Results 9,341-9,360 of 23,964 for speaker:Charlie McConalogue

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Schemes (9 Dec 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: I propose to take Questions Nos. 61 and 63 together. The new CAP places a particular focus on promoting the participation of women in the social economic development of rural areas, with special attention to farming. Gender equality is also a key objective of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals and a priority for me, as Minister. I am pleased therefore to be...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forestry Sector (9 Dec 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: Tackling the backlog in forestry licenses remains a key priority for my Department and significant progress has been made in the past year, particularly on felling and road licences. The investment in resources and continual improvement has had a positive impact, with an increase in licence output in recent months and with 3,718 licences issued to date this year. I am confident that we...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Greenhouse Gas Emissions (9 Dec 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: Under the EU Commission’s proposals for a new Common Agricultural Policy, there are options to provide support for environmental action on farms, including measures which seek to protect existing carbon pools while also increasing on-farm sequestration rates mainly through our soils and woody biomass. These options are currently being developed under the CAP Strategic Plan in...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forestry Sector (9 Dec 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: The current Forestry Programme 2014-2020 (extended to end 2022) provides significant supports for afforestation and includes 12 different planting categories to promote a good species mix and covers 100% of the cost of establishing a forest. Six of these 12 planting categories focus on the establishment of broadleaves. The main Afforestation Scheme aims at supporting biodiversity by...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Industry (9 Dec 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: The Deputy will be aware that Cannabis, which includes hemp is listed in Schedule 1 of the Misuse of Drugs Regulations 2017 (S.I. No 173 of 2017), as amended, which means it is subject to the strictest level of control. It is an offence in Ireland to cultivate, import, export, produce, supply and possess cannabis except in accordance with a license issued by the Minister for Health. Hemp is...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forestry Sector (9 Dec 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: Tackling the backlog in forestry licenses remains a key priority for My Department and I am pleased to report significant progress has been made in the past year, particularly on felling and road licences. The investment in resources and continual improvement has had a positive impact with a significant increase in licence output in recent months. This has brought our output to 3,718...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Schemes (9 Dec 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: Membership of the Bord Bia Sustainable Beef Quality Assurance Scheme is an eligibility condition of the new Suckler Carbon Efficiency Programme as part of Ireland's draft CAP strategic plan. The full details of the draft CAP strategic plan are available on the Department's website. The Suckler Carbon Efficiency Programme is an environmental scheme and a core metric underpinning it is...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Industry (9 Dec 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: Developing market opportunities at home and abroad is one of the goals of Food Vision 2030, the overarching strategy for the development of the agri-food sector which was developed in collaboration with stakeholders and published in August. Value-added opportunities will be maintained and created by the retention and the growth of existing market shares, development of new international...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Common Agricultural Policy (9 Dec 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: I have listened carefully to the views of farmers on the new CAP Strategic Plan, through consultation with farm organisations both bilaterally and through the national CAP Stakeholder Consultative Committee, as well as on my recent nationwide tour of 27 marts in 25 counties. It is fair to say that there is quite a wide variety of views on the various elements of the new CAP that will pertain...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Mental Health Services (9 Dec 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: Thank you Deputy for addressing this very important topic. My Department is co-funding, with the HSE and the Department of Health, a farmers physical and mental health awareness programme: Engage Unit 8 ‘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: Forestry Sector (9 Dec 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: I am fully committed to better integration between the new National Forestry Programme and the next CAP to ensure the measures in both will complement each other. The new Forestry Programme will be 100% exchequer funded and will aim to support significant levels of afforestation in line with our target to plant 8,000 hectares of trees per year under the Climate Action Plan 2021, and...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Diseases (9 Dec 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: The number of Dairy herd reactor animals is 8,837 for the year 2019, 12,440 for the year 2020 and 11,502 up to 6thDecember for the year 2021. The number of Suckler herd reactor animals is 5,894 for the year 2019, 7,275 for the year 2020 and 5,816 up to 6thDecember for the year 2021. The number of Beef herd reactor animals is 1,989 for the year 2019, 2,332 for the year 2020 and 1,829 up to...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: EU Funding (9 Dec 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: Ireland’s success in achieving EU LIFE funding for several important species and habitat conservation projects is a positive story for biodiversity and for inter Department engagement which is needed to tackle the biodiversity crisis. My Department is a co-contributor to several recent LIFE projects – involved both through financial support and also having expert staff...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Industry (9 Dec 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: My Department continues to support the ambition of the Irish agri-food sector to grow the value of exports to international markets. The promotion of Ireland's high-quality, safe, nutritious and sustainably produced food is a core objective of my Department and its agencies. The Government's strategy to deliver this export growth has seen Bord Bia receive significant extra funding from my...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Brexit Supports (9 Dec 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: Brexit has inevitably presented significant challenges for the agri-food sector, although the Trade and Co-operation Agreement reached at the end of 2020 mitigated against some of the potentially worst impacts as it provided for tariff-free trade between the EU and UK to continue. However, as the UK is now outside the EU Single Market and Customs Union, there are additional requirements for...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Schemes (9 Dec 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: The new CAP places a particular focus on promoting the participation of women in the social economic development of rural areas, with special attention to farming. Gender equality is also a key objective of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals and a priority for me, as Minister. I am pleased therefore to be proposing the highest level of direct supports for women...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Brexit Supports (9 Dec 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: The outcome of the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement, which has seen the UK leave the EU Single Market and Customs Union, inevitably has presented significant challenges for Irish agri-food businesses trading with the UK. However, the fact that tariff-free trading arrangements have been able to continue on foot of the Agreement has been a real positive, and it is evident that the...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Brexit Supports (9 Dec 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: As a result of the UK no longer being in the EU Single Market and Customs Union, the trading environment for Irish businesses, including agri-food businesses, has changed significantly. The Government, and my Department in particular, has been working in close collaboration with the sector to prepare for these changes. There has been extensive investment in developing the systems and...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Industry (9 Dec 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: My Department publish data annually on the numbers of cattle slaughtered at both Department approved Slaughter Plants and at Local Authority approved abattoirs. In 2020, 1.88 million cattle were slaughtered. According to CSO meat supply balance data, this equates to around 633,000 tonnes (carcass weight equivalent). My Department does not categorise cattle slaughtering by quality...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Departmental Programmes (9 Dec 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: I am a strong supporter of the Social Farming model and will continue to offer support to the initiative as it does a tremendous job in driving inclusion. My Department provides funding under the Rural Innovation & Development Fund (RIDF) for the development of the national Social Farming Network known as "Social Farming Ireland". In addition, funding is also provided for the...