Results 201-220 of 22,558 for speaker:Charlie McConalogue

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Schemes (16 Apr 2024)

Charlie McConalogue: The Sheep Improvement Scheme is funded under Ireland’s CAP Strategic Plan. It provides support to sheep farmers for carrying out actions that improve animal health and welfare in the sheep sector and builds on the progress made by the Sheep Welfare Scheme (SWS), which has now come to an end. My Department issued the first advance payments at a rate of 85% under the Sheep...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Welfare (16 Apr 2024)

Charlie McConalogue: Neglect of or causing unnecessary suffering to animals is not acceptable in our society. My Department is committed to a policy of vigorously applying animal welfare standards, in a fair and even-handed manner and continues to enforce the law in this important area, as does An Garda Síochána, the Customs service, the Irish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and the...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Harbours and Piers (16 Apr 2024)

Charlie McConalogue: In February this year I had the privilege of visiting Castletownbere Fishery Harbour Centre which is one of the six state owned Fishery Harbour Centres to officially open the Dinish Wharf Extension and Breakwater. This major capital project was funded by my Department through the Fishery Harbour and Coastal Infrastructure Development Programme with part-funding from the European Maritime and...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Departmental Staff (16 Apr 2024)

Charlie McConalogue: My Department is committed to ensuring that a skilled and motivated workforce is in place to meet its business needs and utilises workforce planning to identify and address these requirements for all our locations. I am conscious of the need for a prompt and efficient delivery of services and, to that end, all critical staffing vacancies are considered in line with workforce planning...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Schemes (16 Apr 2024)

Charlie McConalogue: The Sheep Improvement Scheme is funded under Ireland’s CAP Strategic Plan. It provides support to sheep farmers for carrying out actions that improve animal health and welfare in the sheep sector, and builds on the progress made by the previous Sheep Welfare Scheme (SWS). My Department issued the first advance payments at a rate of 85% under the Sheep Improvement Scheme in November...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Industry (16 Apr 2024)

Charlie McConalogue: I have long supported the cohort of farmers known as the forgotten farmers and have committed to supporting them. My Department developed a preliminary outline of a proposal to provide support to the forgotten farmer group. Work continues on addressing a number of issues, such as the funding required, consistency with public expenditure and state aid considerations before the details...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Marine Protected Areas (16 Apr 2024)

Charlie McConalogue: The Our Ocean series of conferences is a forum for dialogue on all aspects of marine governance, encompassing not just fisheries but also areas such as climate change, maritime security, Marine Protected Areas, marine pollution and the sustainable Blue Economy. The Department of Foreign Affairs is co-ordinating Ireland's engagement with this Conference.

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Schemes (16 Apr 2024)

Charlie McConalogue: I am extremely conscious of the pressure on farmers currently as a result of continuing and exceptional adverse weather conditions. As an initial response I re-convened the National Fodder and Food Security Committee to establish the most up to date facts regarding the fodder and feed situation on farms and to provide advice to assist farmers through this challenging period. I have also asked...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forestry Sector (16 Apr 2024)

Charlie McConalogue: I propose to take Questions Nos. 558 and 559 together. My Department has a policy goal of incentivising small-scale tree planting and changes introduced as part of the Animal Health and Welfare and Forestry (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2022, facilitate small scale planting of native tree areas without the need to first obtain an afforestation licence. This exemption allows forests to be...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Schemes (16 Apr 2024)

Charlie McConalogue: The Sheep Improvement Scheme complements some of the elements provided for in the Sheep Welfare Scheme, by providing increased support, while also building on other actions beneficial to sheep health and welfare, including the targeted application of genomic technologies in the sheep sector. The Terms and Conditions of the Sheep Improvement scheme require participants to submit a Sheep...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forestry Sector (16 Apr 2024)

Charlie McConalogue: The increased use of timber has an important role to play in decarbonising our built environment. Materials such as cross laminated timber (CLT) are used to construct buildings and demand is growing globally. My Department has provided funding to research the use of engineered wood products such as CLT and there are opportunities to increase the use of such materials in the buildings we...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Greyhound Industry (16 Apr 2024)

Charlie McConalogue: Rásaíocht Con éireann (RCé) 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. RCé is a body corporate and a separate legal entity to the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine. The report referred to by the Deputy was commissioned by...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Schemes (16 Apr 2024)

Charlie McConalogue: The National Sheep Welfare Scheme opened for applications on 8 April 2024 and remains open until 23.59 on 21 May 2024 before a further 25 day late application period, albeit with late penalties. This €15 million sheep scheme will pay €8 per breeding ewe and will be addition to payments farmers may be eligible for under the Sheep Improvement Scheme where they are participating in...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Industry (16 Apr 2024)

Charlie McConalogue: I am very aware of the challenges facing inshore fishers at the moment. I met with representatives of the sector on the 28th November 2023 and will be meeting them again in the coming weeks. Officials from my Department, along with BIM officials are also regularly in contact with representatives of the sector. A range of supports have been put in place for the inshore fleet over recent...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Schemes (11 Apr 2024)

Charlie McConalogue: The 2024 Scheme of Investment Aid for the Development of the Commercial Horticulture Sector opened for applications on 08 November 2023 and closed on 10 January 2024. The Scheme which has a budget of €10 million in 2024 is intended to assist in the development of the horticulture sector, including beekeeping, by grant aiding capital investments in specialised plant and equipment. All...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forestry Sector (11 Apr 2024)

Charlie McConalogue: Ireland's existing forest estate is an important and expanding supply of timber for the construction sector with significant amounts of timber exported to the UK and abroad. The recent COFORD "All Island Roundwood Production Forecast" predicts that the annual potential supply of roundwood timber will increase from around 5.6 million in 2023 to 7.9 million cubic metres by 2025. This supply of...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Schemes (11 Apr 2024)

Charlie McConalogue: Both the Organic Farming Scheme (OFS) and ACRES terms and conditions advise that farmers may participate in both schemes, but for certain actions payment will be foregone in OFS in order to avoid double funding. As per the ACRES terms and conditions: “Organic Farmers can apply for the ACRES General approach under Tier 1 provided they are registered with, and approved as, an organic...

Future Ireland Fund and Infrastructure, Climate and Nature Fund Bill 2024: Second Stage (10 Apr 2024)

Charlie McConalogue: I thank the Deputies who contributed to this debate for their constructive engagement on what is important and far-seeing legislation. I am certain my colleague, the Minister, Deputy McGrath, looks forward to engaging with Deputies further on Committee and Report Stages on the issues which have been raised this evening. As the Minister stated during the significant amount of time he was...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forestry Sector (10 Apr 2024)

Charlie McConalogue: The forest owner number supplied does not correspond to the felling licence application number supplied. However the felling licence application referred to, this felling application was approved in 2021.

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Horse Racing Industry (10 Apr 2024)

Charlie McConalogue: Horse Racing Ireland (HRI) is a commercial state body established under the Horse and Greyhound Racing Act, 2001, and is responsible for the overall administration, promotion and development of the horse racing industry. The Irish Horse Racing Regulatory Board (IHRB) is the regulatory body for horse racing in Ireland. The role of the body as the regulator of horse racing is provided for...