Results 17,761-17,780 of 23,978 for speaker:Charlie McConalogue

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Food Safety Standards (23 Mar 2017)

Charlie McConalogue: 183. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the steps being taken to protect European consumers on foot of reports of Brazilian beef exports containing contaminated meat; the contingencies in place to ensure any such meat does not enter the EU food chain; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14742/17]

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Beef Imports (23 Mar 2017)

Charlie McConalogue: 184. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the annual volume of Brazilian beef imported into the EU over the 2014 to 2016 period based on latest data; the total amount of Brazilian beef imported into the EU as a percentage of total beef consumed in the EU in this period; the current annual quota of Brazilian beef permitted into the EU; and if he will make a statement on the...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Beef Imports (23 Mar 2017)

Charlie McConalogue: 185. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the annual volume of Brazilian beef imported here over the 2014 to 2016 period based on latest data; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14744/17]

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: TAMS Eligibility (23 Mar 2017)

Charlie McConalogue: 186. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason the new tillage TAMS scheme sets down criteria that persons must have a minimum of 15 hectares of eligible crops declared under the basic payment scheme or equivalent in the year of application or previous year; if this will prevent small tillage farmers from joining the scheme; and if he will make a statement on the...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Tourism Promotion (22 Mar 2017)

Charlie McConalogue: 37. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his plans to allocate a specific marketing budget to Fáilte Ireland to promote County Donegal specifically, further to the county being nominated by a magazine (details supplied) as the coolest place on the planet to visit in 2017; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14073/17]

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Tourism Promotion (22 Mar 2017)

Charlie McConalogue: 52. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will liaise with Fáilte Ireland to ensure that there is a marketing budget put in place to promote County Donegal, further to the county being nominated by a magazine (details supplied) as the coolest place on the planet to visit in 2017; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14072/17]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools Scheme (22 Mar 2017)

Charlie McConalogue: 133. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the details in relation to a proposed DEIS review scheme; the way in which schools can apply to review; when is the closing date for applying to the review; when the review will be complete; if a school (details supplied) will be considered in this review process; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14311/17]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation Provision (22 Mar 2017)

Charlie McConalogue: 150. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the status in relation to a school (details supplied) which has applied for additional accommodation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14537/17]

Written Answers — Department of Health: Medical Card Applications (22 Mar 2017)

Charlie McConalogue: 220. To ask the Minister for Health when a decision will be made on a medical card application for a person (details supplied) in County Donegal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14467/17]

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: GLAS Applications (22 Mar 2017)

Charlie McConalogue: 247. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when a decision will be made on a GLAS application by a farmer (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14403/17]

Select Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Estimates for Public Services 2017
Vote 30 - Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (Revised) (21 Mar 2017)

Charlie McConalogue: My understanding of the SBCI loans, was that it was a €25 million loan per annum that was scheduled in such a way that it would recur every year for up to six years. Obviously there was some European money put into the scheme as well as State funding. It was leveraged by taking in additional funds from the SBCI. The overall objective is that loans would be available every year...

Select Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Estimates for Public Services 2017
Vote 30 - Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (Revised) (21 Mar 2017)

Charlie McConalogue: I want to come back to the Minister for further clarification on the point I made. Am I right in saying that the €150 million has been lent out?

Select Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Estimates for Public Services 2017
Vote 30 - Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (Revised) (21 Mar 2017)

Charlie McConalogue: By and large, the €150 million is committed at this stage. The idea of the €25 million, which is part State-funded and part EU-funded, was that it would ensure that overall pot of €150 million over six years and it provided the basis on which the lower interest rate could be had from the banks. When the SBCI loan was announced at €150 million, my expectation was...

Select Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Estimates for Public Services 2017
Vote 30 - Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (Revised) (21 Mar 2017)

Charlie McConalogue: Yes.

Select Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Estimates for Public Services 2017
Vote 30 - Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (Revised) (21 Mar 2017)

Charlie McConalogue: I am still not clear on the structure of the scheme and would like the Minister to explain how the fact that short-term loans are being offered does not mean that the fund is being under-utilised.

Select Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Estimates for Public Services 2017
Vote 30 - Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (Revised) (21 Mar 2017)

Charlie McConalogue: It is a good scheme and I hope it will help drive down the interest rates in the market. There will be lessons to be learned from it and engaging with the banks will be important. The Minister, however, could give more clarity in response to my question. The Department, with the SBCI and the banks, structured and put this scheme together. The perception at the outset was that it would...

Select Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Estimates for Public Services 2017
Vote 30 - Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (Revised) (21 Mar 2017)

Charlie McConalogue: If a significant proportion of it – and we do not yet know the proportion – is one year or two year terms, part of it will not have been used. The only way that would not have been utilised is if the Department, working with the banks and the SBCI, had factored into its figures the fact that a proportion of these loans would be for a one, two or three year term. Did the...

Select Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Estimates for Public Services 2017
Vote 30 - Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (Revised) (21 Mar 2017)

Charlie McConalogue: Did the Department factor in that a proportion of the loans might be one, two or three year terms and how did it do that?

Select Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Estimates for Public Services 2017
Vote 30 - Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (Revised) (21 Mar 2017)

Charlie McConalogue: I know we will not be sure until we get the final information but I want to clarify the drawdown of the loan maximising the €25 million being invested by the EU and the State? The answer is yes or no in respect of how the Department structured it. If it did not provide for a certain percentage being one, two or three year terms I put it to the Minister that much of that value is...

Select Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Estimates for Public Services 2017
Vote 30 - Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (Revised) (21 Mar 2017)

Charlie McConalogue: I put it to the Minister that if he was handing over €25 million to the banks for that purpose and he was not clear on the percentage of loans that would have different terms, then it was wide open for the banks to get the better end of the bargain and make as much money as possible. To play devil's advocate, if all the loans were to be handed out over two years, in two years' time...