 2021 is 8,000 hectares. Last year, we issued 502 afforestation licences for 4,246 hectares, but only 2,016...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Organic Farming (29 Mar 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: Currently there are approximately 93,000 hectares of land farmed organically in Ireland, of which 9,600 hectares is undergoing the conversion process at present. The use of synthetic chemicals, fertilisers, pesticides and herbicides are all prohibited in organic production systems. Organic manure is the only permitted fertiliser for use on organic farms as outlined in the EU organic...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Teagasc Activities (29 Mar 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: The Greenhouse Gas Marginal Abatement Cost Curve (GHG MACC) for Irish Agriculture quantifies the opportunities for abatement of agricultural greenhouse gases, as well as the associated costs/benefits and visualises the abatement potential of greenhouse gas mitigation measures, and the relative costs associated with each of these measures. The original MACC curve, out to 2030, initially...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Industry (29 Mar 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: Work is currently ongoing on the development of a National Fertiliser User Register. This project involves the development of a fertiliser register which will record both fertiliser and lime sales data at farm, retail, wholesale, manufacturing and import level and the legislation underpinning this Register. In this regard, I intend to establish a consultative committee in the coming...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Industry (29 Mar 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: My Department acknowledges the important role that clover can play in reducing our dependence on chemical nitrogen fertiliser. This is particularly relevant now given the cost of fertiliser. With the exception of farmers availing of a Nitrates Derogation, the use of clover when reseeding is optional for each farmer to decide, however given the benefits that it brings, most grass seed mixes...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Organic Farming (29 Mar 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: The Strategy for the Development of the Organic Sector identified Public Procurement as an area to be developed. Minister of State Hackett is currently examining the composition of the membership of the Organic Strategy Group to ensure that a wide range of stakeholders in the organic meat, dairy, horticulture, cereals and aquaculture sectors are represented as well as expertise from the...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Industry (29 Mar 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: At the outset, I want to reaffirm my commitment to the suckler and beef farmers. They are the backbone of huge parts of rural Ireland and drive a multi-billion euro sector. Ireland's Climate Action Plan in 2021 includes an action to increase beef herd weight recording from 30% to 70% by 2030. Weight recording was a mandatory measure in the BEEP-S schemes from 2019 to 2022....

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Organic Farming (29 Mar 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: My Department is well aware that advisory support is key to ensure farmers have the confidence and the appropriate knowledge to convert to organic farming. This is why we are investing in more advisory capacity. I understand at present that the Agricultural Consultants Association (ACA) have 10 members providing organic advisory services. My Department is currently providing funding to...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Assisted Animal Reproduction (29 Mar 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: The Irish Coursing Club (ICC) is the organisation charged with the role of Keeper of the Irish Greyhound Stud Book (IGSB) since 1923. The Stud Book records pedigrees, ownerships, breeding data and transfers of ownership primarily of all greyhounds. TheICC is subject to the general control and direction of Rásaíocht Con Éireann. The ICC has provided the Department of...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Greyhound Industry (29 Mar 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: The Irish Coursing Club (ICC) is the organisation charged with the role of Keeper of the Irish Greyhound Stud Book (IGSB) since 1923. The Stud Book records pedigrees, ownerships, breeding data and transfers of ownership primarily of all greyhounds. TheICC is subject to the general control and direction of Rásaíocht Con Éireann. The ICC has informed the Department of...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forestry Sector (29 Mar 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: In 2021 my Department issued 502 afforestation licences for 4,245 hectares. 18% of these were issued within the Farmers Charter timelines of 18 weeks from date advertised. As the Deputy will be aware we have faced delays in the licensing system because of court judgements that led to a more onerous Appropriate Assessment procedure and the need for ecological input on most licences. ...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forestry Sector (29 Mar 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: Since the first finding of ash dieback disease in Ireland, my Department has provided support totalling over €7 million to owners of ash plantations impacted by ash dieback disease through the ash dieback reconstitution scheme (introduced in 2013) and more recently the Reconstitution and Underplanting Scheme (RUS – Ash dieback) introduced in July 2020. Applications for that...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Greyhound Industry (29 Mar 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: Rásaíocht Con Éireann (RCÉ) is a commercial state body, established under the Greyhound Industry Act, 1958 chiefly to control greyhound racing and to improve and develop the greyhound industry. RCÉ is a body corporate and a separate legal entity to the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine. RCÉ made an application to the Department of Agriculture,...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Welfare (29 Mar 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine ensures all marts are licensed under SI 128/2018. Section 6 sets out the accommodation requirements for animals kept in marts. In the normal course of events the vast majority of animals are removed from the mart shortly after being sold. It is not normal practice for animals to be kept overnight in marts, however, in some...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Departmental Staff (29 Mar 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: My Department uses workforce planning processes to identify critical resources necessary to formulate long-term strategic policy development to encourage the continuing prosperity of Ireland’s agri-food sector, including the fisheries and forestry sectors. Workforce planning is a key tool in enabling my Department to anticipate current and future staffing needs. The table below shows...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Departmental Data (29 Mar 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: I advise the Deputy that my Department does not have any retainers with outside organisations.