Results 17,801-17,820 of 23,978 for speaker:Charlie McConalogue

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 will ask the question about the €52 million another way. There are 24,500 farmers in the beef data and genomics programme at the moment. We are agreed on that. What is the projected cost of paying those 24,500 farmers this 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 find it incongruous that we cannot be clear on this matter today, towards the end of March. We know 24,500 farmers are currently in the beef data and genomics programme. I am simply asking how much it will cost this very year, which we are a third of the way through, to pay these 24,500, and the Minister is not able to tell me.

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 it will cost €48 million, that means that within the current beef data and genomics programme this year, €52 million is budgeted, which means there is €4 million, potentially, in the current budget to work with. Therefore, if the Minister were to reopen significantly the beef data and genomics programme this year, particularly if he were to reopen it for the 10,000...

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: -----according to current projections of €4 million-----

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 not a myth to quote back to the Minister the Government's own promises as to how many participants will be in the scheme and how much will be spent on it. He chooses to regard-----

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: The Minister talks about myths. I am quoting back to him his predecessor’s commitments in respect of this programme and in respect of GLAS. They may have become myths at this stage but they certainly were not myths when the commitments were made. I will move on to the question of expenditure on the GLAS programme. GLAS III has reopened and 14,000 farmers have applied to it. This...

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 very disappointing to hear that. Our experience of GLAS payments for 2016 was that commitments were made that the farmers would be paid in December but this has not happened. That has rolled into this year. There are many farmers - up to 5,000 at the moment - in a very difficult position because of this. Regarding the Department's operation of the scheme and the learning of lessons...

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: Each of the 14,000 farmers who applied to participate GLAS III made the choice to apply and signed up to a plan, much of which they will carry out from 1 January this year until December in the expectation that they will be paid. If the Minister's choices mean that they will not receive the full payment this year, perhaps he might confirm what his choices were for the 14,000 who signed up in...

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: Does the Minister plan to communicate that information to them?

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 do not think we are. The Minister has made apologies and excuses in the past few months for the mess which has resulted in many farmers not being paid and it is clear that preparations were not made to ensure this would not happen. There is an expectation that if they are committing to a plan that will take up 12 months, they will be paid. If there is confusion about this, the onus is on...

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 not suggesting that at all.

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: The scheme will be of great benefit to the 14,000 farmers who have been accepted, but the Minister is saying he cannot be sure whether or how much they will be paid during the year. The budget is underfunded for the purposes of paying all of them this year. Can the Department do the figures and provide clarity on how much and when farmers will be paid? Can it then communicate this...

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: The Minister has said he made a choice to pay more than he had budgeted for.

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: No, certainly not, but there should be sufficient funds to pay them this 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: The Minister should communicate with farmers to tell them how much they will be paid in order that they will know where they stand.

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 welcome the animal welfare scheme for sheep. I think the Department has done a good job in terms of structuring the scheme and in the context of the measures that have been put in place. I think I am right in saying that it is now closed for applications. The total annual budget allocated for the scheme is €25 million. How much of that €25 million has been applied for?...

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: So, will €20 million be approximately-----

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: So €5 million of that €25 million would be spare.

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 have a very quick question. I see that €202 million has been allocated in respect of areas of natural constraint, ANC, payments. That is expected to increase by €25 million for next year. As it is relevant to the actual scheme, can the Minister provide an update on the mapping? I know that the structure for payment is going to be changed for 2018. What is the position...

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: On areas of specific constraint, in which up to 10% of the eligible landmass is to be included, will these be the subject of consultation with farmers in advance of the Department actually publishing any proposals?