Results 13,961-13,980 of 23,978 for speaker:Charlie McConalogue

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Diseases (15 Sep 2020)

Charlie McConalogue: Ongoing research over many years has identified the risk factors which can put animals and herds at higher risk for Bovine TB. Much of this research has been performed in Ireland, Northern Ireland and Britain with similar results emerging. The Centre for Veterinary Epidemiology and Research Analysis (CVERA) in UCD has been responsible for much of the research in Ireland but similar studies...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Diseases (15 Sep 2020)

Charlie McConalogue: The Bovine TB Forum is due to reconvene shortly and my Department will continue to engage in this round table effort to eradicate Bovine TB. The Bovine TB Forum Interim Report (July 2019) identified the need for effective information to be provided to farmers. It advocated for the development of herd risk categories that are “simple, clear, and convey sufficient information to enable...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Diseases (15 Sep 2020)

Charlie McConalogue: When cattle are slaughtered as reactors under the TB eradication programme, it is because they have tested positive for infection with TB. In the past 12 months, 20,993 cattle have been slaughtered as reactors under the TB eradication programme, as they are deemed to be infected with the TB disease agent. The test specificity is estimated at 99.98%, meaning the number of false positives to...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Areas of Natural Constraint Scheme (15 Sep 2020)

Charlie McConalogue: The information requested by the Deputy is currently being prepared and will be forwarded directly to the Deputy when it is available.

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Beef Environmental Efficiency Scheme (15 Sep 2020)

Charlie McConalogue: The objective of the Beef Environmental Efficiency Programme – Suckler is to further increase economic and environmental efficiency in the suckler herd through better quality data on herd performance, supporting decision making on farm and support of best practice in welfare management. The scheme opened on 12th March 2020 and the closing date for receipt of applications was 15thMay...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Common Agricultural Policy (15 Sep 2020)

Charlie McConalogue: The Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) is a vitally important European policy aimed at achieving a number of objectives, including the provision of a safe and secure food supply for EU citizens, supporting farmers' incomes while helping them to become more market-oriented, and addressing important challenges in the area of environmental sustainability. Despite much criticism, the CAP has...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Proposed Legislation (15 Sep 2020)

Charlie McConalogue: At its meeting of 27 July, the Government approved my 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 have subsequently published...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Food Industry (15 Sep 2020)

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: Seaweed Harvesting (15 Sep 2020)

Charlie McConalogue: The Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage has responsibility for the consent process under the Foreshore Act 1933 in relation to the harvesting of wild seaweed. I have no function in this matter.

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Teagasc Activities (15 Sep 2020)

Charlie McConalogue: Teagasc is a non-commercial state body established under Section 3 of the Agriculture (Research, Training and Advice) Act 1988, to perform the functions conferred on it by this Act in relation to the provision of research, advisory and training services to the agriculture and food sector. Its mission is to support science-based innovation in the agri-food sector and the broader bioeconomy...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Welfare (15 Sep 2020)

Charlie McConalogue: Bord na gCon 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. Bord na gCon (BnG) is a body corporate and a separate legal entity to the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine. My Department devotes considerable resources to protecting animal welfare and in dealing...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Greyhound Industry (15 Sep 2020)

Charlie McConalogue: Bord na gCon 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. Bord na gCon is a body corporate and a separate legal entity to the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine. The question raised by the Deputy is an operational matter for Bord na gCon and therefore the...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forestry Sector (15 Sep 2020)

Charlie McConalogue: There is a commitment under the Programme for Government to review the forestry appeals process to ensure that it is aligned with other comparable appeals processes. That is why a draft amendment to the Agriculture Appeals Act, 2001 is being introduced. The public consultation period for the draft Bill recently closed, with almost 9,000 submissions received. These submissions will inform...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Departmental Bodies (15 Sep 2020)

Charlie McConalogue: I plan to reconvene the TB Forum at the earliest opportunity. I am eager to work with stakeholders in developing a shared understanding of the steps necessary to reduce TB levels to the benefit of Irish farmers. The Forum was established in September 2018 and presented an interim report to Minister Creed in 2019. The report contains a suite of proposals designed to reduce TB which I...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Rural Development Plan (15 Sep 2020)

Charlie McConalogue: The need to design a long term vision for rural areas was underlined by EU Commission President Von der Leyen as one of her political priorities. The Vision aims to create a debate at European level on the future of rural areas and the place they should have in our society. The European Commission indicated its intention to work with rural stakeholders, and local and regional authorities...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Ministerial Meetings (15 Sep 2020)

Charlie McConalogue: I can confirm that I have had introductory meetings with the main farmer representative organisations, including the Irish Natura and Hill Farmers Association, on a range of key issues affecting the sector. I look forward to future constructive engagement with all of these groups.

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (15 Sep 2020)

Charlie McConalogue: My Department's €240 million European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF) Operational Programme is the vehicle for financial supports to the seafood sector for the period 2014 to 2020. The Programme delivers a wide range of supports for aquaculture, fisheries and seafood processing through a suite of 19 schemes. The Programme is co-funded by the Government of Ireland and the European...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Departmental Bodies (15 Sep 2020)

Charlie McConalogue: In 2005, the Minister set up a Celtic Sea Herring Management Advisory Committee (CSHMAC). The primary purpose of the CSHMAC is to provide advice to the Minister in relation to the management of the Celtic Sea Herring Stock and fishery within the policy framework set by the Minister. The Committee meets at relevant intervals during the year to discuss issues of concern to the fishery such as...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Fishing Industry (15 Sep 2020)

Charlie McConalogue: On 21 August, the EU Commission and the United States announced agreement on a package of tariff reductions on a range of products, including US live and frozen lobster products. The EU Commission prepares impact assessments of such agreements and proposed regulations. The EU Commission figures indicate that last year the EU27 imported €42 million of lobster products from the US (15%...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Fishing Industry (15 Sep 2020)

Charlie McConalogue: Under the UN Convention on Biological Diversity, the EU has committed to ensure the conservation of 10% of its coastal and marine areas by 2020. This objective is also reflected in UN Sustainable Development Goal 14 to conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development. The EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030 published on 20th May 2020 provides a...