Results 981-1,000 of 24,015 for speaker:Charlie McConalogue

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Industry (23 Jul 2024)

Charlie McConalogue: Under the European Union Good Agricultural Practice for Protection of Waters Regulations (Statutory Instrument No. 113 of 2022, as amended), compulsory use of Low Emission Slurry Spreading (LESS) is being introduced on a phased basis according to grassland stocking rate and enterprise type on farms as set out below. In 2023 the obligation to use LESS applied to all farmers operating above a...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Nitrates Usage (23 Jul 2024)

Charlie McConalogue: In 2023 at farm level there was a 30% reduction in national chemical nitrogen use overall compared to the baseline figure for 2018. This reduction built on the reduction achieved in 2022 and is very welcome in terms of water and air quality as well as greenhouse gas emissions. The amount of CAN and protected (stabilised) urea sold in terms of tonnes of nitrogen (N) nationally in 2022 and...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Nitrates Usage (23 Jul 2024)

Charlie McConalogue: It is critically important that supports put in place assist farmers in reducing chemical nitrogen usage while at the same time ensuring the production of fodder is not unduly impacted. Clover and multi species sward are two important means of ensuring this. I have introduced a number of schemes to support farmers, including two measures - the Red Clover Silage Measure (RCSM) and Multi...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Nitrates Usage (23 Jul 2024)

Charlie McConalogue: Over the last two years new and enhanced regulatory measures have been implemented under the Nitrates Action Programme (NAP) to improve water quality, including:a 10% cut in maximum chemical Nitrogen fertiliser limits for grassland;shallow cultivation post-harvest for tillage farmers in 14 counties where reductions in nitrates loses are required;banding of dairy cow nutrient excretion rates...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Supports (23 Jul 2024)

Charlie McConalogue: My Department continues to support the horticulture and tillage sector in Ireland with a range of initiatives. In June 2023, together with my colleague, Minister Pippa Hackett, I launched the National Strategy for Horticulture 2023-2027. The Strategy sets out a clear vision for the sector to grow a more profitable, value-added sector, driven by innovation and sustainability. In 2023 a total...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Fishing Industry (23 Jul 2024)

Charlie McConalogue: The annual Total Allowable Catch (TAC) and Quota Regulations, which are adopted by Council and set out each Member States' quotas for a range of fish stocks, are available on the European Commission's website from the following link: Fishing quotas - European Commission (europa.eu) The initial amounts of quotas set out in the regulations can change during the year due to carryover of unused...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Schemes (23 Jul 2024)

Charlie McConalogue: ACRES Tranche 1 participants who have a results-based action will receive their scorecard summary over the coming weeks, once their ACRES balancing payment for 2023 has been finalised. These summaries will be available in the document manager in their AgFood account from the week beginning Monday 29th July 2024, followed by a hard copy by post. The scorecard summary will set out the scores...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Fishing Industry (23 Jul 2024)

Charlie McConalogue: I can inform the Deputy that my Department received a request from the North East Regional Fisheries Forum (RIFF) on 1 July for an opening of the Dundalk cockle fishery to take place this month. Dundalk bay contains two Natura 2000 sites, and along with the administration and the necessary approval processes to be considered, a Fisheries Natura Declaration would also be required to allow...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Schemes (23 Jul 2024)

Charlie McConalogue: The person named submitted an application for the Agri-Climate Rural Environment Scheme (ACRES) and was approved into Tranche 1 of the scheme. A decision was made to issue interim payments to those who had not received an advance payment in November 2023. The €5,000 referenced here reflects this interim payment, which it is intended will be offset against the final ACRES balancing...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Welfare (23 Jul 2024)

Charlie McConalogue: I can confirm that the ongoing investigation by my Department into the matter referenced includes examination of animal welfare breaches and is being undertaken jointly and in coordination with the Garda National Bureau of Criminal Investigation.

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Fisheries Protection (23 Jul 2024)

Charlie McConalogue: In December 2018, a transition period to a ban on vessels over 18 metres trawling in inshore waters, inside the six nautical mile zone was announced. A significant part of the objective of this measure was to manage the fishing effort on sprat stocks which are primarily targeted within inshore waters. This measure, however, was the subject of extended legal proceedings the outcome of which,...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Fisheries Protection (23 Jul 2024)

Charlie McConalogue: I will clarify, at the outset, that under the Sea Fisheries and Maritime Jurisdiction Act 2006, all operational issues concerning sea-fisheries control are, as a matter of law, exclusively for the SFPA and the Naval Service and I am expressly precluded from getting involved in operational matters. As regards Ireland’s goals for sustainable fisheries, these are supported through the...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Tillage Sector (23 Jul 2024)

Charlie McConalogue: The difficult weather in early 2024 has resulted in extremely low fodder supplies in the country, including straw. As a consequence of this I recently proposed a deferral of the 2024 Straw Incorporation Measure (SIM) and indicated that I would engage with the Farmers' Charter on the matter. I made this proposal balancing the need to ensure adequate supplies of straw are available for the...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Aquaculture Industry (23 Jul 2024)

Charlie McConalogue: The €258m European Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund (EMFAF) 2021-2027, co-funded by the Irish government and the EU, is the primary funding package for the seafood sector, including aquaculture. EMFAF is managed by my Department. I recently announced the opening of a new scheme under our EMFAF Operational Programme to support capital investment in aquaculture - the Sustainable...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Veterinary Services (23 Jul 2024)

Charlie McConalogue: There is no consideration currently being given to removing the requirement for a prescription for any veterinary medicines that currently require a veterinary prescription. Therefore no risk analysis has been conducted. Antibiotics continue to remain prescription only medicines.

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Tillage Sector (23 Jul 2024)

Charlie McConalogue: The difficult weather in early 2024 has resulted in extremely low fodder supplies in the country, including straw. As a consequence of this I recently proposed a deferral of the 2024 Straw Incorporation Measure (SIM) and indicated that I would engage with the Farmers' Charter on the matter. I made this proposal balancing the need to ensure adequate supplies of straw are available for the...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forestry Sector (23 Jul 2024)

Charlie McConalogue: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1720 to 1722, inclusive, together. In the table at the link below, I provide details of the area in hectares planted in each County broken down by broadleaf and conifer since 2018 to the end of June 2024. In relation to a breakdown by number of trees and species and by local area, my Department is examining the detail of your request in order to provide the...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Fishing Industry (23 Jul 2024)

Charlie McConalogue: In December 2018, a transition period to a ban on vessels over 18 metres trawling in inshore waters, inside the six nautical mile zone was announced. A significant part of the objective of this measure was to manage the fishing effort on sprat stocks which are primarily targeted within inshore waters. This measure, however, was the subject of extended legal proceedings the outcome of which,...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Fishing Industry (23 Jul 2024)

Charlie McConalogue: In Ireland, quotas are a public resource and are managed to ensure that property rights are not granted to individual operators. The result of this long standing policy is that the Irish fishing fleet involves a balanced spread of sizes and types of fishing vessels who have retained a strong economic link with our coastal communities and have delivered economic activity including vital...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Tillage Sector (23 Jul 2024)

Charlie McConalogue: The tillage sector is an important and integral component of the Agri-food industry and is a sector that I want to see grow and develop. That is why I established the Food Vision Tillage Group in May 2023 to set out a road map for the sustainable growth and development of the sector to 400,000ha by 2030 in line with the targets set out in the Climate Action Plan. The Group, which was made up...