Results 9,441-9,460 of 23,950 for speaker:Charlie McConalogue

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...

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

Charlie McConalogue: The Department has issued a total of 3,603 forestry licences so far this year, which is 55% more than was issued for all of 2020 (2,592) albeit last year was a low output year.  The table below represents the output for the months requested broken down by tree felling, afforestation and forest road works licences. The Deputy will note the smaller number of licences issued...

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

Charlie McConalogue: My Department received an application for a tree felling licence for the person named in April this year.  The application has been referred to my Department’s Ecology Unit in order to assess possible effects on surrounding designated sites.  A Harvest Plan has been received and once the environmental report is completed, the application will be opened for a 30-day public...

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

Charlie McConalogue: Last week, I set out a roadmap for the implementation of the new EU-wide Veterinary Medicinal Regulation 2019/6.  While the Regulation will come into effect on 28thJanuary 2022, in response to the concerns of stakeholders, I have decided to defer implementation of one aspect – that anti-parasitic medicines can only be supplied on foot of a veterinary prescription -...

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

Charlie McConalogue: The amount expended by my Department in each of the past five years to date in 2021 on lighting and heating costs in tabular form is as follows: Year Expenditure* 2017 €2,790,840 2018 €2,861,412 2019 €2,655,066 2020 €2,744,297 ...

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

Charlie McConalogue: My Department has followed the advice of the Health and Safety Authority and the advice contained in the Government’s Work Safely Protocol in relation to ventilation in office buildings.  The Office of Public Works, who are responsible for the management of Government properties, has advised my Department that all our mechanical ventilation systems are operating efficiently...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Agriculture Schemes (1 Dec 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: I thank Senator Ahearn for raising the straw incorporation measure, SIM. Having secured funding in budget 2021, I introduced the measure as a pilot to support Irish tillage farmers who decide to chop and incorporate straw into the soil after harvest. As pointed out by the Senator, the measure has been a success in terms of the environment and as a financial support to tillage farmers. In...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Agriculture Schemes (1 Dec 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: I thank the Senator for raising this matter. I take the point he makes about wanting to ensure that all farmers who want to avail of the scheme can do so. This is a reflection of how well it has been received and the value of it to farmers as well as the value from an environmental and emissions perspective. It is a good initiative. I am glad to be able to put the funding back in for...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Water Quality (1 Dec 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: The Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications (DECC) has overall responsibility for the implementation of the NEC Directive, which covers ammonia. The NEC Directive is focused on overall emissions levels at a national level, it does not cater for farm level emissions, similar to our climate targets. The issue of whether a farmer is in receipt of CAP payments is not...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Environmental Schemes (1 Dec 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: There are a number of definitions of rewilding. The Department of  Agriculture Food & the Marine (DAFM) focus is biodiversity in agriculture and all projects/initiatives that promote this along with food production will be encouraged and supported. This Department has played a key role in relation to restoring and conserving biodiversity rich ecosystems.  Some of...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Fishing Industry (1 Dec 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: Ireland was notified of a Commission Implementing Decision revoking the approval of the Irish control plan submitted for the weighing of fishery products. The European Commission has deemed that Ireland’s obligations arising from Regulation (EC) No 1224/2009 were not being met by the Irish control plan as the risk of non-compliance with the rules of the common fisheries policy could...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Fishing Industry (1 Dec 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: In June 2018 in the context of preparation for Brexit, a fact sheet was published setting out the landings from the Irish Exclusive Zone for the years 2011 to 2015.  Under the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP), official landing statistics are reported by Member States by ICES division, rather than by Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), and most ICES divisions straddle more...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Industry (1 Dec 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: In 2020 agri-food exports to NI were valued at €1,049 million and imports were valued at €1,010 million. In the period to end of September 2021 exports have reached €1,139 million, while imports from NI are valued at €1,021 million.  The Withdrawal Agreement between the EU and UK provides for no additional requirements to be applied to trade between Ireland...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Schemes (1 Dec 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: EU Regulations governing the administration of Direct Payment schemes require that full and comprehensive administrative checks including, in some cases, remote sensing (i.e. satellite) inspections, be completed before any payments issue. The application of the person named was selected for a 2021 remote sensing inspection.  A letter detailing the initial inspection findings...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Fishing Industry (1 Dec 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: I propose to take Questions Nos. 215 and 216 together. I established a Seafood Sector Task Force in March 2021 to examine the impacts on our fishing sector and coastal communities of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement and to make recommendations to me on initiatives that could be taken to provide supports for development and restructuring so as to ensure a profitable and sustainable...