Results 13,821-13,840 of 23,978 for speaker:Charlie McConalogue

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Covid-19 Pandemic (22 Sep 2020)

Charlie McConalogue: My Department is contributing to the whole-of-Government response to managing outbreaks of Covid -19 in food plants. In the context of Covid-19, human health must be the absolute priority for all of us, and therefore it is vitally important that all our decisions and actions led by public health advice. My Department’s statutory responsibility in relation to meat processing...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forestry Sector (22 Sep 2020)

Charlie McConalogue: In April 2018, my Department started a review of the national response to Ash Dieback Disease as it was increasingly evident from experience and the latest scientific advice that eradication of Ash Dieback disease was no longer feasible. This included a stakeholder and public consultation period, detailed field consideration of damage level evaluation together with a broader range of...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Farm Retirement Scheme (22 Sep 2020)

Charlie McConalogue: In recent years, the priority of my Department has shifted to the encouragement of generational change for farmers by assisting the development of our young farmers. There is a range of supports in place including specific agri-taxation measures to incentivise this generational change. The agri-taxation measures specifically aimed at young farmers include 100% stock relief on income tax for...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Scheme Data (22 Sep 2020)

Charlie McConalogue: In accordance with EU Regulation 1306/2013, my Department is obliged to ensure annual ex-post publication of all of the beneficiaries of CAP funding, both legal and non-legal persons. The database was published on 29thMay this year and is available on the Department’s website. I attach herewith a copy of the requested data, all of which can be sourced on the afore-mentioned database....

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Inshore Fisheries (22 Sep 2020)

Charlie McConalogue: Like many elements of Irish seafood, the lobster fishery relies on a healthy export market. BIM’s Business of Irish Seafood report, which is available online, values Irish lobster exports in 2019 at €15m and quantifies landings of 100 tonnes by the Irish Fishing Fleet in 2019. Lobster is a particularly important species for the inshore fishing fleet and is fished...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Inshore Fisheries (22 Sep 2020)

Charlie McConalogue: The Deputy should be aware that China, as a third country, outside of the European Union, sets its own health standards for incoming food products and notifies the WTO of the standards in place. I understand that the Chinese authorities have recently launched a consultation on the health standards that will apply for crab as a food product and my Department is actively examining what the...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Environmental Policy (22 Sep 2020)

Charlie McConalogue: Teagasc considered bioenergy production including anaerobic digestion and biogas as part of its MACC report published in 2018 (see link below). There is currently research underway in Teagasc to optimise the biomass production for feed stocks that meet the sustainability criteria of the Renewable Energy Directive. In addition, Teagasc, in collaboration with NUI Galway, are also carrying out...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Environmental Policy (22 Sep 2020)

Charlie McConalogue: My Department recognises the potential environmental benefits of using Anaernobic Digestion (AD), including climate mitigation, water quality and air quality. The AD industry in Ireland is at an early stage of development compared to the more established industry in many European countries. Potential for the growth of the AD sector in Ireland is strong but it should be seen as a long...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Environmental Policy (22 Sep 2020)

Charlie McConalogue: I propose to take Questions Nos. 894 and 895 together. Indigenous renewable energy plays a vital role in our domestic fuel mix and will become even more important in the context of reducing our reliance on imported fuels and in meeting our challenging renewable energy targets for 2020 and 2030 and decarbonising our energy systems by 2050. My Department is committed to working...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Welfare (22 Sep 2020)

Charlie McConalogue: The Programme for Government commits the Government to “provide additional resources to monitor welfare standards, by increasing the veterinary presence available on all live export consignments to third countries”. You can be assured that my officials will be working on the implementation of this commitment on an ongoing basis. My Department continues to evaluate and modify...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Welfare (22 Sep 2020)

Charlie McConalogue: The export of animals is a critical part of Ireland’s livestock industry. It plays a significant role in stimulating price competition and providing an alternative market outlet for farmers. My Department facilitates this trade, recognising its critical importance to the agri-sector, while ensuring that live animal exports meet the highest welfare standards. In 2019, the combined...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forestry Sector (22 Sep 2020)

Charlie McConalogue: The Afforestation Grant and Premium Scheme offers a fixed grant towards the costs, subject to the maximum laid down in the Scheme’s terms and conditions. In addition, annual premiums are payable on new forests that qualify for an afforestation grant for a maximum period of 15 years. The Scheme offers 12 different grant and premiums categories (GPC) based on different species...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Welfare (22 Sep 2020)

Charlie McConalogue: My Department is aware of the issue in relation to the certificates of approval of the vessels in question, which was an administrative matter and did not impact on the welfare of animals. The issue was resolved in April 2020. The Department has now updated the procedure for issuing certificates of approval for the dedicated livestock vessels. Article 1(3) of Council Regulation 1/2005...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Horticulture Sector (17 Sep 2020)

Charlie McConalogue: I am fully aware of the effects caused by recent challenging weather conditions and its impact on the agri sector generally including the specialised nursery sector. This is most regrettable as many of the affected growers were facing very strong market demand for their produce after a number of challenging years.  The Scheme of Investment Aid for the Development...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forestry Sector (17 Sep 2020)

Charlie McConalogue: There are currently 147 staff working across the Department's three Forestry Divisions.   There staff are a combination of forestry inspectors, ecologists, archeologists and administrative staff.   I wish to inform the Deputy that the Agriculture Appeals Office is a separate independent Office providing an appeals service for agriculture schemes of the Department of...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Departmental Staff (17 Sep 2020)

Charlie McConalogue: There are currently 14 full-time equivalent ecologists working on forestry licensing applications for the Department. These are a combination of permanent ecologists employed directly by the Department and ecologists contracted in from outside  This is a very significant increase in ecology resources and a heavy investment by my Department in response to current...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forestry Sector (17 Sep 2020)

Charlie McConalogue: The Mackinnon Review, which was carried out by Mr. James Mackinnon, CBE former Chief Planner with the Scottish Government, reviewed the forestry approval process and related issues in Ireland.  This was similar to an exercise that Mr. Mackinnon had previously conducted for the Scottish authorities.  The Review was published at the end of last year and presented...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Proposed Legislation (17 Sep 2020)

Charlie McConalogue: At its meeting of 27 July, Government approved a Memorandum seeking approval to draft an urgent amendment to the Agriculture Appeals Act, 2001 along the lines of the Heads of Bill presented. This will reform the forestry appeals process by bringing it into line with similar planning processes and is one of the commitments in the Programme for Government. I published the draft Bill...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forestry Sector (17 Sep 2020)

Charlie McConalogue: I propose to take Questions Nos. 224 and 229 together. I recognise the difficulties that the delays to forestry licensing and forestry appeals are causing. The Government is committed to improvements to the licensing and appeals system as set out in the Programme for Government. It is very clear that the current system needs to be improved so that it can operate more efficiently. ...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Areas of Natural Constraint Scheme (17 Sep 2020)

Charlie McConalogue: The review of eligibility under the ANC scheme was completed in time for payments under the 2019 Scheme.  The detail of the review process was agreed in advance with the EU Commission and it was implemented to address inconsistencies across Member States in the previous designation process. An independent appeals process was put in place for farmers who...