Results 8,721-8,740 of 23,964 for speaker:Charlie McConalogue

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Departmental Funding (10 Feb 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: My Department has made a significant investment in partnership with South Dublin County Council. It was made very clear to the council at that stage that the Department's investment was to get the project going, so there is a real role for the council in that regard. The Department has also been in close contact with Deputy Gino Kenny, who has made many representations and has been a...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Climate Action Plan (10 Feb 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: Great progress has been made in recent years on the introduction of low emissions slurry spreading and it is having a real impact. Through the on-farm investment scheme, TAMS, we have seen just under €100 million invested in low emissions slurry spreading machines and equipment. There are now approximately 3,500 low emissions slurry spreading machines in the country, from a base of...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Common Agricultural Policy (10 Feb 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: I thank the Deputy. Right across the agrifood sector, and, indeed, State boards and committees that we establish, a real focus of Government is ensuring that we see greater female participation and representation at all levels, and, likewise, with the CAP consultative committees. Certainly, that is something that our focus will be on in the time ahead. It is something we will work with all...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Common Agricultural Policy (10 Feb 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: I thank Deputies Carthy and Clarke. The programme for Government recognised the need to do more on gender equality and includes a commitment to developing and implementing a new strategy for women and girls. Gender equality is a core principle of the European Union and improving gender balance, gender equality and increasing the participation of women in farming are, for the first time,...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Common Agricultural Policy (10 Feb 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: It will depend on the quality of the applications and projects that come forward. One of the benefits of the European innovation projects is the capacity to promote innovation and new ideas and to pilot programmes. One of the key objectives is to use it as an initiative where we will examine women's participation in agriculture. We will then assess them based on the quality of proposals...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Agriculture Schemes (10 Feb 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: I thank Deputy Canney. I take on board the points that he is making. I appreciate his authenticity in setting out his personal experience of the challenge he has experienced in his role as Deputy in supporting farmers. The warnings I have described serve as reminders to ensure applicants are aware of the schemes they are applying for. Experience of EU audits has shown it is clear that...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Agriculture Schemes (10 Feb 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: Like the Deputy, I want to avoid farmers losing out because ANC payments are important for them. When farmers miss out on them, it is quite significant for them in that particular year. Every effort is made within the application process and structure to ensure it is clear whether the farmer is applying for this payment and to provide a reminder if the farmer is not applying for it. If a...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Rockall Island Ownership (10 Feb 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: I thank the Deputy for raising this question, which is particularly important for a significant number of fishermen, numbering some 25 or 26, who fish for squid and haddock inside the Rockall 12-mile zone. He referred to the estimated financial costs associated with this. As he knows, I received the task force report, Navigating Change, last October. The impact of the loss of access to...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Rockall Island Ownership (10 Feb 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: I assure the Deputy there is no lack of respect for fishermen from me or the Government. In fact, I massively respect the work they do, the challenging role they have, the daily ordeal and challenge of fishing in what can be very difficult and dangerous seas, and the contribution they make to our economy nationally and to coastal communities in particular. I have backed them since my...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Rockall Island Ownership (10 Feb 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: I remember that debate and how the Deputy used his contribution straight after the debate. No doubt he had somebody in his office on the Facebook machine. His closing line was "Rock on, Rockall" and the Facebook post included his contribution plus the tune from which that line is taken. It was playing to an audience and trying not to get into the detail and not to recognise the real...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Rockall Island Ownership (10 Feb 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: That is exactly what the Deputy did.

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Rockall Island Ownership (10 Feb 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: Will the Deputy allow me to answer?

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Rockall Island Ownership (10 Feb 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: If we had not had a deal on Brexit, not only would we be excluded from the Rockall waters but from all British waters. We would not be having the argument about the 12-mile zone around Rockall; we would be having an argument about all waters within the British fishing zone, within which Rockall is placed and always has been placed. The Deputy can try to say it was not but it always has...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Rockall Island Ownership (10 Feb 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: I assure the Deputy that I fully recognise the challenge this is for the many vessels involved and we are working to try to resolve the situation.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Agriculture Schemes (10 Feb 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: I thank the Deputy for his question. At the outset, it should be noted that Common Agricultural Policy, CAP, payments are governed by EU regulations and are subject to rigorous audit and control by the European Commission. That is a central aspect of this issue. The basic payment scheme application process has been streamlined over many years to ensure as quick, efficient and responsive a...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Farm Costs (10 Feb 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: I thank the Deputies. Deputy Carthy can see from the actions I took at the end of last year in asking Teagasc to do a significant roadmap for how we can make even more efficient use of our organic fertiliser that this is an issue of which I am aware. I tasked Teagasc with that last year and published the roadmap two weeks ago. I am very much aware of this emerging issue and continue to...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Farm Costs (10 Feb 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: I thank the Deputies. Deputy Carthy asked about the Brexit adjustment reserve. I am open to hearing any suggestions he has specifically on that issue. This is obviously a Europe-wide issue. I do not think the energy prices relate directly to Brexit because every country is experiencing increases. Indeed, fertiliser prices are a challenge across the world. For the Brexit adjustment...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Farm Costs (10 Feb 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: -----but the reality is the party is in favour of the carbon tax. It is only the very narrow and marginal increase Sinn Féin is against.

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Farm Costs (10 Feb 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: It is obviously part of Sinn Féin's plan to transition to government. It intends to go from totally opposing something and everything, as in the case of the carbon tax, to now only opposing the marginal increase.

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Farm Costs (10 Feb 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: From the agricultural point of view, the sector is one of few where farm family enterprises have a double counting mechanism so that increases in carbon tax do not impact within the farm. There is a challenge there relating to contractors, where it will have an impact.