The detail is very important in this regard. I am fighting the battle all the time at European level to try to maximise our fish quotas. I will be in Brussels on Sunday and Monday, once again fighting the battle regarding our national fish quota. We were also fighting that at the last Council meeting. Ireland was the only EU member state to vote against the proposal. I voted against it because I disagreed with it. I will fight that battle at every opportunity to do the best we can for our fishermen and to try to ma…

This is an issue that I have discussed with the producer organisations before, one I have clarified and one that the Marine Institute does a full assessment of. I outlined the challenges in that regard in my response. The quota areas, which are based on ICES areas, do not reflect economic zones. Regarding the most accurate assessment possible in respect of calculating this figure, the Marine Institute, which is the body that does that task, has calculated that we take 35.5% of the volume and 38.8% of the value of f…

I thank the Deputy. He requested information on the number of commissions of investigation currently ongoing under the remit of my Department and the duration and cost of each of those. The Commissions of Investigation Act 2004 provides for the establishment of commissions of investigation that can investigate matters of significant public concern. To be clear, no commissions of investigation are currently ongoing under the remit of my Department. As regards the duration or actual or projected costs involved, there…

I thank the Deputy. This is not something that has been raised with me as an issue. It is a matter best addressed to the Northern Irish Administration since it is a question specifically for the latter. On our work on protecting water quality and ensuring the appropriate management of all farmyard nutrients, we have put massive investment in through the targeted agriculture modernisation, TAMS, on-farm investment schemes. Farmers across the country have put in significant resources of their own, assisted by Governm…

I have no doubt that the Northern Irish Administration takes as seriously as we do the importance of ensuring that nutrients are well managed and facilities of the highest standards are in place on each farm to do that. We give massive grants of between 40% and 60% to support farmers to put in place slurry tanks, sheds and appropriate handling facilities. Farmers take it really seriously. It is something I take very seriously. Our environment is absolutely crucial to us and central to that is the appropriate use of…

I thank the Deputy for raising this today and for engaging with me intensively in recent months on the issue of putting together a CAP that will serve farmers well. I particularly acknowledge his representations on ensuring eco-schemes are available that will serve all farm types. I am glad to inform him that following the consultations I have done with him and other Oireachtas representatives, and considering the various ideas and suggestions put forward, I was able to announce an additional five eco-schemes. I al…

The key objective I have had is to include options which will ensure that every farmer can participate. I want every farmer to participate. It is really important on every farm type that the interaction with the environment and the synchronicity between agricultural production and the environment are fully considered and taken cognisance of in terms of farming practice. The objective behind the CAP is to further improve that environmental ambition while also ensuring that we focus on farm profitability. We want far…

The eco-schemes will run alongside the new agri-environmental scheme, which will pay up to a maximum of €10,000 to farmers participating in co-operative measures. Up to a maximum of €7,000 will be paid to those in the standard environmental scheme. The range of options in the eco-schemes in Pillar 1 will give opportunities to everyone. We encourage everyone to participate, make an environmental contribution and, importantly, draw down 25% of the Pillar 1 payment. Under Pillar 2, there is also a really strong suite …

I thank the Leas-Cheann Comhairle and colleagues. I apologise for the slight delay in starting. I thank the House for this opportunity to update it on the outcome of the seafood task force process that I instigated in March this year in response to the unacceptable outcome for Ireland’s seafood sector of the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement, TCA. It is appropriate that I begin by recalling the details of the TCA as they pertain to our seafood sector. It was clear during the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreemen…

I thank all the speakers for their contributions to this very important debate. It is obviously an important time and has been a crucial year for our fishing sector. It was a very difficult year for our fishermen, coming out of the impact of the Brexit agreement. It was really important we had this debate to discuss the sea fisheries task force report, which was presented to me in October, and to get Deputies' views on it. I thank the Sinn Féin Deputies who contributed and Deputies Holly Cairns, Verona Murphy, Mich…

It is a unanimous report.

It is a unanimous report.

I thank the Senator for raising this issue. He has his finger on the pulse regarding the importance of this issue for farmers and the fact that it will be a significant issue in the year ahead. We have found that to be the case during the autumn. There is no doubt that the situation has become more acute in terms of the inflation we are seeing and, indeed, it is going to be a significant factor for 2022. Ireland, as a member of the EU, supports an open, rules-based trading environment. However, we recognise the nee…

The anti-dumping tariff ranges from €28 per tonne to €32 per tonne for CAN, which is now a smaller portion of the overall cost because fertiliser prices have rocketed. At the start of this year the tariff was 10% of the price but because prices have rocketed the tariff is now a smaller portion. Nonetheless, it is another cost for farmers and I am determined to address this issue at European level. At national level, we have a lot of latent capacity in how efficiently we use organic fertiliser. There is a particular…

I apologise for the delay but I had to attend a Cabinet subcommittee meeting. An important pillar of Government policy is to ensure that the horse and greyhound racing industries achieve their maximum potential and in so doing, contribute to economic and social development over a wide geographic distribution. The horse and greyhound racing industries make a valuable contribution to a balanced regional economy. It is estimated that the thoroughbred industry has an annual economic impact of €1.84 billion, with direct…

Certainly.

I thank the Acting Chairperson and Members for the various contributions this evening, for the passion with which everyone spoke to the motion, and for the tremendous interest there has been in it. I apologise again for the disruption at the start when I was delayed in leaving the Cabinet subcommittee meeting. We have discussed this topic in great detail in the Dáil. I know many Senators also directly contributed to the debate at the Oireachtas committee on this issue. The one clear message from every speaker here …

I thank Senator Ahearn for raising the straw incorporation measure, SIM. Having secured funding in budget 2021, I introduced the measure as a pilot to support Irish tillage farmers who decide to chop and incorporate straw into the soil after harvest. As pointed out by the Senator, the measure has been a success in terms of the environment and as a financial support to tillage farmers. In 2021, it will pay out approximately €8.5 million, with very strong support for the measure from applicants. Eligible crops includ…

I thank the Senator for raising this matter. I take the point he makes about wanting to ensure that all farmers who want to avail of the scheme can do so. This is a reflection of how well it has been received and the value of it to farmers as well as the value from an environmental and emissions perspective. It is a good initiative. I am glad to be able to put the funding back in for 2022. I will keep it under review. I want to ensure that it is available to everyone, which is why the thresholds are there. The aver…

I move: That Dáil Éireann approves the following Regulations in draft: Horse and Greyhound Racing Fund Regulations 2021, copies of which were laid in draft form before Dáil Éireann on the 20th October, 2021. An important pillar of Government policy is to ensure that the horse and greyhound racing industries achieve their maximum potential and in doing so contribute to economic and social development over a wide geographical area. As we know, the horse and greyhound racing industries make a valuable contribution to …