Results 11,341-11,360 of 23,975 for speaker:Charlie McConalogue

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forestry Sector (19 May 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: The Department is committed to addressing the backlog in licences and has in place an initiative under Project Woodland to improve the rate of licensing. The target is for 4,500 new licences this year which is a 75% increase on last year. As to the issue of the conversion of licences to planting, approved afforestation licence applications are valid for three years, from the date the...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forestry Sector (19 May 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: It is not correct to say that licensing targets are being missed by 50%. There has been an increase of 11% on the number of licences issued year to date compared to the same period last year. Felling licences are up 18% in the area licensed and 27% for the volume of timber. To date, 110km of forest roads have been licensed, which is 88% of the commitment given to license 125km of forest roads...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Fishing Industry (19 May 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: In February 2021, I established the Seafood Sector Taskforce to examine the implications arising from the Trade and Cooperation Agreement agreed between the European Union and the UK for the Irish Fishing industry and coastal communities particularly dependent upon it and to recommend initiatives that could be taken to provide supports for development and restructuring so as to ensure a...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Departmental Consultations (19 May 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: The Department seeks to minimise the use of consultants and only engages consultancy companies when particular additional expertise is required for delivery of the services which support the business processes of the Department. Such services are used in areas where the Department does not have the necessary expertise or internal capacity to deliver the services and where it would not make...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Horse Racing Industry (19 May 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: Horse Racing Ireland (HRI) is a commercial state body established under the Horse and Greyhound Racing Act, 2001 and is responsible for the overall administration, promotion and development of the horse racing industry. Point-to-Point racing is funded by HRI and operates under the rules and regulations of the Irish Horse Regulatory Board (IHRB). The Irish National Hunt Steeplechase...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Departmental Strategies (19 May 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: Harnessing Our Ocean Wealth (HOOW), Ireland’s integrated marine plan, published in 2012 set out the Government’s Vision, high-level Goals and integrated actions across a range of areas such as policy, governance, business and research & innovation to enable Ireland’s marine potential to be achieved. As HOOW was not a core operational plan or strategic statement of...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Fishing Industry (19 May 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: As the Deputy will be aware, I established the Seafood Sector Taskforce to examine the implications of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement between the European Union and the UK for our fishing sector and the coastal communities that are dependent on it. The Taskforce will recommend initiatives that could be taken to provide supports for development and restructuring so as to ensure a...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Regulatory Bodies (19 May 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: The Sea Fisheries Protection Agency (SFPA) commissioned PWC to undertake an independent review of the Organisational Capability of the organisation in 2019. A Steering Group comprised of three senior and expert persons, all independent of the SFPA, was put in place to oversee the review. The principal objective of the review was to contribute to the ongoing and future development of the SFPA....

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Aquaculture Industry (19 May 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: The report of the Licensing Review Group which reviewed the process of licensing for aquaculture and its associated legal framework was submitted to the Minister in May 2017. The Review Group carried out a detailed investigation of the existing aquaculture licensing process, undertook comprehensive stakeholder consultation and examined comparative national and international consent...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Gender Balance (19 May 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: The Programme for Government includes commitments to develop and implement a new National Strategy for Women and Girls and to act on the recommendations of the Citizens’ Assembly on Gender Equality. My Department will represent the agri-food sector in policy development on these commitments. The recently published draft Agri-Food Strategy to 2030 recognises the importance of...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Brexit Issues (19 May 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: The EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement creates a new framework for the EU-UK relationship. It ensures quota-free and tariff-free trade between the EU and the UK. This is of significant importance to the Irish agri-food and fisheries sectors. I would like to have seen a more comprehensive EU-UK Agreement that included an SPS agreement (commonly referred to as a Veterinary Agreement)...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forestry Sector (19 May 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: I propose to take Questions Nos. 191 and 192 together. The GLAS terms and conditions clearly indicate that afforestation is fully compatible with GLAS and is recognised as contributing to the creation of a valuable landscape mosaic at farm-level. It is also important to note that GLAS is not a whole-farm scheme and that opportunities continue to exist for afforestation and for other...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forestry Sector (19 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 pilot project, the Results-Based Environmental Agri Pilot (REAP) opened for...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forestry Sector (19 May 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: I propose to take Questions Nos. 194, 195, 200 and 201 together. As the Deputy will be aware, the current Forestry Programme 2014-2020 (extended to end 2022) is entirely exchequer funded and received State aid approval from the European Commission. Due to the long-term nature of forestry, it is considered the best option to continue to deliver the forestry programme entirely separately from...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forestry Sector (19 May 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: The target for forestry licences remains at 4,500 new licences and we are committed to delivering this. Progress has been made with licences overall up 11% up on last year so far this year but this needs to be improved and sustained. To achieve an increase in licences of this size requires a number of factors from both the Department and from applicants. Along with Minister of State...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forestry Sector (19 May 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: I propose to take Questions Nos. 197 to 199, inclusive, and 203 together. It is important to note that all forestry licences are voluntary and that the area licensed, be it for afforestation or tree felling or for that matter any other forestry scheme, may not be fully utilised. The licensee may decide to afforest or to fell a smaller area, or indeed, not carry out the licensed operation...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forestry Sector (19 May 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: Forestry is one of the many land use options available to farmers throughout the country and Department officials are currently examining proposals that would allow the integration of some elements of afforestation into organic farming. Agroforestry has the potential to deliver multiple benefits for productive, resilient and environmentally integrated farm systems. It can enhance farm...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forestry Sector (19 May 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: I propose to take Questions Nos. 204 to 210, inclusive, together. New interim ‘Standards for Felling and Reforestation’ were circulated in October 2019. These Standards immediately replaced measures relating to felling set out in the existing standards ‘Forest Harvesting & the Environment Guidelines (2000)’. The ‘Standards for Felling and...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Food Labelling (19 May 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: My Department is responsible for enforcing EU marketing standards legislation on fruit and vegetables traded in Ireland which helps to ensure that produce on display is labelled properly and in such a way as not to mislead the consumer. There is no obligation on individual producers or traders of fruit and vegetables to individually label pieces of fruit and vegetables in this regard. ...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Aquaculture Industry (18 May 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: My Department considers all applications for aquaculture licences in accordance with the provisions of the 1997 Fisheries (Amendment) Act, the 1933 Foreshore Act and applicable National and EU legislation. The licensing process involves consultation with a wide range of scientific and technical advisors as well as various Statutory Consultees. The legislation also provides for a period of...