Results 10,961-10,980 of 23,950 for speaker:Charlie McConalogue

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forestry Sector (17 Jun 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: The clearing of the backlog of licences is a priority for myself and Minister of State Pippa Hackett, who is responsible for forestry. Increased resources have been invested in dealing with files on hand and, under Project Woodland, a dedicated group, Working Group 1, is tasked with looking at the backlog. This Group has already met nine times and has examined in detail the cases on...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forestry Sector (17 Jun 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: I propose to take Questions Nos. 404, 405, 406 and 407 together. Project Woodland, which was launched in February this year, is a framework which aims to review and improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the forestry licensing system, as well as developing a strategy for woodland creation. The structure of the Project is that four Working Groups, each chaired by an independent...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Climate Action Plan (17 Jun 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: The Interim Climate Action Plan is funded through the Department's voted expenditure of €1.82bn in 2021. The majority of actions are funded through the rural development, forestry and research budget lines. Other actions in the plan do not require public funding while others form part of existing regulatory requirements or existing animal disease eradication programmes and, therefore,...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forestry Sector (17 Jun 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: The Department is aware of a request from the forestry sector for a reconstitution scheme in response to frost damage on young plantations. The business case for such a scheme is being analysed.

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Departmental Policies (17 Jun 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: Since publication of the Programme for Government in June 2020, the Department has been progressing the 161 actions identified in the "Agriculture, Food and the Marine" chapter, as well as actions in other chapters for which it has shared responsibility. A review of these PFG commitments is currently underway and the results will be available shortly. On 14th April, I published the...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Departmental Funding (17 Jun 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: Climate research remains a key priority for me in my role as Minister. This commitment was clearly evident in the AgClimatise Roadmap which I published in December 2020. The benefits of research and innovation are clear, a number of new mitigation options have emerged on the back of publically-funded research, for example, protected urea fertiliser to reduce nitrous oxide emissions. The...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Industry (17 Jun 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: There are currently 22 factories operating mechanical classification in Ireland representing approximately 90% of the national kill. Mechanical grading in beef factories is underpinned by two pieces of EU legislation which came into force in July 2018. Carcase classification is also governed by S.I. 249 of 2019. Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2017/1184 of 20 April 2017 sets out...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Industry (17 Jun 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: In the past five years (2016-2021 to date), officers from the Carcase Classification Division of the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine conducted 2,911 inspections in total, across 32 factories classifying carcasses. The average number of inspections significantly exceed the requirement under the relevant EU legislation. The EU legal requirement for monitoring classification is a...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Equality Issues (17 Jun 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine is committed to promoting and maintaining an inclusive and diverse workplace for all employees and the Diversity, Equality and Inclusion policy, which was launched in 2018 builds on the Department's core values in the areas of equality, diversity and inclusion. The Department is a long time supporter of providing employment opportunities...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Fishing Industry (17 Jun 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: I propose to take Questions Nos. 415, 416 and 417 together. Management of the National Mackerel quota is set down in Ministerial Policy which has been developed and put in place over a number of years. The allocation of 400 tonnes for a fishery for smaller vessels using hook and line as a means of fishing was set down in Ministerial Policy in 2010. The Minister amended the Mackerel...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Common Agricultural Policy (17 Jun 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: The Department is continuing to monitor and analyse the mandatory and voluntary options present in the CAP proposals that are currently under discussion. In this regard, there are examples of modelling and analysis that have previously been carried out on the Department's website at the link below and there will be more of this type of analysis published as the regulations become clearer in...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Industry (17 Jun 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: Developing increased trade opportunities continues to be an integral part of the Department’s response to the challenges posed by Brexit. The key challenge here is to continue to maximise the volume and value of Irish agri-food exports to all destinations, and to anticipate and, as best we can, mitigate the potential impact of adverse developments in trading patterns. This requires...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Departmental Schemes (17 Jun 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: I was delighted to see the huge level of interest in REAP, demonstrated by over 10,800 applications being received by the Department. I was also pleased to be in a position to increase the original anticipated participation numbers in the project. Now, almost 5,000 farmers will be supported to undertake environmental commitments to increase the environmental value of existing farm features....

Common Agricultural Policy: Statements (16 Jun 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: I thank everyone for their contributions. It has been a very constructive debate. I look forward to more of these discussions as the new CAP evolves and then, hopefully, if we get agreement at the end of this month, as we put together our national CAP plan from that point onwards. The CAP ensures that our farmers can continue to farm, that we produce the highest quality food and that we...

Common Agricultural Policy: Statements (16 Jun 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: Deputy Flaherty touched on a number of issues which we have touched on before and outlined the position from his county’s perspective. He touched on a number of issues such as convergence, for example, and the importance of a well-funded CAP overall and ensuring the impact on farmers and their financial sustainability is central to how we frame the next CAP. I take on board the...

Common Agricultural Policy: Statements (16 Jun 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: I know the tremendous value of agriculture to Deputy Lowry's constituency. He outlined it well in his contribution. I assure him that, in putting the next CAP together, we will consider all farm types and consult farmers in great detail to ensure that CAP is as farmer friendly as possible. I look forward to the Deputy's engagement in that. There will be a comprehensive consultation over...

Common Agricultural Policy: Statements (16 Jun 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: We have environmental sustainability and social sustainability but what anchors our family farm system is financial sustainability. That will be crucial in framing well the next Common Agricultural Policy to support families. Also, there is what we do then at domestic national level to support that in terms of additional funding, such as the 11% increase this year in national funding and...

Common Agricultural Policy: Statements (16 Jun 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: Which budgetary cuts?

Common Agricultural Policy: Statements (16 Jun 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: We are clear at this point on what the budget will be between now and 2028. In monetary terms, it is narrowly up but in percentage terms, the overall CAP is down. This has been a challenge over many CAP cycles. If we include inflation, it reduces its impact in real terms. Monetarily, it has increased. Pillar 2 has increased by 20%. We have fought very hard to maintain the budget and to...

Common Agricultural Policy: Statements (16 Jun 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: I thank Deputy Ó Murchú. I will take the second point on diquat first. The use of diquat has been suspended at EU level. There is ongoing engagement with Teagasc on alternatives and how to use them. I made it clear to farmers last year that this was the route they should take this year. On maintaining sustainable family farm incomes, that is obviously a key objective in how...