Results 1,781-1,800 of 23,906 for speaker:Charlie McConalogue

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Departmental Reports (7 Mar 2024)

Charlie McConalogue: The review of the current management system , structures, staffing and skill set of the three Forestry divisions covers a wide range of areas in relation to licensing, sustainable forest management, forestry payments, forestry policy, both national and international, promotion, knowledge transfer and ancillary issues. A comprehensive review is being finalised and I expect that the final...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Renewable Energy Generation (7 Mar 2024)

Charlie McConalogue: A registered list of competent installers to carry out solar PV installations is maintained by my Department, as required under the terms and conditions of the Targeted Agriculture Modernisation Scheme. The latest version of this list is available on my Department’s website. The Declaration of Works Form, as outlined in Specification 198, which covers the minimum specifications...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Renewable Energy Generation (7 Mar 2024)

Charlie McConalogue: The safety of Solar PV systems, both at installation phase and for subsequent use by applicants to the Targeted Agriculture Modernisation Scheme (TAMS 3) is of paramount importance. My Department has introduced Specification 198 which outlines the minimum specification for the Installation of Solar PV Systems. All relevant electrical and structural standards are prescribed in this...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Departmental Licences (6 Mar 2024)

Charlie McConalogue: My Department considers all applications for aquaculture licences in accordance with the provisions of the Fisheries (Amendment) Act, 1997, the Foreshore Act, 1933(as amended) and applicable National and EU legislation. The licensing process is complex and involves consultation with a wide range of scientific and technical advisors, as well as various Statutory Consultees. The legislation...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forestry Sector (6 Mar 2024)

Charlie McConalogue: The €1.3 billion funded Forestry Programme 2023-2027 provides a range of schemes to support the establishment and management of forests in Ireland. Sustainably managed forests make a significant contribution to the rural economy and contribute to Irelands climate targets by removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere through sequestration and the storage of carbon in harvested wood...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Schemes (6 Mar 2024)

Charlie McConalogue: It is important to point out that taxation is a matter for the Minister of Finance and the Revenue Commissioners. The only funding scheme available to ash forest owners currently is the Reconstitution of Ash Dieback scheme. This scheme is a cost based scheme of grants for site clearance and re-planting and payments under this scheme would not, therefore, be considered income subject to...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Departmental Staff (6 Mar 2024)

Charlie McConalogue: My Department facilitates severance and redundancy payments in accordance with the Terms set out by the Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform. Details of severance and redundancy payments for former staff in my Department for the years 2018 to date are shown in the table below: Role in Department Description of Payment Year of Payment ...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forestry Sector (6 Mar 2024)

Charlie McConalogue: There are a variety of reasons that an application may be reduced in area from what was originally submitted. Applications are assessed for silvicultural suitability and to ensure they align to DAFM scheme standards. Through the assessment process my Department considers various environmental sensitivities which can require the exclusion of areas from applications to avoid negative effects...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Schemes (6 Mar 2024)

Charlie McConalogue: Organic Farming Scheme (OFS) payments commenced on 7th December 2023. To date, 96% of participants have been paid. The remaining 4% of cases with payments outstanding are a priority for my Department. Payments are issuing on a weekly basis, and it is expected that the majority of these will be paid in the next 4 weeks. The timing of ACRES payments has no impact on OFS payments.

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Schemes (6 Mar 2024)

Charlie McConalogue: I assume that the Deputy is referring to the assessment of certain commonage lands for payment under the Agri-Climate Rural Environment Scheme (ACRES). As turf cutting could potentially have a disproportionate impact on commonage scores, a protocol was put in place last year whereby the active turbary area plus a buffer zone of 100 metres was applied when delineating turbary field...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Departmental Staff (6 Mar 2024)

Charlie McConalogue: My Department facilitates severance and redundancy payments in accordance with the Terms set out by the Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform. Details of severance and redundancy payments for former staff in my Department for the years 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 and to date in 2024 are shown in the table below: Role in Department Description of...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Special Protection Areas (6 Mar 2024)

Charlie McConalogue: Following exceptional flooding in the Shannon Callows during summer 2023, on 7 November 2023, I announced the launch of the Shannon Callows Flood Scheme. The aim of the scheme is to support farmers who have lost fodder due to flooding in the region during summer 2023. I have allocated funding of approximately €800,000 which will allow for a payment rate of up to €325 per...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Horse Racing Industry (6 Mar 2024)

Charlie McConalogue: I propose to take Questions Nos. 153 and 154 together. A complaint was lodged with the EU Commission in March 2018 in relation to alleged unlawful state aid paid to Horse Sport Ireland (HSI) by my Department. Following communications between my Department and the Commission, it was agreed that a public procurement process would take place in 2022 in respect of certain services namely,...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Horse Racing Industry (6 Mar 2024)

Charlie McConalogue: The Irish Horse Board is a Co-operative Society operating under the aegis of Irish Co-operative Organisation Society (ICOS). Compliance with the Freedom of Information Act is a matter for the Irish Horse Board.

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Horse Racing Industry (6 Mar 2024)

Charlie McConalogue: The Irish Horse Board is a Co-operative Society operating under the aegis of Irish Co-operative Organisation Society (ICOS). The Irish Horse Board elections are carried out by the Irish Horse Board and are not a matter for my Department. The contract referred to was awarded to the Irish Horse Board following a competitive tendering process carried out by my Department in accordance with...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Horse Racing Industry (6 Mar 2024)

Charlie McConalogue: The equine marketing tender evaluation panel was chaired by a Principal Officer of my Department and included two external experts in the fields of equine advisory/research and equine marketing. The evaluation of the contracts took place on 3rd of May 2022. Two tenders were submitted. Tenderer A received 620 marks and Tenderer B received 631 marks out of a potential 1000 marks. The...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Horse Racing Industry (6 Mar 2024)

Charlie McConalogue: The contract referred to was awarded to the named organisation for the provision of Marketing Services to the sport horse sector. This was awarded following a competitive tendering process carried out by my Department in accordance with Public Procurement Guidelines.

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Horse Racing Industry (6 Mar 2024)

Charlie McConalogue: Following the resignation of the Directors of Horse Sport Ireland (HSI), including the Chairman, in the latter end of 2022, I moved quickly to appoint a number of interim Directors to the Board of HSI. Accordingly, On Thursday 17th November 2022, in consultation with Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media Catherine Martin TD and Minister of State for Sport and the...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Horse Racing Industry (6 Mar 2024)

Charlie McConalogue: A complaint was lodged with the EU Commission in March 2018 in relation to alleged unlawful state aid paid to an organisation by my Department. Following communications between my Department and the Commission, it was agreed that a public procurement process would take place in 2022 in respect of certain services previously provided by the organisation, including the provision of...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Horse Racing Industry (6 Mar 2024)

Charlie McConalogue: Horse Sport Ireland (HSI) is the national governing body for equestrian sport (there are more than 20 affiliate organisations) in Ireland. It is recognised by the Federation Equestre Internationale (FEI), the Irish Sports Council, the Olympic Council of Ireland and Sport Northern Ireland. It was established in 2007 on a 32 county basis when the Equestrian Federation of Ireland and the Irish...