Results 13,081-13,100 of 23,964 for speaker:Charlie McConalogue

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forestry Sector (1 Dec 2020)

Charlie McConalogue: I propose to take Questions Nos. 816 and 818 together. My Department receives forestry applications and issues new licences every week of the year. This means there is a constant turnover of applications and a worklist which has these applications at various stages of processing. We update our weekly licensing output to stakeholders through a dashboard. There are approximately 4,700...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forestry Sector (1 Dec 2020)

Charlie McConalogue: I commenced the Forestry (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 2020 on 7th October and at the same time, signed regulations, giving effect to the provisions of the Act. The Act makes various provisions for the structuring of the Forestry Appeals Committee (FAC), to enable it to more efficiently hear appeals against decisions on forestry licences amongst other matters. The FAC is operationally...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forestry Sector (1 Dec 2020)

Charlie McConalogue: The Reconstitution and Underplanting Scheme (RUS) was launched in June this year, following a review of the policy approach and associated support schemes while considering the move away from Ash Dieback eradication and bringing ash plantation management into focus. The review included careful consideration of stakeholder submissions as well as meetings with representative bodies of the...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Greyhound Industry (1 Dec 2020)

Charlie McConalogue: Rásaíocht Con Éireann (RCÉ) is a commercial state body, established under the Greyhound Industry Act, 1958 chiefly to control greyhound racing and to improve and develop the greyhound industry. RCÉ is a body corporate and a separate legal entity to the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine. The issue of artificial insemination of greyhounds is covered...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Scrutiny of EU Legislative Proposals (1 Dec 2020)

Charlie McConalogue: I should go ahead and make myself a permanent member of this committee again. I have not missed too many meetings since the start of the year and it is good to be back. I welcome this opportunity to present this sustainability impact assessment to the committee. As in previous years, a rigorous assessment has been undertaken to examine the implications for Ireland of the EU Commission's...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Scrutiny of EU Legislative Proposals (1 Dec 2020)

Charlie McConalogue: The Deputy touched on Brexit first. This has been a fundamental concern of our fishing sector since it was first mooted and voted on in Britain and Northern Ireland more than four years ago. It has also been one of our key concerns nationally with regard to upcoming negotiations and those which have been ongoing since last year. The Deputy is right; there is a lot of concern on a number of...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Scrutiny of EU Legislative Proposals (1 Dec 2020)

Charlie McConalogue: With regard to Brexit negotiations and the number of UK vessels that will be leaving EU waters after 1 January, our position is that we want the existing situation to continue with regard to quota share and access to waters. That is obviously being contested in the negotiations at the moment. Access to UK waters is very important for our fishermen. Many of our catches, particularly the more...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Scrutiny of EU Legislative Proposals (1 Dec 2020)

Charlie McConalogue: On the Senator's first question, Northern Irish vessels landing into EU ports will not be subject to sanitary or phytosanitary requirements or health certification after 1 January 2021, according to the arrangements in place. On the Senator's second point, concerning the current overall total allowable catches within the EU waters including both European and UK waters, the overall approach is...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Scrutiny of EU Legislative Proposals (1 Dec 2020)

Charlie McConalogue: Could the Senator repeat his final point?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Scrutiny of EU Legislative Proposals (1 Dec 2020)

Charlie McConalogue: First, on the timeline, it is our hope and reasonable expectation that there will be an agreement. It is highly important for the country and for the fisheries sector because without an agreement, access and the quota share will become major issues. Therefore, reaching an agreement is really important and hopefully it will be completed shortly. If the negotiations are continue up to the 15...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Scrutiny of EU Legislative Proposals (1 Dec 2020)

Charlie McConalogue: Deputy Martin Browne is absolutely right about the importance of access to the UK waters for the Irish fishing fleet and that some 34% of our catch is there. A no-deal scenario is one we must avoid because it would immediately impact on access and would also have a very significant impact on shares. That is something we have to work to avoid. Across the Government, we have been very...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Scrutiny of EU Legislative Proposals (1 Dec 2020)

Charlie McConalogue: I thank Deputy Fitzmaurice for the question. At the moment, any boats that fish within EU waters have to be authorised to do so, must have quotas and are subject to oversight by the respective national bodies that manage control of those waters. For example, any boats that come in to fish in Irish waters are subject to the oversight of the Sea-Fisheries Protection Authority, SFPA, and the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Scrutiny of EU Legislative Proposals (1 Dec 2020)

Charlie McConalogue: The discussions are being conducted by Mr. Barnier and the European Commission on behalf of all member states. All the member states portioned together have emphasised the importance of solidarity in holding a very strong line on protecting quotas and access. We then communicate clearly and input that to Mr. Barnier's team. He is very clear on the absolute importance of quota shares and...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Scrutiny of EU Legislative Proposals (1 Dec 2020)

Charlie McConalogue: As I pointed out in my previous contribution, the UK is looking for 80% of what EU fleets would fish in UK waters and to return access entirely to its own fleet. Our clear position has been that we want to maintain the quota stocks that are there and maintain access. That is the only guidance we have given on our objectives for the outcome of the negotiations. We are fighting hard in every...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Scrutiny of EU Legislative Proposals (1 Dec 2020)

Charlie McConalogue: I thank Deputy Kehoe and he is completely right that this is a crucial time for the sector that will have significant implications for many years ahead. Our priority has been to protect the fish stocks, quotas and allocations that we have. We want our fishermen to be able to continue to fish and for that not to be diminished. This has been our position in our engagements with Mr. Barnier...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Scrutiny of EU Legislative Proposals (1 Dec 2020)

Charlie McConalogue: We have to see first of all what is in the agreement. What the British are looking for in terms of access to waters and their demand, which has been commented upon publicly, to retain 80% of what the EU vessels would catch would have a very significant impact on our fishing fleet. The point that we have made at all times is that there is much more to the Brexit and future relationship...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Scrutiny of EU Legislative Proposals (1 Dec 2020)

Charlie McConalogue: We very much hope that the negotiations end with a deal in the next short period. It is certainly far from ideal that there is a lack of clarity and certainty regarding the outcome of negotiations. Hopefully, we will know by the time of the EU Council meeting what this will be. As I outlined to other members, the assessments we carried out were on the basis of the ICES scientific advice....

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Scrutiny of EU Legislative Proposals (1 Dec 2020)

Charlie McConalogue: I thank Deputy Kehoe. I fully recognise the importance of access to UK waters, particularly for fishermen on the south-east coast. We have been very cognisant of that at all times. A national position has been taken on the retention of quota share and access and this is an outcome that is essential for those fishermen. On the SFPA, I do not have those figures to hand. The SFPA operates...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Scrutiny of EU Legislative Proposals (1 Dec 2020)

Charlie McConalogue: On the fishing grounds, our priority is to retain quota share and access and ensure that, in the negotiations, fisheries are linked to other aspects of the free trade agreement. That is the leverage we want to use and we have outlined that it should be used at all times. Obviously in relation to the content of the negotiations at the moment, there has been public commentary suggesting 15% to...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Scrutiny of EU Legislative Proposals (1 Dec 2020)

Charlie McConalogue: Is the Deputy referring to the annual quota negotiations for next year?