Gabhaim buíochas leis an Teachta Connolly agus táim buíoch di an deis seo a thapú an t-ábhar seo a shoiléiriú. Ros an Mhíl Fishery Harbour Centre is one of six designated fishery harbour centres owned, managed and maintained by my Department under statute. The others are located at Castletownbere, Dingle, Dunmore East, Howth and Killybegs. Approximately 26 vessels are based in Ros an Mhíl with whitefish being the primary catch. The harbour also sees between 20 and 25 fishing boats from the east coast, carrying main…

It is important that we have the chance to discuss this matter today. I know the importance of the project and its value to the fishing sector locally. I have been in close contact on this matter with my party colleagues, Deputy Ó Cuív and Senator Crowe, my Government colleague, Senator Kyne, and my Cabinet colleague, the Minister of State, Deputy Hildegarde Naughton. I have also received representations from other representatives, including Deputy Grealish. I am aware of the project's importance to Galway's marine…

I will make them available to the Deputy if it is possible to do so and feasible in line with our normal practice.

I thank the Minister of State, Deputy English, for sharing time. I am very pleased to speak on this legislation relating to the Brexit loan guarantee scheme. This is crucial legislation and a further example of the Government's commitment to supporting our primary producers and businesses in dealing with the many challenges they face. The scheme has been a success so far and it is important that we see it progress as quickly as possible. Farmers are facing some serious and acute challenges at present, of which Brex…

I move: That Dáil Éireann approves the following Order in draft: Protection of Young Persons (Employment) (Exclusion of Workers in the Fishing and Shipping Sectors) Regulations 2021, a copy of which has been laid in draft form before Dáil Éireann on 3rd March, 2021.

I thank Deputy Harkin for tabling this Topical Issue matter. As the Deputy will be aware, the landslide occurred on Shass Mountain on 28 June 2020 following heavy rain in the preceding days. A large area of upland bog, including some forestry, moved off the mountain and large quantities of liquified peat, vegetation and trees flowed down the mountain. This resulted in damage to road infrastructure and areas of land and forestry which were covered in peat. There has been ecological damage to the river with quantitie…

I thank Deputy Harkin again for raising this matter in the Dáil this evening. As I indicated, the multi-agency group is an important forum and structure for trying to make progress on this. I will continue to have further engagements with my officials as well on the issues raised tonight to assess how matters can be brought forward. It was a significant event and there was significant damage to and impact on the land. It was significantly different in scale from the Inishowen flooding, which involved primarily repa…

I thank the Deputies for raising the issue and for their contributions. That the three of them are coming together, as Waterford Deputies, to raise the issue shows the importance they place on it. The Minister of State, Deputy Butler, has also been raising and discussing the matter with me. I welcome the opportunity to address it in the House. As the Ceann Comhairle will be aware, in January 2021 five additional ports were designated for landings by Britain and Northern Ireland-registered vessels, namely, Greencast…

I look forward to it. I thank Deputies Ó Cathasaigh, Shanahan and Cullinane. As I said earlier, it is good to see the Waterford Deputies working together. The Minister of State, Deputy Butler, has spoken to me personally on this matter, as have the three Deputies. They have all also spoken to me on a number of fisheries issues pertinent to the county. I acknowledge all of their representations in that regard. I certainly look forward to visiting the county whenever time and the easing of restrictions allow. It has …

I thank all the Deputies who have contributed to the debate which has been a very useful one. It has been very open and wide ranging. I welcome the genuine engagement from all parties on what are, after all, complex proposals for future EU legislation. I hope our debate has managed to shed some light and to develop a greater understanding, both with regard to the Council’s proposals and, importantly, with regard to my approach concerning the GAEC 2 standard. As we finalise the negotiations on the future Common Agri…

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The European Parliament.

I thank Deputy Niamh Smyth for raising this issue, which is particularly important in her constituency of Cavan-Monaghan, which is the heartland of the poultry sector nationally. At the outset, I want to pay tribute to the sector. The poultry sector has an annual output of more than €610 million. It often does not get the recognition it deserves for the massive contribution it makes. Importantly, the sector, including eggs as well as meat, supports over 5,000 jobs, of which some 3,500 farmers come from the Deputy's…

I assure the Deputy that there is a very bright and secure future for the sector. It is a really important part of the overall agrifood sector. It is one I want to support and work with. There are challenges. Poultry farmers affected by diseases that do not automatically qualify for compensation and who must cull their flocks naturally incur massive financial costs. I had a very thorough discussion with the poultry sector when we met in December. It has taken a very constructive approach to assessment by engaging P…

It is good to be with all of the Senators today. I am delighted to be here to speak about the issue of climate change and Ag Climatise, the national climate and air roadmap for the agriculture sector. The Covid-19 pandemic remains the immediate challenge for many economies globally but we cannot lose sight of other challenges. Protecting farm incomes and the climate challenge remain in firm focus both for me personally and for this Government. I am very proud that the agriculture sector is the first sector in Irela…

I thank Senators for their engagement in what has been a very constructive debate with many high-quality contributions. It is very useful to hear Senators' feedback on the roadmap, the challenges ahead and how we can best meet those challenges in terms of ensuring that the agrifood sector makes its contribution to our national climate change and biodiversity objectives. The Ag Climatise roadmap is very much based on the premise of stable methane levels over the next decade. This means that methane from the livestoc…

I am sharing time with my colleague, the Minister of State, Deputy Heydon.

The Covid-19 pandemic has had far-reaching impacts and consequences. From our large towns and cities to the most remote parts of rural Ireland, the effects of this deadly disease visited many families and communities. The agrifood sector played a crucial role in keeping supply chains working, keeping the nation fed and driving food exports to ensure a balanced economy. The sector is the largest indigenous export sector and drove exports of some €13.2 billion in 2020 despite all the challenges of Covid-19 and Brexit…

I thank Deputy Carthy for his questions. First, as to the situation of Covid-19 in the meat factories, this is something that the Government is taking very seriously and the meat factories have also responded very intensively to this issue. As I said in my opening contribution, the welfare of employees and of people is the first priority in this pandemic across all sectors of society, and this is particularly the case in the agrifood sector, where workers and employees have been essential throughout that sector in …

On inshore fishermen, the aquaculture sector and the fishing species quota, my objective is to support them in every way I can and I will be monitoring the situation closely. This is particularly the case with the follow-through from Brexit with the potential for a tie-up scheme to try to support incomes in the short term and the time ahead. I will also monitor the situation on our shellfish, our aquaculture and inshore sector. On the EU administrative inquiry findings, this dates back to an inquiry that was initia…