Results 11,921-11,940 of 23,957 for speaker:Charlie McConalogue

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Departmental Staff (24 Mar 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: The Department has invested heavily in both ecologist and forestry Inspector resources.  The ecology resource are both full time Department ecologists, most of whom have been recruited in the last year and contract ecologists. The numbers in the table below are full-time equvalent. The following table sets out the ecologist resources that have been working with...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forestry Sector (24 Mar 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: As mentioned in my previous answer on this issue, the Climate Action Plan 2019 sets the target for afforestation at 8,000 ha per annum and the target of forest roadworks at 125km per annum. While there are no specific targets for felling, the COFORD Roundwood Forecast predicts a potential harvest of 4.1 million cubic metres in 2021. As noted,...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Livestock Issues (24 Mar 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: Discrepancies have been identified in the herd of the person named in relation to bovine animal identification and registration over the last number of years.  As a result of these findings, it was necessary to suspend the trading status of the herd. Correct identification and registration of bovine animals is a legal requirement under EU and Irish law. My...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Nitrates Usage (24 Mar 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: The Department of Housing, Planning, Local Government and Heritage are the competent authority for the Nitrates regulations in Ireland. My Department undertake the required level of inspections to meet Common Agricultural Policy commitments. During any inspection, including land eligibility inspections, where it is found that land is not being used by the claimant, this land is...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Departmental Transport (24 Mar 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: I wish to inform the Deputy that there are a total of 128 vehicles owned or leased and operated by my Department.  All are ICE vehicles, of which 123 are diesel and five are petrol. As regards the 12 State Bodies under the aegis of my Department, the information requested is an operational matter for the State Bodies themselves. I have referred the Deputy’s question...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forestry Sector (24 Mar 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1999 and 2007 together. A decision was made to restrict the planting of unenclosed land in December 2010. Enclosed land is, in general, more fertile and less exposed than unenclosed land and trees planted on enclosed land generally perform much better than trees planted on soil types associated with unenclosed land. This position is supported by many...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Beef Industry (24 Mar 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: The Department does not maintain membership lists of stakeholder representative groups as this is a matter for the groups concerned.  There is a specific page on my Department's website dedicated to the Beef Taskforce at . This page contains all relevant documents pertaining to the work of the Taskforce to date, including the agreement reached on 15 September 2019, the Terms of...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Departmental Legal Cases (24 Mar 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: It is important to clarify that Prosecutors are not legally compelled to pursue all prosecution cases to a final conclusion in the courts. Occasionally, there may be instances where the facts of a case are such that proceeding with a prosecution may not be considered appropriate or justifiable. Prosecution cases can be withdrawn for a variety of reasons. For example, decisions can be made...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Departmental Legal Cases (24 Mar 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: It is important to clarify that Prosecutors are not legally compelled to pursue all prosecution cases to a final conclusion in the courts. Occasionally, there may be instances where the facts of a case are such that proceeding with a prosecution may not be considered appropriate or justifiable. Prosecution cases can be withdrawn for a variety of reasons. For example, decisions can be made...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Tuberculosis Incidence (24 Mar 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: The Deputy is seeking to access personal information in relation to an identified individual and, therefore, I am precluded from providing her with this information.

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forestry Data (24 Mar 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: I can confirm to the Deputy that my Department grant aided 2,434 hectares of forestry in 2020.  My Department compiles a number of different afforestation statistics annually, which are made available on my Department's website: In addition, there is another 4,500ha already approved and available to plant immediately.  It is up to landowners to decide to plant, once they...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forestry Sector (24 Mar 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: An application for a forestry licence must includes a map of the area for the proposed forestry activity.  The assessment of the application is then compleed based on the whole of the application including the maps provided. An approval letter should not issue with a map covering a different area.

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forestry Sector (24 Mar 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: District Inspectors may recommend suspension of a licence having regard to all the circumstances of the case, including non-compliance with any conditions. 

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forestry Sector (24 Mar 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: The COFORD Council is appointed by the Minister of State to advise on issues related to the development of the forest sector in Ireland. It's mission is to facilitate the development of the sector to provide the full range of economic, environmental and societal benefits to society and advocate good forest practice. The COFORD Council does not have a budget or make payments to beneficiaries...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Wildlife Control (24 Mar 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: The EU rules on the registration and identification of farmed goats are contained in Council Regulation 21/2004, as transposed into national legislation via S.I. 792/2005 (as amended). These rules are implemented through the National Goat Identification System (NGIS). The NGIS sets out the rules and keeper responsibilities in the areas of goat herd registration, animal identification, the...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Felling Licences (24 Mar 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: As the Deputy will be aware, there is a backlog of license applications that require an Appropriate Assessment (AA). My Department has put in place a detailed project plan for dealing with this backlog which includes recruitment of additional ecologists, forestry inspectors and administrative staff where required.  In this case, the licence application is...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forestry Sector (24 Mar 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: I propose to take Questions Nos. 2011 and 2012 together. Screening for Appropriate Assessment is carried out by Forestry Inspectors in the first instance.  It is the Department’s view that Forestry Inspectors are qualified and appropriately trained and have the required Standard Operational Procedures (SOP) available to them to carry out this screening.  My...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forestry Sector (24 Mar 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: Coillte CGA was established as a private commercial company under the Forestry Act, 1988 and day-to-day operational matters, such as the management of their forest estate, are the responsibility of the company. I have therefore passed the question raised to Coillte for response and direct reply to the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Felling Licences (24 Mar 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: Forestry licences continue to be received and issued daily.  To 12 March, 484 tree felling licences have issued this year.  These licences cover over 1.5 million cubic metres of timber, which is already 30% of the total volume licensed in 2020.  I have given the commitment to issue 4,500 forestry licences this year, much of which will comprise tree felling licences.  There...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Fisheries Protection (24 Mar 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: The EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA) will, unfortunately, have an impact on our fishing industry. However, this impact would have been far greater had the Barnier Task Force agreed to UK demands, or had we been in a no-deal scenario which would have seen all EU vessels barred from UK waters and subsequent displacement into Ireland's fishing zone.  The fisheries quota...