Results 11,261-11,280 of 23,975 for speaker:Charlie McConalogue

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Schemes (20 May 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: On 14th April, I published the Department's Statement of Strategy 2021-2024 alongside an Action Plan for 2021, which outlines 75 actions to further develop a sustainable, innovative and competitive agri-food, forestry and seafood sector. The Action Plan will build on significant work already underway by the Department, including: 1. Continuing to provide vital supports to the...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Industry (20 May 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 and is also governed by S.I. 249 of 2019. The EU legal requirement for monitoring classification is eight inspections per factory per year...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forestry Sector (20 May 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: Forestry, particularly the resolution of the licensing issues are a major priority for my Department and for me. This is because I fully recognise its importance to farmers, forest owners, forestry contractors, sawmills, and wood processors and to the rural economy. I know that to fully deliver on the potential of the sector we need a well-functioning licensing system. I am the first...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Greenhouse Gas Emissions (20 May 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: My Department is fully supportive of stakeholder engagement and actively consults with various groups including with farmers, farming communities and environmental groups on a wide range of issues. I fully supported the Government Climate Conversation initiative as part of the development of Climate Action Plan 2021 where the public was invited to join the conversation and help chart...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Common Agricultural Policy (20 May 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: As the Deputy will be aware, Good Agricultural and Environmental Conditions (GAECs) are standards for the maintenance of land and they form part of the standards that all farmers in receipt of CAP Payments are obliged to comply with. Under the next CAP, a new GAEC will be introduced for the protection of wetland and peatland (proposed GAEC 2). The main objective of proposed GAEC 2 is the...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Schemes (20 May 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: The Programme for Government commits to rewarding farmers for adapting to more sustainable methods of farming and to the development of a new agri-environment scheme capable of delivering broad environmental and biodiversity benefits that will align financial supports with climate objectives. To advance this aim, a small pilot project, the Results-Based Environmental Agri Pilot Project (REAP)...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Trade Promotion (20 May 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: Developing increased trade opportunities continues to be an integral part of my 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: Inshore Fisheries (20 May 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: My Department's €240 million European Maritime and Fisheries Fund Programme 2014-2020 is the principal source of public funding for the sustainable development of our fisheries, aquaculture and seafood processing sectors. The Programme is delivered through a range of support schemes. Financial supports are available to our inshore fishing sector for capital investment on board and...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Industry (20 May 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: I propose to take Questions Nos. 39 and 43 together. Developing and increasing third country market access and furthering trade opportunities abroad are integral parts of the Department’s response to the challenges of Brexit. These goals are aligned with the strategic market development theme of Food Wise 2025. Our agri-food export footprint has increased considerably due to our...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Proposed Legislation (20 May 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: I have acknowledged the importance of transparency in the market for primary producers and the Department is progressing several initiatives to increase transparency, in particular the establishment of a new Office, to be called the National Food Ombudsman or similar. The additional powers to be assigned to the new Office by primary legislation, going beyond those in the Unfair Trading...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Common Agricultural Policy (20 May 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: The European Commission put forward its legislative proposals for the new Common Agricultural Policy to the European Parliament and to the Council of Ministers in June 2018. Following more than two years of negotiations, the European Parliament and the Council of Ministers both adopted their respective positions on the proposals in October 2020. Trilogue negotiations between the Commission,...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Horticulture Sector (20 May 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: The Department provides a support to the horticulture industry through the Scheme of Investment Aid for the Development of the Horticulture Sector. Financial support is available to assist growers and businesses through grant aid for capital investments in specialised plant and equipment including renewable energy, as well as technology adoption specific to commercial horticulture production....

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Climate Change Policy (20 May 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: On 14th April, I published my Department's Statement of Strategy 2021-2024 alongside an Action Plan for 2021, which outlines 75 actions to further develop a sustainable, innovative and competitive agri-food, forestry and seafood sector. The Action Plan will build on significant work already underway by the Department, including: 1. Continuing to provide vital supports to the farmers,...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Brexit Issues (20 May 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: The EU – UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA) has now been fully ratified by the European Council and the European Parliament, having been provisionally applied since 1st January 2021. The TCA avoids the worst outcomes of a No Deal Brexit. It ensures that there are no tariffs or quotas on goods of EU and UK origin traded between the EU and the UK. However, since 1 January 2021,...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Coastal Protection (20 May 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: The Department owns, operates and maintains six designated State-owned Fishery Harbour Centres, located at Castletownbere, Dingle, Dunmore East, Howth, Killybegs and Ros An Mhíl under statute. In addition, the Department also has responsibility for the upkeep and maintenance of North Harbour at Cape Clear, as well as the maintenance of a small number of specific piers, lights and beacons...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Industry (20 May 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: The Department has not carried out an analysis on the relationship between entitlement values and stocking densities on farms. All direct payments are decoupled from production (with the exception of coupled support for protein crops), which means that other than the initial allocation of payment entitlements in 2005 which was based on the reference years 2001-2003, there is no formal link...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Energy Policy (20 May 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: The biomass sector in Ireland provides opportunities for farmers in the production of feedstocks from forest resources and opportunities in anaerobic digestion (AD). Indigenous renewable energy plays a vital role in our domestic fuel mix and will become even more important in the context of reducing our reliance on imported fuels and in meeting our challenging renewable energy targets for...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Industry (20 May 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: In-spec bonus payments are made in respect of cattle which meet certain market specifications demanded by trade customers. The 30-month age and four movement specification to which you refer are examples of this. They are specifications for the payment of a bonus. Such specifications are entirely a commercial matter and are not conditions imposed by the Department. Additionally, it should...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Trade Promotion (20 May 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: Developing trade opportunities is an integral part of my Department’s response to the challenges associated with Brexit. Encouragingly, in 2020 - an extremely challenging year for trade - exports to other EU Member States held up, exceeding €4 billion. Recent budgets for the Department have provided additional funding to Bord Bia to support market diversification efforts to...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Industry (20 May 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: Any further concentration of ownership of the meat processing industry through an acquisition or merger is a matter for the relevant authorities under the EU legislation covering the control of concentrations between undertakings (the EC Merger Regulation). Depending on the turnover thresholds of the undertakings concerned, it would be notifiable to the European Commission or to the...