Results 12,021-12,040 of 23,957 for speaker:Charlie McConalogue

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Tuberculosis Eradication Programme (10 Mar 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: While TB disease is low relative to historical levels, the number of new restrictions and reactor numbers have been gradually increasing since 2016. The pace of deterioration has accelerated in 2020. My Department is engaged with all stakeholders through the TB Forum to ensure all aspects of the recently launched new Bovine TB Eradication Strategy 2021-2030 are addressed to move toward the...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Tuberculosis Incidence (10 Mar 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: Following many successful years of reducing bovine TB levels to the benefit of Irish farmers, there has been concerning increases in the disease since 2016. This has continued in 2020 with further increases in herd incidence and reactor numbers observed. Herd incidence (on a 12-month rolling basis) has breached 4% for the first time since 2012 and reactor numbers have exceeded 22,000 –...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Schemes (10 Mar 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: The Traditional Farm Building Scheme (TFBS) is a complementary measure to GLAS, intended to encourage a holistic approach which increases understanding and management of both the natural and built/cultural heritage present on individual farms. Accordingly, participation in GLAS is the prime eligibility condition. The scheme is administered on behalf of the Department by the Heritage Council....

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Organic Farming Scheme (10 Mar 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: I was very pleased to recently reopen the Organic Farming Scheme and I hope that as many farmers as possible are giving consideration to converting. Interested farmers will find a wealth of supporting and informative material available from my Department, Teagasc, the Organic Certification Bodies or from their farm adviser. Applications will be accepted from all sectors and the scheme is...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Beef Industry (10 Mar 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: As the Deputy will be aware, prices for beef and other commodities is a commercial matter which I have no role in determining. I am acutely aware of the recent price volatility in the beef sector and I am conscious that the sector is particularly exposed to factors such as COVID, given its reliance on external trade and the food service and hospitality markets. My Department and I are...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Beef Industry (10 Mar 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: The Programme for Government includes a commitment to: Ensure fairness, equity, and transparency in the food chain by establishing a new authority called the National Food Ombudsman (NFO) to enforce the Unfair Trading Practices Directive. This new authority will enforce EU-wide rules on prohibited unfair trading practices in the food supply chain and will have powers to enforce this...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Industry (10 Mar 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: The Department of Housing, Planning, Local Government and Heritage is the competent authority for the Nitrates Regulations (S.I. 605 of 2017 as amended). This regulation obliges farmers to keep within the limits set out of 170 kgs of Nitrogen from livestock manure per hectare (or 250 kgs/ N/ha for those who hold a Nitrates Derogation.) Measures farmers can take to reduce nitrogen and...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forestry Sector (10 Mar 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: Forestry will play an important role in meeting our environmental objectives under the Climate Action Plan and on biodiversity as outlined in the Programme for Government. It is for this reason my Department will be focusing on afforestation applications in the coming weeks. I am mindful of the seasonality associated with afforestation and while other forestry licence types will continue...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forestry Sector (10 Mar 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: The introduction of a new requirement for an Environmental report supported by a Planning grant is one of the recommendations in the Mackinnon report. The implementation report by Jo O’Hara, accepted by me, will now be advanced under Project Woodland. This, however, is a completely separate issue to the funding of ecologists which are an integral part of the licence approval...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Beef Industry (10 Mar 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: The objective of the Beef Exceptional Aid Measure (BEAM) was to provide temporary exceptional adjustment aid to farmers in the beef sector in Ireland subject to the conditions set out in EU Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/1132. BEAM participants gave a commitment to reduce the production of bovine livestock manure nitrogen on the holding by 5% for the period 1st July 2020 to...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Beef Industry (10 Mar 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: The objective of the Beef Exceptional Aid Measure (BEAM) was to provide temporary exceptional adjustment aid to farmers in the beef sector in Ireland subject to the conditions set out in EU Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/1132. BEAM participants gave a commitment to reduce the production of bovine livestock manure nitrogen on the holding by 5% for the period 1st July 2020...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Teagasc Activities (10 Mar 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: I can confirm that the 20 posts represent new fixed term teaching positions over and above the existing staff complement approved for Teagasc. I understand that Teagasc have panels in place from which they intend to make appointments. In some circumstances, existing contract staff whose contracts are coming to an end can apply for the positions, which have a duration of two years. The...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Departmental Advertising (10 Mar 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: I wish to advise the Deputy that my Department has not incurred expenditure on advertising in relation to COVID-19 during the period 1st March 2020 to 1st March 2021.

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agricultural Colleges (4 Mar 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: The College in question comes under the remit of SOLAS and, ultimately, the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science. Insofar as my Department is concerned, we have proactively engaged with Teagasc to maximise participation in the Green Cert within the Teagasc network of agricultural colleges and regional education centres. Approval has been secured...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Areas of Natural Constraint Scheme (4 Mar 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: I wish to inform the Deputy that the Agriculture Appeals Office operates independently of my Department. I have been informed that the records of the Agriculture Appeals Office indicate that an appeal was received from the person named in November 2020. The Appeals Office requested the file and a statement on the grounds of appeal from my Department in December 2020. I am advised that the...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Control of Horses (4 Mar 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: The Control of Horses Act 1996 provides powers to local authorities enabling them to control stray and wandering horses in their areas. Enforcement of the Act is a matter for each Local Authority. Section 15 of the Act provides that the Minister for Agriculture may make grants towards the expenses of a local authority incurred under the Act. The statistics provided by my Department are based...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Areas of Natural Constraint Scheme (4 Mar 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: Following receipt of additional information in relation to the 2020 Areas of Natural Constraints (ANC) application of the person named, the Department recently completed the review of this new material but, unfortunately, there is no change to the decision. A letter has issued to the person named informing them of the outcome and of their right of appeal to the Agriculture Appeals Office.

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Departmental Websites (4 Mar 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: My Department has a policy in place since online services were first provided that any account accessing agfood.ie (including staff, agents, partners and company accounts) is locked after 30 days of inactivity. An exception to this has been provided for individual farmer accounts. Farming companies are treated the same as other companies across the AgriFood sector and their accounts are...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Sales (4 Mar 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: The current Level 5 restrictions are essential for the protection of public health during this phase of the COVID-19 pandemic and Government policy is clear on what Level 5 restrictions entail. Since the beginning of the pandemic, my Department has worked intensively in cooperation with marts' representative organisations to ensure that marts continue to be able to operate while...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forestry Sector (3 Mar 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1022, 1023 and 1024 together. The Forestry (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 2020 was commenced on 5thOctober, 2020, with secondary legislation signed on 7thOctober. The Act made provision for the Forestry Appeals Committee (FAC) to sit in divisions of itself, among other matters, including the introduction of a fee to bring an appeal. This has resulted in...