Results 17,821-17,840 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: Obviously, the classification will be based on biophysical criteria. That will be done in terms of testing, etc. The part in which there is more flexibility is the 10% specific constraint. Any proposals the Minister might have for the specific constraint would not have to be published alongside the maps outlining the results of the biophysical criteria outcomes and assessments. Is 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 have one final question on that. There are three categories within the standard ANC payment. Then there are the islands. What is the capacity for bands within any new system? Would it be a flat-rate payment or is there capacity for bands-----

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: Is there flexibility whereby there could be more bands or would it have to stick to the existing three tiers?

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: Would the Minister have the discretion to vary the payments within those three tiers-----

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 just wish to make a point about the whole concept behind ANC, which is that it is a payment for farming land depending on how difficult that land is to farm. It is particularly dependent on the natural constraint relating to the relevant land. It is crucial that there is fairness brought to the system as part of this review in order that for those farming poor land, hill land and much...

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 would like to ask a question about Bord Bia. Earlier in this meeting, the Minister and I contested a point regarding the targets and the Government commitments for the beef data and genomics programme. When the Minister, Deputy Coveney, issued a press statement announcing the establishment of the programme in May 2015, he committed to provide €300 million to assist 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: That is where it came from.

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 did not get the figures wrong.

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 the Minister to know where I was coming from when I mentioned the figure in question. The feedback from industry representatives and Bord Bia officials who attended a meeting of this committee was that additional resources are needed because the current level of resources is insufficient. I agree with the Minister that the quality people who work in this area carry out their role...

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: Deputy Cahill spoke about Teagasc training places. Has the budget been reduced 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: It is for Teagasc agricultural training and education.

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 give an example from the north-west area. More than 500 farmers from Donegal, Sligo and Leitrim are waiting to do the part-time green cert course. There might be some duplication on that waiting list because some of them may have also applied for some of the full-time agricultural colleges. That is a massive number. The part-time green cert course takes two and a half years from...

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: Obviously Brexit offers a stark challenge on seafood regarding access to British waters. Are resources being allocated to help to address that? I ask the Minister to comment on the Department’s preparations for that challenge.

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 question on the review of the mackerel quota. I know that it is not directly related to the figures but I ask the Minister to update us on the status of that review. I would also make the point, in terms of the concept, that Killybegs vessels in particular have built up a mackerel quota over many years and the review has the potential to take that from them and reallocate it....

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 general question on tillage and the need for a crisis fund for tillage farmers, as discussed during a Private Member's debate in the Dáil. I ask the Minister for an update on that. Is there capacity in these Estimates to cater for such a fund?

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 emphasise the importance of progressing this in light of the season that it is in it and the fact that time is moving 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: In terms of the background, I make the point that we are talking about a crisis fund. Many farmers have been affected by it and are now in a difficult position. I would prefer if the process and the audit were agreed to with the farming organisations. The Minister's approach of taking one's place in the queue is unacceptable. Given the nature of the crisis and the fact that many farmers...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: National Broadband Plan Implementation (21 Mar 2017)

Charlie McConalogue: 52. To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the status of the current projected commencement date and completion date for the national broadband plan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13042/17]

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: National Broadband Plan Implementation (21 Mar 2017)

Charlie McConalogue: 65. To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources when he first announced plans to introduce the awaited national broadband plan; the dates on which various Ministers held press conferences to publicise it; the expectedc ommencement and completion dates given at each of these press conferences; the current projected commencement date and completion date; and if he will...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Cross-Border Training Initiatives (21 Mar 2017)

Charlie McConalogue: 86. To ask the Taoiseach the number of persons that travel from here to Northern Ireland in tabular form; and the number of persons that travelled from Northern Ireland to here to work in 2015 and 2016. [12866/17]