Results 3,941-3,960 of 8,194 for speaker:Michael Fitzmaurice

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Independent Mink Farms: Discussion (15 Jul 2021)

Michael Fitzmaurice: From the documents I read, I understand that, as with other types of farming, there is a seven-year cycle. There could be a few good years and a few bad ones. That is why the witnesses are going for the ten-year system. That way, they can pick up a couple of good years in the middle, along with the bad seven years. Is there an investment or allocation from the Department of Agriculture,...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Independent Mink Farms: Discussion (15 Jul 2021)

Michael Fitzmaurice: I understand that fully. Ms Heffernan has a massive amount of work done, from what she has said. My question is whether there is an allowance in the compensation the Department is offering for people who are left in that situation because they would not have the money in their back pocket to do such enormous work.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: General Scheme of Animal Health and Welfare (Amendment) Bill 2021: Discussion (15 Jul 2021)

Michael Fitzmaurice: I thank the Minister and all his officials for attending today as I know the Minister was busy this morning. It is also appreciated that we undertake pre-legislative scrutiny in this committee but unfortunately over the past week we have seen too much legislation not being looked at. I ask either the Minister, Mr. Greally or Mr. Kinsella to deal with the offer that is on the table of 35...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: General Scheme of Animal Health and Welfare (Amendment) Bill 2021: Discussion (15 Jul 2021)

Michael Fitzmaurice: No matter what approach the Minister is taking, with all due respect to Mr. Greally, if 400 animals are killed in a day, with the money that the Department is offering, this would not even pay the wages of a person. It would be unbelievable for a person to work for that kind of money. Where is the discrepancy then?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: General Scheme of Animal Health and Welfare (Amendment) Bill 2021: Discussion (15 Jul 2021)

Michael Fitzmaurice: Yes, I would like Mr. Greally to comment on the asbestos issue and on the redundancy arrangements for the workers, if he can.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: General Scheme of Animal Health and Welfare (Amendment) Bill 2021: Discussion (15 Jul 2021)

Michael Fitzmaurice: I thank Mr. Greally very much for answering that.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: General Scheme of Animal Health and Welfare (Amendment) Bill 2021: Discussion (15 Jul 2021)

Michael Fitzmaurice: May I ask a question of Mr. Greally before we go?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: General Scheme of Animal Health and Welfare (Amendment) Bill 2021: Discussion (15 Jul 2021)

Michael Fitzmaurice: I will watch my wording because these are only allegations but, down through the years, it has been alleged that mink were let loose from some mink farms somewhere in the west. I dealt with a situation in recent weeks in which mink had got into the roof of a person's house. There seems to be a difficulty with mink in certain parts of the country. There is a similar problem with badgers. I...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: General Scheme of Animal Health and Welfare (Amendment) Bill 2021: Discussion (15 Jul 2021)

Michael Fitzmaurice: With all due respect to Mr. Greally, I hope that the Department officials will go back and look at this again. I mentioned the 35 multiply by 400 and I asked how many animals would be killed in the day and was told between 400 and 500 animals. With the best will in the world on a good day 500 animals would represent €175 which would have to be given to the person doing the work for...

Health (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2021: Committee and Remaining Stages (14 Jul 2021)

Michael Fitzmaurice: I know that. I am talking about the amendment and I have said I am supporting it. While the amendment is in good faith I do not think we should be going down this road because the Dáil is not functioning in the way a democracy should function. We are heading towards dictatorship in this country.

Health (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2021: Committee and Remaining Stages (14 Jul 2021)

Michael Fitzmaurice: I speak in support of this amendment, but it is a damn bad day when we have to introduce an amendment like this and support it. I understand where the proposers of this amendment are coming from and I said that I would support it. I hope, however, that we never do this again and that it will not go any further. I reiterate that I understand where Deputy Boyd Barrett and the other proposers...

Health (Amendment) (No.2) Bill 2021: Second Stage (14 Jul 2021)

Michael Fitzmaurice: I welcome the opportunity to speak on this legislation. I do not know where we are going, as a country. I will give the Minister an example. I was talking to a woman last night who is vaccinated. Her youngster is under the limit, in that he or she can walk in with his or her parents to a restaurant or pub. The child will be able to do that next week but in two weeks' time that youngster...

Lifting of Covid-19 Restrictions: Motion [Private Members] (14 Jul 2021)

Michael Fitzmaurice: I welcome this motion and I thank the Rural Independent Group for tabling it. The mantra over the last 15 months has been that we are all in this together. However, this circus continues. When I was a gouger I remember the Pope saying to people in Galway: “Young people of Ireland, I love you”. This Government has sent a clear message by bringing in this legislation that it...

Mandatory Hotel Quarantine Extension: Motion (14 Jul 2021)

Michael Fitzmaurice: The House is running ahead of schedule. I am grateful to have the opportunity to speak on this motion. Hotel quarantine has been fairly well debated over the last while. There is something I cannot understand. We have been contacted by many people about this issue, for instance, people who were travelling from Abu Dhabi or countries in that region and had parents going into hospital for a...

Finance (Local Property Tax) (Amendment) Bill 2021: Second Stage (13 Jul 2021)

Michael Fitzmaurice: I welcome the opportunity to contribute on this legislation. I remember going onto Galway County Council in 2014. The council used to then get something like €12 million from the equalisation fund. The property tax then came in that year, and €14.5 million was collected throughout the county. Galway County Council got its €12 million of that amount, while €2.5...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Departmental Staff (13 Jul 2021)

Michael Fitzmaurice: 237. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the estimated full year cost of recruiting three additional full-time senior railway accident investigators for his Department in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37610/21]

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Heritage Sites (13 Jul 2021)

Michael Fitzmaurice: 289. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the capital budget allocation for heritage sites under the remit of the OPW in each of the years of 2018 to 2021, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37608/21]

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Departmental Meetings (13 Jul 2021)

Michael Fitzmaurice: 310. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the dates in 2021 she has spoken with either the chairperson and or director of the Irish Museum of Modern Art; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37615/21]

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (13 Jul 2021)

Michael Fitzmaurice: 393. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the estimated full-year cost of increasing the number of personnel in the Army Reserve to 5,000 and the Naval Service Reserve to 500 personnel; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37609/21]