Results 8,741-8,760 of 23,964 for speaker:Charlie McConalogue

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

Charlie McConalogue: I propose to take Questions Nos. 99 and 102 together. I thank the Deputies for the questions. I am acutely aware of the impact of rising input costs on farmers, family farms and businesses, as highlighted in the Deputies' questions. The very significant rise in fertiliser prices in the past year, particularly in recent months, is concerning. There are a number of factors at play in the...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forestry Sector (10 Feb 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine issued 4,050 forestry licences last year which is an increase of 56% on the number issued in 2020 albeit this was a low output year. Of these, 1,345 licences were for the private felling sector. This was second highest amount issued to them in the last five years and was 60% higher than the previous year. We issued more private felling...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Mental Health Services (10 Feb 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: Thank you Deputy for addressing this very important topic. My Department has co-funded, with the HSE and the Department of Health, a farmers physical and mental health awareness programme: called ‘On Feirm Ground’. The programme developed a 'Train the Trainer' programme that is currently being delivered nationally to those employed as farmer advisors. It is providing training...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forestry Sector (10 Feb 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine issued 4,050 forestry licences last year, which is an increase of 56% on the number issued in 2020 and met our revised target of 4,000 licences. It is our intention to build on this momentum in 2022 and the Forestry Licensing Plan for 2022 was published last week. The Plan details a range of forestry priorities for the year and specifically...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forestry Sector (10 Feb 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: In 2020, the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine issued 525 forestry licences and in 2021 that number was 502. In January this year, 64 afforestation licences were issued. The Department issued 4,050 forestry licences last year, which is an increase of 56% on the number issued in 2020, and met our revised target of 4,000 licences. It is our intention to build on this momentum...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Schemes (10 Feb 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: I am acutely aware of the impact rising input costs has on farmers, their families and businesses. The very significant rise in fertiliser prices in the last year and particularly in recent months is particularly concerning. There are a number of factors at play in the market including energy prices which remain well above January 2021 levels. Increased global demand particularly from...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Greenhouse Gas Emissions (10 Feb 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: I thank the Deputy for raising this important issue of data measuring, reporting and verification (MRV). While ultimately this a matter for the EPA and my Government colleague Minister Ryan in terms of the reporting of the inventory, I am happy to provide my views. Measurement, Reporting and Verification is something that is going to take on increased significance in the context of...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Greenhouse Gas Emissions (10 Feb 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: The reduction of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from agriculture and the central role farmers can play in this, while protecting farm family incomes, is a key priority for the Government. The Food Vision 2030 strategy, which aims to facilitate a sustainable and competitive agri-food system that is climate resilient and neutral, putting research and innovation at its core and I am glad to have...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Trade Missions (10 Feb 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: The Department continues to support the ambition of the Irish agri-food sector to grow both the value and volume of our exports to international markets. The promotion of Ireland's high-quality, safe, nutritious, and sustainably produced food remains a core objective of my Department and its agencies. Indeed, this Government's commitment to new market development, enhanced market...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Mental Health Services (10 Feb 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: Thank you Deputy for addressing this very important topic. My Department has co-funded, with the HSE and the Department of Health, a farmers physical and mental health awareness programme called, ‘On Feirm Ground’. The programme developed a 'Train the Trainer' programme that is currently being delivered nationally to those employed as farmer advisors. It is providing...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Industry (10 Feb 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: Following the publication of the report of the chair of the Beef Taskforce last November by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, I clearly stated my commitment to establish a new forum for strategic engagement in the beef sector. As the Deputy may be aware, I recently announced the establishment of a Food Vision Dairy Group as it was key requirement of the Food Vision 2030...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Trade Agreements (10 Feb 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: Ireland was very disappointed with the inclusion of a Tariff Rate Quota of 99,000 tonnes of beef for the Mercosur countries in the EU-Mercosur political agreement. I am concerned over the potential impact of the Mercosur trade deal especially in light of the sustainability credentials of the Mercosur countries compared with the high standards our beef farmers operate to. We had raised...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forestry Sector (10 Feb 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) issued 4,050 forestry licences last year, which is an increase of 56% on the number issued in 2020. In terms of the categories of each type of licence issued, these approvals included 2,877 felling licences. Critically, the availability of this volume of timber, at nearly 8.5 million cubic metres, stabilised supply to the processing...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Welfare (10 Feb 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: My Department is fully committed to supporting sustainable, One Health, One Welfare initiatives in line with the Programme for Government and Working Together for Animal Welfare, Ireland's Animal Welfare Strategy 2021-2025. I have asked my officials to support urban horse welfare in the context of this Strategy. My Department continues to support a number of urban horse projects nationwide....

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Control of Dogs (10 Feb 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: Dog attacks cause serious injury or death to sheep and can cause serious distress and financial loss for farm families. It is of grave concern to the farming community and that attacks on sheep are happening far too often in the rural countryside. Last month, Minister for Rural and Community Development, Heather Humphreys TD and I launched a new awareness campaign ahead of lambing season,...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Welfare (10 Feb 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: The Programme for Government places a positive emphasis on animal welfare and specifically commits to the continued robust enforcement of the Animal Health and Welfare Act 2013. This Act provides a modern framework for regulating and applying standards in the area of animal health and welfare and replaced a number of enactments dating back over a century. The Act was passed, after a lengthy...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Departmental Schemes (10 Feb 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: The Farm Health, Safety and Wellbeing EIPs Open Call was published in December 2020. Following a two-stage application process and evaluation by an expert panel, eight projects were selected for full implementation in July 2021. The eight projects cover a range of actions to improve the safety and wellbeing of farmers and their families. Actions include developing tailored safety training...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Brexit Issues (10 Feb 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: As the Deputy will be aware, Brexit has, and will continue, to present challenges for the Irish agri-food sector, in particular for Irish exporters to the British market. This is why the Government, my Department and I continue to engage extensively with Irish agri-food stakeholders on issues related to Brexit and the changing EU-UK trading environment. Since the UK decision to leave the EU...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Trade Data (10 Feb 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: I will share separately with the Deputy a detailed table setting out the agri-food exports to each EU Member State for the period 2016 to 2020. On the wider point of the impact of Brexit on Irish exports to EU countries, there is no doubt that, since the UK referendum result in 2016, there has been ongoing uncertainty about how Irish-UK, Irish-EU and UK-EU supply chains will be impacted....

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forestry Sector (10 Feb 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: An application for a tree felling licence was received from the person named in June 2018. The proposed felling site is near designated sites and therefore the possibility of impacts on those sites must be carefully considered. To assist with this, the applicant was initially asked to provide a Natura Impact Statement (NIS). However, upon further examination, it was determined that a...