Results 9,881-9,900 of 23,967 for speaker:Charlie McConalogue

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Agriculture Industry (21 Oct 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: I will set a reference in terms of how many will be paid for, but there will not be a limit on farmers increasing their numbers. This is a matter on which I have engaged with farmers throughout the country. My objective is to fully support the suckler farmer to ensure it remains an anchor of our beef sector, to support family farms, and the scheme I put in place will do that.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Fishing Industry (21 Oct 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: When I appealed this in the Court of Appeal I also applied for a stay on the previous decision removing the ban on the six nautical mile zones. The Court of Appeal allowed the stay at that stage. Maybe six weeks or so ago, the Court of Appeal removed that stay but I am still waiting on its final judgment. My commitment to this is clear and it has been very much informed in the latest...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Fishing Industry (21 Oct 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: Deputy Connolly appreciates these are matters for the court and not for my office to decide. Only the court can give an indication in that regard. As a party to the appeal I cannot give such an indication. I applied to the court for a stay and this was granted, meaning those large vessels were blocked from coming into the six nautical mile zone while the court was adjudicating on its...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Agriculture Industry (21 Oct 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: The beef task force was established on foot of the beef sector agreement of 15 September 2019. Its remit as set out in its terms of reference was to monitor the implementation of the actions arising from that agreement. The task force was to meet at least quarterly from October 2019 for a period of one year after which the task force’s progress was to be reviewed. However, progress...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Agriculture Industry (21 Oct 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: The task force did valuable work and it was important in bringing all the stakeholders together. The reports were very important, particularly the transparency reports. I am progressing the legislation for the food ombudsman and I can see it carrying out a role there, bringing that much-needed transparency into the food supply chain. I will reflect on this and it is important we have a...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Agriculture Schemes (21 Oct 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: I apologise to Deputy McNamara as while I have some of the overall details, I do not have the full list by county, including County Clare, but it will be forwarded to the Deputy. The variation in the county breakdown of average entitlement values is centred on the country average of approximately €185. That is before greening, which obviously is in addition to that. The minimum...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Agriculture Schemes (21 Oct 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: That was the situation with greening with the outgoing CAP. As the Deputy knows, the eco schemes are being introduced now as part of Pillar 1, accounting for a proposed 25% this time around, which will be totally disconnected from entitlement value and will be paid at a flat rate per hectare. While I do not have the full table here, the divergence might not be quite as large on a county...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Agriculture Schemes (21 Oct 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: The objective behind the eco scheme is to achieve an environmental result from it and it is about how the land is managed. There is a flat rate per hectare for that. It is not a straightforward direct payment; it is for how the farmer manages the land. Therefore, it is logical that the eco scheme aspect of it applies to all the land being managed. The proposal is that it will apply to all...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Fishing Industry (21 Oct 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: I do not have the figures for the tonnage of sprat, but I will see if I can get that. Sprat is a non-quota species. The Marine Institute would probably have figures and may be able to do a general assessment. As I said to Deputy Cairns earlier, I am awaiting the final judgment from the Court of Appeal at which point I will decide how I proceed. Obviously, I have outlined my commitment...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Agriculture Industry (21 Oct 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: First, in response to Deputy Naughten, the key basis and platform on which we can monetise carbon sequestration and pay farmers for it is by having the measurement tools in place. I am giving significant funding to Teagasc to develop that. With regard to carbon tax replacing direct Exchequer funding, that is certainly not the case. A concern that has been raised over the last year or so by...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Common Agricultural Policy (21 Oct 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: That is really important and it is why I am engaging closely with farmers on putting together the CAP programme and those schemes. It is also why I visited Mayo with the Deputy last week and have been visiting every county. Indeed, I will be in Carlow this afternoon, and Kilkenny this evening, doing the very same thing. It is crucial that this funding gets to farm families, in this...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Common Agricultural Policy (21 Oct 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: From memory, the number on the current GLAS programme is about 43,000 or 44,000. The 50,000 figure we have mentioned, therefore, will embrace all farmers. The objective will be to ensure that all farmers who want to participate in the scheme can do so. As for its composition, we will engage closely with farmer organisations to ensure the measures involved will provide options for all...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Agriculture Industry (21 Oct 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: I am very much aware of the important role on-farm carbon removals and carbon pool protection will play in meeting the sector's challenging climate change targets going forward. Teagasc, along with private sector agricultural consultants, is an essential component in providing best practice advice to the farming community on measures necessary for the increased sequestration and storage of...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Agriculture Industry (21 Oct 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: As the Deputy will know, the funding from the carbon tax budget is very specific in that between now and the end of 2030, €1.5 billion will go directly to farmers. It is targeted specifically to get to farmers' pockets through the new agri-environmental scheme, which, as I outlined earlier, will deliver up to €10,000 for 20,000 participants and up to €7,000 for 30,000...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Animal Diseases (21 Oct 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: I thank Deputy O'Sullivan for his comments and suggestions. As the Deputy knows, when we are dealing with an infectious disease the strategy is not set in stone. The TB strategy I have put together is a living document which will be subject to amendment and refinement on an ongoing basis. The TB stakeholder forum and the three working groups are considering all issues as this matter...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Animal Diseases (21 Oct 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: I thank Deputy O'Sullivan for raising this very important issue and for his interest in it. I know it arises from his engagement with farmers in his constituency and the concern they have about the growing incidence of TB, certainly in 2020, and the burden this places on the affected farmers and the stress and financial strain associated with it. I assure the Deputy that we will continue to...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Common Agricultural Policy (21 Oct 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: I thank Deputy Calleary for his question. Hill farming is a very important sector in the Deputy's constituency, as it is in mine. The sheep welfare scheme has been in place for the past while and was continued in 2020, 2021 and again for 2022. In addition, some of the key payments that are very important for hill farmers, such as the areas of natural constraint, ANC, payment, have been...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Agriculture Schemes (21 Oct 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: In 2020, the number of farmers participating in BDGP I was 22,243 with a further 1,422 participating in BDGP II, giving a total of 23,665. Payments to farmers under BDGP for 2020 were approximately €41.5 million. A total of 27,025 farmers were participating in BEEP-S in 2020. Payments under the scheme amounted to approximately €41 million. Those farmers in BDGP I who had...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Agriculture Schemes (21 Oct 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: Prior to this year, farmers participating in the BDGP were in a five-year programme. They had to sign up for five years and they did not have the option to decide whether to stay in or come out of the scheme. It was a full five-year programme. I continued it in 2021 for one year and farmers had the option to decide whether to take it up that year. In terms of practicality, I made it as...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Agriculture Schemes (21 Oct 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: A big part of the reason was that things can change for farmers over the course of five years. We had a five-year contract that finished and people then had the option of taking a one-year contract. The administration and red tape involved in extending for a year was minimised. People could continue as they were. The scheme was not open to new entrants. People had to be in the previous...