Results 13,121-13,140 of 23,976 for speaker:Charlie McConalogue

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Food Industry (26 Nov 2020)

Charlie McConalogue: Following a Geographical Indications conference arranged by my Department in early 2019, it was decided that an application to have an Irish beef product registered as a PGI (Protected Geographical Indication) should be submitted to the European Commission. The conference was attended by the EU Commission officials as well as farming and industry stakeholders. From that time, Bord Bia...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Food Industry (26 Nov 2020)

Charlie McConalogue: My Department, as the Competent Authority for food and spirit drink Geographical Indications (GIs), scrutinises all applications received under the EU GI Quality Schemes to check for manifest errors and also to ensure that the application conforms to the requirements of the EU Regulations. As the Competent Authority, my Department must also be satisfied, in submitting a PGI application...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Schemes (26 Nov 2020)

Charlie McConalogue: The herd number for the persons name has been amended to include a second name. To ensure compliance by both participants with the requirements of the programme, a Declaration of Undertaking signed by both participants was required for the BDGP. This was received on 18 November 2020, and has now been processed. Outstanding payments under BDGP will issue shortly. Payments in respect of...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Livestock Issues (26 Nov 2020)

Charlie McConalogue: My Department officials have made great progress in addressing problem of unregistered cattle in this herd. The results of DNA tests have been returned for a number of animals and, as a result, a number of animals have been registered. My officials are still awaiting on some DNA results to be finalised and, once known, the relevant registrations will may be completed. When these...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Food Wise 2025 Strategy (26 Nov 2020)

Charlie McConalogue: The agri-food sector has been well served over the last 20 years by having a series of stakeholder strategies to guide its development. The first of these strategies was published in 2000. All of the strategies have had a ten-year horizon, revisited every five years: - Agri Food 2010 was published in 2000 - Agri Vision 2015 was published in 2005 - Food Harvest 2020 was published in 2010 -...

Greyhound Industry: Motion [Private Members] (25 Nov 2020)

Charlie McConalogue: I thank all the Deputies who contributed to the debate. There is a range of factors that justify continued Government support for the greyhound sector. The programme for Government contains a strong commitment to ensuring that there is a continued improvement in animal welfare within the industry. Future funding of the sector is contingent, on an annual basis, on welfare standards being...

Seanad: Horse and Greyhound Racing Fund Regulations 2020: Motion (25 Nov 2020)

Charlie McConalogue: I am glad to be here today to discuss this issue. An important pillar of Government policy is to ensure the horse and greyhound racing industries have achieved their maximum potential and, in doing so, contribute to economic and social development across a wide geographic swathe of the country. Those industries make a valuable contribution to our economy. It is estimated the thoroughbred...

Seanad: Horse and Greyhound Racing Fund Regulations 2020: Motion (25 Nov 2020)

Charlie McConalogue: I thank everybody who contributed to the debate in the House this afternoon. It was important to have the debate and to provide oversight of the spending of the horse and greyhound fund. Between yesterday and next Tuesday I will have appeared on four occasions in one week in the Houses of the Oireachtas to discuss the horse and greyhound fund. Senator Ruane mentioned earlier that it would...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Covid-19 Pandemic (25 Nov 2020)

Charlie McConalogue: My Department participated in a National Outbreak Control Team (NOCT), convened by the Health Services Executive (HSE) to oversee the investigation of COVID-19 in Meat Processing Plants (MPPs) and agreed to co-ordinate further studies of factors that might have contributed to within-plant transmission of COVID-19 – focusing on operational and environmental factors in affected meat...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Covid-19 Pandemic (25 Nov 2020)

Charlie McConalogue: My Department participated in a National Outbreak Control Team (NOCT), convened by the Health Services Executive (HSE) to oversee the investigation of COVID-19 in Meat Processing Plants (MPPs) and agreed to co-ordinate further studies of factors that might have contributed to within-plant transmission of COVID-19 – focusing on operational and environmental factors in affected meat...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Fur Farming (25 Nov 2020)

Charlie McConalogue: The Programme for Government 2020 contains a clear commitment regarding the prohibition of fur farming and officials from my Department are currently engaged in advancing the necessary legislative and related preparatory work to facilitate the achievement of this objective, and will be seeking Government authority at an early date. Officials from my Department have also been in discussions...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Fur Farming (25 Nov 2020)

Charlie McConalogue: The Programme for Government 2020 contains a clear commitment regarding the prohibition of fur farming and officials from my Department are currently advancing legal and other preparatory steps necessary to facilitate the achievement of this objective, with a view to seeking Government authority at an early date. The Chief Veterinary Officer within my Department received a communication...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Trade Missions (25 Nov 2020)

Charlie McConalogue: Gaining third country market access and opening trading opportunities around the world for Irish exports have long been integral to my Department’s strategic approach to the development of the agri-food sector. This is particularly important as we deal with the challenges presented by Brexit and the COVID-19 pandemic. Trade missions have become an integral part of this strategy,...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Schemes (25 Nov 2020)

Charlie McConalogue: The On-farm Market Valuation Scheme is the principal compensation scheme available to farmers who suffer a bovine TB breakdown. Under this scheme, applications for compensation on the basis of a live valuation are issued to all farmers who suffer a breakdown with the exception of those whose animals are discovered to have TB lesions at the time of slaughter. Live valuations are carried out by...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Public Procurement Contracts (25 Nov 2020)

Charlie McConalogue: My Department ensures that there is an appropriate focus on good practice in procurement and that procedures are in place to ensure compliance with relevant guidelines and legislation. Social clauses cover a broad range of considerations and include for example labour standards, training for young people and environmental sustainability. EU and national rules promote an open,...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Departmental Bodies (25 Nov 2020)

Charlie McConalogue: I have recently established a new Forestry Policy Group to help inform forest policy development in Ireland. The group is due to have its first meeting this week. I expect the group to work together to contribute to the development of current and future forestry policy and to help in delivering on the ambitious objectives of the Programme for Government. I have considered very carefully...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Schemes (25 Nov 2020)

Charlie McConalogue: New Entrant to Farming is one of the two priority categories supported under the National Reserve. Part of the eligibility requirements under the new entrant category of the National Reserve is that the applicant must have commenced the present agricultural activity in the two calendar years prior to the year of application under the scheme. Additionally, the applicant is required to not...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Beef Industry (25 Nov 2020)

Charlie McConalogue: As the Deputy is aware, the draft application by Bord Bia for a PGI for Irish Grass Fed Beef was agreed in principle by stakeholders at the last meeting of the Beef Task Force on 22 October. My Department is currently completing the necessary steps to finalise the application for submission to the European Commission, and I hope that this will happen shortly. These steps include the...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Beef Industry (25 Nov 2020)

Charlie McConalogue: As the Deputy is aware, the draft application by Bord Bia for a PGI for Irish Grass Fed Beef was agreed in principle by stakeholders at the last meeting of the Beef Task Force on 22 October. My Department is currently completing the necessary steps to finalise the application for submission to the European Commission, and I hope that this will happen shortly. As the Competent Authority,...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Departmental Reports (25 Nov 2020)

Charlie McConalogue: My Department, through our agency Teagasc, conducted research under the 'SQUARE' research project on the extent of soil compaction in grassland soils across a range of different soil and drainage types. In this research 40 grassland field-sites were assessed from across Ireland and within this a range of permanent pastures and improved grassland. Due to increased organic matter, and the...