Results 9,441-9,460 of 23,964 for speaker:Charlie McConalogue

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Greenhouse Gas Emissions (7 Dec 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: I and officials in my Department have been consistent in my position that agriculture must achieve its climate objectives while maintaining current food production output. It is my belief that we are the sustainable food capital of the world and that we can continue to produce in sustainable manner while reducing our carbon footprint. The recently published All-of-Government Climate Action...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Common Agricultural Policy (7 Dec 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: I propose to take Questions Nos. 684, 686 and 687 together. My view is that the CAP reform proposals will, in particular, have a positive impact on the production of sustainable food and will enhance our sustainability credentials, allowing the sector to become a world leader in sustainable food systems while also supporting farmers to transition. The new CAP aims to support the...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Food Industry (7 Dec 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: The Common Agricultural Policy has undergone a number of evolutions in terms of its scope and objectives since it began in 1962. It began with the aim to support food production in Europe. That aim is still a core objective of the CAP. As we begin to implement the next iteration of the CAP, how we achieve this objective is informed by a greater awareness and concern for the impacts of...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Food Industry (7 Dec 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: I can assure the Deputy that I am very confident that the Irish agrifood sector will remain viable into the future, and is well positioned to address both challenges and opportunities arising from CAP reform and climate action. I was delighted to launch the new Food Vision 2030 strategy with the Taoiseach and Government colleagues in August. For some 20 years, the Irish agrifood...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Food Industry (7 Dec 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: The Deputy will be aware that I launched the new Food Vision 2030 strategy with the Taoiseach and Government colleagues in August. The Deputy will also be aware that we are currently finalising Ireland's CAP Strategic Plan (CSP) for the period 2023 to 2027. The processes for developing these included detailed assessments, consultations and analysis, including SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses,...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Diseases (7 Dec 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: I propose to take Questions Nos. 690, 691 and 692 together. I draw the Deputy’s attention to PQ Ref 52873/21 which he tabled on 2ndNovember 2021 regarding the extent to which my Department has identified the causes for the spread of bovine TB. My response outlined that the research on the role of wildlife in bovine TB has recently been reviewed for the Bovine TB Stakeholders Forum by...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Food Industry (7 Dec 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: I am firm in my support of the ambition of the Irish agrifood 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 mine, my Department and of the relevant Government Agencies, particularly Bord Bia. Encouragingly, despite an extremely challenging 2020 and 2021 as a...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Industry (7 Dec 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: Our world-class beef sector is a key cornerstone of our overall €14bn export agrifood sector. Beef worth over €2.3 billion, or 524,530 tonnes, was exported in 2020, down slightly in both value and volume on 2019. This is a solid performance especially given the fact much of the global food service sector was shut due to COVID-19 for large parts of 2020. The largest destination...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Industry (7 Dec 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: Sheepmeat exports worth approximately €356 million, or 64,100 tonnes were exported in 2020, an increase of 12% in value and 3.5% in volume on 2019. The top five destinations account for 80% of sheepmeat exports with France the number one destination, accounting for one third of exports, with Great Britain, Germany, Sweden and Belgium as the next most important destinations. The...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Industry (7 Dec 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: The pig sector has shown exceptional growth over the last decade. It is the third largest agrifood sector, accounting for 6.3% of the output value of the agrifood sector and generated exports of €893 million in 2020; this compares to an export value of €330 million in 2010. Export growth to international markets has been particularly strong. Production saw an increase of 4.2%...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Industry (7 Dec 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: Poultrymeat, which is a food in high protein, has seen an increase in demand in recent years. Irish production reached record levels in 2020, with a total of 111 million birds processed in Department approved establishments. Figures for 2021 to date suggested that total volume is up around 1% on 2020 levels. In addition, prices for poultry meat have remained relatively stable and prices at...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Industry (7 Dec 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: In 2020, Irish dairy exports accounted for 36% of all Irish agrifood exports with a value of €5.1 billion, exceeding the €5 billion mark for the second consecutive year. Whilst 2021 has posed significant challenges across all global markets, Irish dairy exports are performing strongly in the year to date. Diversifying and developing markets for Irish dairy exports will continue...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Industry (7 Dec 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: Food products, including meat and meat products, placed on the European marketplace are covered by a range of legislation designed to ensure that products supplied to consumers are of the highest safety standards. The Department plays a key role in the enforcement of this legislation along with Competent Authorities in other Member States, other Irish Government departments and State...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Industry (7 Dec 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: Live sheep may be imported into Ireland for the purposes of breeding, fattening or direct slaughter. Traditionally, most live sheep imported into Ireland have come from the UK, including Northern Ireland. In 2020 and 2021 year-to -ate, all of the live sheep imported into Ireland have come for the UK. - In the last full year, 2020, a total of 441,988 sheep were imported from the UK comprising...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Teagasc Activities (7 Dec 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: My Department provides Teagasc with a yearly Grant Aid allocation to support its work in providing integrated research, training and advisory services to the agrifood sector. Grant Aid is provided for salaries, pensions, current expenditure and capital works. The yearly allocations over the past five years are as follows: 2016 2017 2018 2019 ...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Schemes (7 Dec 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: Under the Knowledge Transfer (KT) Programme 2016-2019, €35,679,471 was paid to participants and an additional €24,469,708 was paid to facilitators. At the conclusion of the KT Programme, there were over 1,100 groups, with an average of 15 participants per group. As per the Terms and Conditions of the KT Programme, the number of participants involved in the KT groups could be up...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Schemes (7 Dec 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: I am committed to delivering greater supports to young farmers and women farmers. It is proposed under an On-Farm Capital investment scheme under the CAP Strategic Plan (CSP) that a general grant rate of 40% will be available for eligible investments. It is also proposed in the CSP that eligible female farmers, who meet the eligibility criteria may qualify for grant aid at a rate of 60%. This...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Schemes (7 Dec 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: The Droimeann Cattle Society was recognised by my Department as a Breed Society and approved to maintain a breeding programme for the breed in 2018. Considerable support was given, by officials from my Department, to the Society over a number of years in order for it to obtain this recognition and to design it’s breeding programme. I acknowledge the effort that the Society has put in...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Industry (7 Dec 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: Heliciculture, more commonly known as snail farming, is a niche farming concept. Climatic conditions in Ireland are suitable for year-round snail breeding and Bord Bia conducted research in 2018 which showed the strong export market potential for snails, particularly in Europe. Snails intended for human consumption are defined in EU food regulations as terrestrial gastropods. Farmers...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Horticulture Sector (2 Dec 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: The Department operates a programme that provides funding for agri-food research, on a competitive basis, to research performing organisations. Applications are invited periodically through Research Calls that cover a broad range of agriculture, food and forest related research activities. Our current call, which closed earlier this year, contains a specific topic entitled: ‘Find...