Results 12,561-12,580 of 23,963 for speaker:Charlie McConalogue

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Impact of Brexit on Fisheries Industry: Discussion (Resumed) (22 Jan 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: One of our key objectives was to ensure that there would be a deal which would avoid a hard border in Ireland and protect our national interests across the economy, including fishing. Every part of our economy, peace on our Island and fishing, in particular, were exposed as a result of Brexit. These were all included as key objectives. It was really important that we got a deal, not least...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Impact of Brexit on Fisheries Industry: Discussion (Resumed) (22 Jan 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: What were the other two questions?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Impact of Brexit on Fisheries Industry: Discussion (Resumed) (22 Jan 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: I made the case clearly about the Deputy's first point. I am sure none of us is expecting other member states to be coming forward and offering us their fish. That is a battle and a challenge we will face. I will take every opportunity going forward to try to get a result for our fishermen. As Deputy Pringle knows, having watched fishery negotiations over the years, that is always...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Impact of Brexit on Fisheries Industry: Discussion (Resumed) (22 Jan 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: Regarding the task force, it is not just about the value of fish and its impact. It is also a matter of what it means for the processing sector, employment and the spin-off sectors, whether engineering, boat-building, maintenance or the local economy which depends on fishing in coastal areas. It is important that the task force reflects that. I will consider any input from committee...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Impact of Brexit on Fisheries Industry: Discussion (Resumed) (22 Jan 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: I thank Senator Lombard. In the coming days I will be moving to consult with all stakeholders in the sector on the format of and terms of reference relating to the task force. The key objective is to have a full assessment of the impact on those who know best in terms of what the outcome of Brexit means for the sector and to ensure that this informs the way we move forward in terms of both...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Impact of Brexit on Fisheries Industry: Discussion (Resumed) (22 Jan 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: I thank the Deputy for his good wishes. I agree with him completely on the task force. It is about making sure that those who are impacted or affected and, indeed, who know best about how the sector works and how it can be supported, are particularly supported to address the impact of Brexit and to move on and have a sustainable, successful future. That is what it is about. We must ensure...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Impact of Brexit on Fisheries Industry: Discussion (Resumed) (22 Jan 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: I thank the Senator. As I said previously, the most straightforward way to ensure there was equitable burden sharing was in regard to the deal itself. Of course, we were pushing at all stages for there not to be any move or any fish lost, but if there was to be fish lost or reallocated from the EU fleet to the UK fleet, we wanted that done in a way that spread the pain and the burden across...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Impact of Brexit on Fisheries Industry: Discussion (Resumed) (22 Jan 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: I thank the Chairman and members for their contributions. I welcome Deputy O'Dowd's support as Chairman of the Joint Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement. To touch on Deputy Mac Lochlainn's point, the all-island aspects of this are important. I met the Minister, Mr. Poots, and his team on Tuesday night for a thorough discussion on emerging Brexit issues. It is very...

Brexit (Fishing Industry): Statements (21 Jan 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: I know that the questions concern beef, and that is perfectly good with me.

Brexit (Fishing Industry): Statements (21 Jan 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: Is my microphone live?

Brexit (Fishing Industry): Statements (21 Jan 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: We are all supposed to wear a mask as much as we can.

Brexit (Fishing Industry): Statements (21 Jan 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: If the Deputy was paying attention to the budget last October, he would have seen that I delivered an 11% increase in the agriculture budget for the year ahead, based on the previous year. That was so that we can ensure that many of the schemes that are key to our farming sector can continue at full capacity and with ongoing payments. There was also an additional €79 million of fresh...

Brexit (Fishing Industry): Statements (21 Jan 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: I will address the issues raised by Deputy Fitzmaurice first. As he is aware, Pillar 1 payments are 100% EU-funded. There is no capacity for domestic funds to be allocated towards it.

Brexit (Fishing Industry): Statements (21 Jan 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: The overall EU budget has been increased in monetary terms. Also, as the Deputy is aware, and as I pointed out previously, in the most recent national budget I delivered an 11% increase from last year, which was important overall.

Brexit (Fishing Industry): Statements (21 Jan 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: On the question of machinery, there is currently an issue in respect of ensuring that paperwork is complete. Unfortunately, there are many additional administrative burdens as a result of Brexit. It is challenging as those adjustments are made. On the points raised by Deputy Pringle on the designation of ports, they were designated for illegal, unregulated and unreported, IUU, purposes...

Brexit (Fishing Industry): Statements (21 Jan 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: There were three years of negotiations. The actual outcome of that was achieved on Christmas Eve. That made clear that authorisations would be required. As I said earlier, the departmental staff were working right up to late on New Year's Eve to get those authorisations out and put in tremendous work within the time involved. On the Deputy's final point that a no-deal Brexit would have...

Brexit (Fishing Industry): Statements (21 Jan 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: I think it would be more appropriate if Deputy Tóibín wrote to me with the particular matters that he has raised. I do not think it is appropriate for me to address this on the floor of the House.

Brexit (Fishing Industry): Statements (21 Jan 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: From the outset, all of us nationally and in the fishing sector were concerned about the potential impact that Brexit could have on the fisheries sector. The Deputy is aware of how taking back the fish quota, reclaiming their waters and all of the fish caught by an EU fleet was made to be a number one priority by the British Government. The approach taken here was resolute and strong. We...

Brexit (Fishing Industry): Statements (21 Jan 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: I made it clear in my first response that we fought tooth and nail as a nation to ensure that there would be no loss of fish. That was what we were looking for. The British Government's approach was to take back 100% of all fish caught. Throughout the negotiation, our approach was to hold tight and not give anything up. Unfortunately at the end, in order for a deal to happen, there was...

Brexit (Fishing Industry): Statements (21 Jan 2021)

Charlie McConalogue: As the Deputy will be aware, if he has been listening to me over the last months and again today, our position at all times has been to defend the fishing sector tooth and nail, because we very much value it. It might be easy to present that as a sell-out. Our approach was to ensure that it was prioritised. If the Deputy has been assessing how the negotiation evolved and the Brexit debate...