Results 981-1,000 of 23,948 for speaker:Charlie McConalogue

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Artificial Intelligence (9 Jul 2024)

Charlie McConalogue: My Department continues to fully comply with guidance provided by the National Cyber Security Centre (NSCS) on the use of Generative Artificial Intelligence. Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI), such as ChatGPT is currently blocked from use within the Department, precluding it's use in business activities such as drafting Dáil speeches or responses to Parliamentary Questions.

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Departmental Equipment (9 Jul 2024)

Charlie McConalogue: The following table lists the number of laptops or mobile phones owned by my Department, that have been lost or stolen in each of the past ten years. Device Lost/Stolen 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 Laptop Lost 1 ...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Slaughtering (9 Jul 2024)

Charlie McConalogue: I am aware that as of the 22 July 2024 The Animal Welfare (Livestock Exports) Act 2024 of the United Kingdom will ban the export of cattle, sheep, pigs, goats and horses for fattening and slaughter from Great Britain. The ban does not prevent the export of livestock and horses for breeding or competitions, and it does not apply in Northern Ireland. The ban applies to journeys from, and...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Diseases (9 Jul 2024)

Charlie McConalogue: I am acutely conscious of the mental toll and the financial cost of a TB restriction on farmers. TB is a significant burden on both farmers and the exchequer and all stakeholders need to remain focused on reducing the level of bovine TB which has unfortunately increased in recent years. Under current EU and national legislation all herds must undergo at least one annual herd screening TB...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Schemes (9 Jul 2024)

Charlie McConalogue: ACRES payments for 2023 commenced over the period December 2023 to January 2024, when €88.35 million was issued in advance payments to 19,719 ACRES General participants. In recognition of the time required to fully process all payments, due to the complexity of the scheme, I ensured that interim payments issued to all other participants in February and March 2024. Payments of...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Environmental Policy (9 Jul 2024)

Charlie McConalogue: On 20 February 2024, the European Parliament and the Council of the EU reached a provisional agreement on the Carbon Removals and Carbon Farming (CRCF) Regulation, establishing the first EU-wide voluntary framework for certifying carbon removals, carbon farming and carbon storage in products generated in Europe. In addition, by 2026, the Commission will assess whether to expand the scope of...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Environmental Policy (9 Jul 2024)

Charlie McConalogue: Origin Green is not in itself an environmental label or rating: rather it is a sustainability initiative that incorporates environmental elements enabling the agrifood industry to set and achieve measurable sustainability targets. The programme is a Business to Business initiative providing programmes for farmers, producers, manufacturers and retailers. The programme is designed and operated...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forestry Sector (9 Jul 2024)

Charlie McConalogue: The new Forestry Programme 2023-2027 aims to encourage a substantial increase in afforestation by offering attractive and diverse options for planting, especially for farmers. This government has committed €1.3 billion of funding to the Programme in order to support our national ambition of 8,000 hectares of afforestation per year. The Afforestation Scheme 2023-2027 offers...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Beef Sector (9 Jul 2024)

Charlie McConalogue: I can confirm that a new support scheme for the suckler sector will open on schedule in early August. I secured an additional €20m in the budget for 2024 for this scheme and when taken together with the Suckler Carbon Efficiency Programme (SCEP), this will once again deliver on my commitment to deliver €200 per cow to suckler farmers. The focus of the 2024 Beef Welfare...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Slaughtering (9 Jul 2024)

Charlie McConalogue: A number of enquiries have been made to my Department by parties who wished to explore the setting up of an equine slaughter facility. All enquires to date have been responded to. To date no formal application for approval or inspection of any proposed facility has been received, but any such applications if received will be considered expeditiously. A number of horses that were due to...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Departmental Licences (9 Jul 2024)

Charlie McConalogue: A report from a member of the public in relation to this matter was received by the Felling Section of the Department on 23 February 2023. Following further investigation on the status of the site, the matter is under review by my Department, in particular regarding the mitigation design and existing felling licence conditions to protect water quality and aquatic ecosystems, as outlined in my...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Welfare (9 Jul 2024)

Charlie McConalogue: As part of the requirements of the Animal Welfare Grants programme, Department veterinary staff inspect all applicants on at least one occasion during the year. Any facility that does not meet expected standards will not be funded. The facility mentioned was inspected on two occasions by Department inspectors in recent times. Any non-conformance issues identified at inspections are...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Welfare (9 Jul 2024)

Charlie McConalogue: The Advisory Council on Companion Animal Welfare, which I established under an independent chair, as part of my Department's wider animal welfare strategy, advises me on animal welfare matters and considered the question of whether the use of remotely controlled electronic shock collars on dogs and cats ought to be banned in Ireland. As part of this process, my Department held a public...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Welfare (9 Jul 2024)

Charlie McConalogue: The Advisory Council on Companion Animal Welfare, which I established under an independent chair, as part of my Department's wider animal welfare strategy, advises me on animal welfare matters and considered the question of whether the use of remotely controlled electronic shock collars on dogs and cats ought to be banned in Ireland. As part of this process, my Department held a public...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Nitrates Usage (9 Jul 2024)

Charlie McConalogue: In 2023, 2,131 County Cork farmers who were eligible to do so, applied to avail of a Nitrates Derogation. These farmers on average received €23,216 in total CAP and non-CAP payments in the year 2023. For 2024 my Department received 2,161 applications from County Cork farmers seeking to avail of a Nitrates Derogation. The total CAP and non-CAP payments these farmers received from my...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Industry (9 Jul 2024)

Charlie McConalogue: I am very much aware of the burden of regulation on farmers and the need to keep this regulatory framework as simple as possible is something I have advocated for continually at the council of Agricultural and Fisheries Ministers in Europe. The pace of regulatory change in the European Union over the past few years has been extraordinary. European support schemes for farmers are there to...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Livestock Issues (9 Jul 2024)

Charlie McConalogue: The total number of cattle sales in 2023 through livestock marts in County Cork was 198,091. These sales related to 193,054 individual animals (some of these animals moved through livestock marts more than once). Of the 193,054 individual cattle traded through livestock marts in County Cork 20,322 were slaughtered within 20 days of being sold at the mart. The remainder typically would...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Livestock Issues (9 Jul 2024)

Charlie McConalogue: Bovine tuberculosis (bTB) is a challenging disease to control and eradicate. I am committed to making real progress in controlling TB as I am aware of the financial and emotional trauma associated with a TB breakdown for farmers. The table below outlines the number of herds restricted for TB in which cattle were moved into those herds in the previous two years prior to the date of...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Schemes (9 Jul 2024)

Charlie McConalogue: The Nature Restoration Law was adopted on 17 June 2024. I have made it clear to farming bodies that re-wetting under the Nature Restoration Law will be voluntary. Indeed, the Regulation explicitly provides that it does not imply an obligation for farmers and private landowners to rewet their lands and that rewetting remains voluntary on agricultural lands. This is in line with my previous...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Departmental Communications (9 Jul 2024)

Charlie McConalogue: My Department has a number of helplines and contact details available to provide advice to the public in relation to our schemes and services. Details can be found on the Gov.ie site here: . None of these helplines have a facility to record interactions between staff members and the public. At present there are no plans to implement such a system.