Results 141-160 of 16,627 for speaker:Charlie McConalogue in 'Written Answers'

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Departmental Correspondence (25 Apr 2024)

Charlie McConalogue: A large volume of correspondence has been received from the group in question and has been responded to. Apologies that your email of March 8th, which was one of a number on the same topic, was not individually replied to. Staff from my Department have been actively engaged in seeking to help resolve aspects of the matters raised. Staff from Castlebar Regional Veterinary Office (RVO) met...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Beef Sector (25 Apr 2024)

Charlie McConalogue: I recognise that value and importance of the beef herd for the agri-food industry and will continue my policy of providing targeted supports to improve the viability and sustainability of primary beef production. According to the CSO, there were 818,600 beef cows in the country in December 2023 and the end-year figure has averaged 890,000 head over the past five years. While there has...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Tillage Sector (25 Apr 2024)

Charlie McConalogue: The competitiveness of Irish cereal production compares very favourably to other EU countries. However, tillage farmers had a difficult year in 2023 due to high input prices, reduced output prices and adverse weather that affected yields. Wet weather has continued into this year which has impacted on the sowing of both winter and spring crops. A vibrant and sustainable tillage sector is...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Industry (25 Apr 2024)

Charlie McConalogue: As in other meat sectors, global trade conditions will be crucial in determining the outlook for the Irish poultry sector over the medium to longer term. Poultry meat has seen an increase in demand in recent years and the price has remained constant in 2023, averaging around €249.26 /100 Kgs in 2023, 3.93% higher than the average price achieved in 2022. This trend has continued into...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Industry (25 Apr 2024)

Charlie McConalogue: My Department monitors information on farms and the wider agri-food sector, in collaboration with Teagasc and the Central Statistics Office (CSO), on an ongoing basis. This includes monitoring agricultural input and output prices. The CSO publish monthly Agricultural Output and Input Price Indices. These indices monitor trends in prices paid to farmers for their produce and prices paid by...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Industry (25 Apr 2024)

Charlie McConalogue: The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine has several policies and strategies in place to ensure agriculture plays its role in meeting the national climate targets by 2030 and 2050, while continuing to sustainably produce food and feed. Indeed, the Food Vision 2030 Strategy sets out a pathway for Ireland to become a world leader in Sustainable Food Systems over the next decade. ...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Industry (25 Apr 2024)

Charlie McConalogue: This Government has prioritised farm safety, health and wellbeing. Dedicated funding of €2.5m was allocated in Budget 2024 for a range of initiatives including initiatives to support increased awareness of the importance of mental health among farmers. My Department, along with the HSE and the Department of Health, is co-funding a farmers physical and mental health awareness...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Supports (25 Apr 2024)

Charlie McConalogue: Farmers have experienced above average rainfall in all parts of the country from late summer 2023 until very recently. This has led to delays in planned spring sowings and later than normal turnout of livestock in many parts of the country. The wet weather last autumn has resulted in lower sowings of winter crops and farmers housing livestock much earlier than planned, which in turn has...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Departmental Data (25 Apr 2024)

Charlie McConalogue: My Department continually monitors the levels of employment in the agriculture and wider agri-food sector. Employment figures are primarily sourced from the Central Statistics Office's (CSO) quarterly Labour Force Survey. Quarterly data is available to the end of 2023 currently. Looking at trends over the period 2019 to 2023, employment in the overall agri-food sector has grown by...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Fishing Industry (25 Apr 2024)

Charlie McConalogue: I can assure the Deputy that my Department constantly monitors the needs of the fisheries sector. Along with regularly meeting representatives of the sector, holding formal consultations and attending public forums, we monitor developments in key economic indicators. I recently met with representatives of the inshore fishing sector to discuss the challenges being experienced presently and...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Diseases (25 Apr 2024)

Charlie McConalogue: Bovine tuberculosis (bTB) is a challenging disease to control and eradicate. I am committed to making real progress in eradicating TB because I am acutely aware of the emotional and financial trauma associated with a TB breakdown for farmers. As of 21st April 2024, on a 12-month rolling basis herd incidence is 5.06% compared to 4.45% at the same time in 2023. In the past 12 months 5,180 TB...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forestry Sector (25 Apr 2024)

Charlie McConalogue: My Department published a Forestry Licencing Plan in December 2023 which outlines our strong commitment to issuing licences in 2024. The Plan provides for annual targets for the issuing of licences. We are working towards the priorities outlined in the Plan. My Department estimates that we will issue 4,200 new forestry licences of all types in 2024. This is made up of 1,000 afforestation...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Farm Costs (25 Apr 2024)

Charlie McConalogue: My Department monitors information on farms and the wider agri-food sector, in collaboration with Teagasc and the Central Statistics Office (CSO), on an ongoing basis. The CSO publish monthly Agricultural Output and Input Price Indices. These indices monitor trends in prices paid to farmers for their produce and in prices paid by farmers for purchases of goods and services. Fertiliser...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Dairy Sector (25 Apr 2024)

Charlie McConalogue: According to Central Statistics Office statistics, there have been only very slight fluctuations in the volume of dairy imports into the country in recent years and there is nothing of noticeable concern. For example the latest CSO statistics for January - February 2024 show that the volume of dairy imports are up 13% on the same period in 2023, but down 8% when compared to the same period in...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Beef Sector (25 Apr 2024)

Charlie McConalogue: According to the Central Statistics Office, the volume of raw beef imports has varied between 30,000 and 37,000 tonnes between 2019 and 2023 yielding an annual average quantity of 33,600 tonnes over that period. The modest level of beef imports must be seen in the context of, and compared to, an annual average volume of 495,000 tonnes of beef exported during the same five-year period....

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Welfare (24 Apr 2024)

Charlie McConalogue: My Department has indicated to the EU Commission that it is generally supportive of the revision of the EU rules on animal welfare during transport, to facilitate intracommunity trade and export of live animals to third countries. The existing legislation is some 20 years old and certain aspects need to be updated in the light of practical implementation challenges and more recent scientific...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Supports (24 Apr 2024)

Charlie McConalogue: While primary responsibility for taxation policy is with the Minister for Finance, I continue to work closely with him on taxation matters relating to the agri-food sector. The tax debt warehousing scheme has offered valuable and practical liquidity support to businesses since it was introduced in May 2020 during the pandemic and continues to support businesses as they recover from the...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forestry Sector (24 Apr 2024)

Charlie McConalogue: My Department has committed to undertaking a mid term review of the current Forestry Programme in 2025. This will be conducted in consultation with all stakeholders. Depending on the outcome of this review, certain proposed changes may be required to be notified to the European Commission under State Aid Rules. These resulting agreed changes will be implemented prior to the end of the current...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Schemes (24 Apr 2024)

Charlie McConalogue: The primary compensation scheme for farmers whose herds are affected by TB is the On-Farm Market Valuation Scheme under which compensation is payable for cattle removed as reactors. My officials have informed me that the herdowner in question entered a breakdown on 18th January 2024 and has had 20 reactor animals removed to date. The herdowner is due to receive two separate payments under...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Supports (24 Apr 2024)

Charlie McConalogue: While primary responsibility for taxation policy is with the Minister for Finance, I continue to work closely with him on taxation matters relating to the agri-food sector. The tax debt warehousing scheme has offered valuable and practical liquidity support to businesses since it was introduced in May 2020 during the pandemic and continues to support businesses as they recover from the...