Results 421-440 of 2,066 for speaker:Joe Flaherty

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Compliance with the Nitrates Directive and Implications for Ireland: Discussion (Resumed) (21 Feb 2024)

Joe Flaherty: I do not know whether farmers would be surprised or happy, but they will agree that they are being asked to jump through a growing number of environmental hoops at their own cost. Dr. McGoff is suggesting that the Department should be asked to provide an evidence base to demonstrate that the measures being put in place under the nitrates action programme will be sufficient for reducing the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Compliance with the Nitrates Directive and Implications for Ireland: Discussion (Resumed) (21 Feb 2024)

Joe Flaherty: What Dr. McGoff has to say is interesting in the context of the measures farmers are taking. They may believe they are doing something to mitigate against the impact of nitrogen, but what they are doing is having an impact on the other two influencers. This is probably a worst-case scenario for An Taisce, but it is a hypothetical question: if Dr. McGoff was not with An Taisce but rather...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Compliance with the Nitrates Directive and Implications for Ireland: Discussion (Resumed) (21 Feb 2024)

Joe Flaherty: -----for everything to run in tandem. Hypothetically, let us say we have our derogation and it stays as it is. What measures would Dr. McGoff put in place to reduce the impact?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Compliance with the Nitrates Directive and Implications for Ireland: Discussion (Resumed) (21 Feb 2024)

Joe Flaherty: Dr. McGoff is giving a good political answer, but are there specific measures that we should be taking?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Compliance with the Nitrates Directive and Implications for Ireland: Discussion (Resumed) (21 Feb 2024)

Joe Flaherty: On the point about staffing for inspections, Dr. McGoff works in this field. It is her area of expertise. Are there people there to fill those roles?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Compliance with the Nitrates Directive and Implications for Ireland: Discussion (Resumed) (21 Feb 2024)

Joe Flaherty: In the context of graduates coming out of the colleges at the moment, will there be people to fill those roles?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Compliance with the Nitrates Directive and Implications for Ireland: Discussion (Resumed) (21 Feb 2024)

Joe Flaherty: I am from Longford, which is a county with no coastline, but I appreciate all the work that is done by Coastwatch. I am fiercely defensive about the nitrates derogation. I accept the Coastwatch view that it does not find any favour with it. Again, in the hypothetical scenario that we have to live with it, what measures should we be taking?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Compliance with the Nitrates Directive and Implications for Ireland: Discussion (Resumed) (21 Feb 2024)

Joe Flaherty: On the point about it being over-prescriptive and about the control of land, there is an administrative burden for farmers. Is there an alternative to that? We are searching for an alternative to the way that we are doing it at the moment.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Compliance with the Nitrates Directive and Implications for Ireland: Discussion (Resumed) (21 Feb 2024)

Joe Flaherty: I am conscious of the time. Where was that EIP on which you worked?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Compliance with the Nitrates Directive and Implications for Ireland: Discussion (Resumed) (21 Feb 2024)

Joe Flaherty: I just have a final for Mr. Moore of BirdWatch Ireland. It relates to the project on which he worked. It is interesting to hear the experience of a real farmer here. He is also a farmer for nature campaigner. In relation to the stubble issue, is there an economic impact for farmers in what they prefer to do as opposed to what they are being told to do?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Compliance with the Nitrates Directive and Implications for Ireland: Discussion (Resumed) (21 Feb 2024)

Joe Flaherty: Finally, in regard to the shallow cultivated fields, if we were not doing that, would there be an impact on crop yields and crop value?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Compliance with the Nitrates Directive and Implications for Ireland: Discussion (Resumed) (21 Feb 2024)

Joe Flaherty: Lovely. We have a vote in the Chamber.

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Home Care Packages (20 Feb 2024)

Joe Flaherty: 467. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will include functional neurological disorders in the home care support criteria nationwide (details supplied).; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7700/24]

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Vacant Properties (15 Feb 2024)

Joe Flaherty: 109. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the number of vacant social homes returned to active use in Longford from 2020 to 2023; his expectations for same in 2024; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6669/24]

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (15 Feb 2024)

Joe Flaherty: 73. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the number of new houses completed in Longford in 2023; the number commenced; his expectations for 2024 with regard to construction activity in the residential sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6668/24]

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (14 Feb 2024)

Joe Flaherty: I welcome the THRIVE programme, which was announced by our colleague, the Minister of State, Deputy O'Donnell, earlier this month. It offers regional and rural towns an opportunity to refurbish historic buildings up to a value of €7 million. It is a great opportunity for a town such as Longford to regenerate Connolly Barracks. The local authority is already looking at submitting...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Compliance with the Nitrates Directive and Implications for Ireland: Discussion (14 Feb 2024)

Joe Flaherty: I thank both organisations for coming in. As the Chair said, they were very comprehensive submissions. The witnesses will find no enemies in this room and the committee is steadfast in its commitment to ensure that we hold onto the derogation. What we want from farm organisations is the ammunition and means so we can go to our political peers and, more importantly, go to Europe to say that...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Compliance with the Nitrates Directive and Implications for Ireland: Discussion (14 Feb 2024)

Joe Flaherty: Although the witnesses might not have this information today, with regard to holding onto the 220 kg N/ha limit and keeping numbers more or less as is, where do we need to get to in respect of slurry storage?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Compliance with the Nitrates Directive and Implications for Ireland: Discussion (14 Feb 2024)

Joe Flaherty: I know from your protests around the country at the minute that over-regulation is big issue. We have great sympathy for farmers with regard to that. Farmers want to be out farming, protecting the environment and doing the best for the country. They do not want to be burdened with paperwork, and it is putting a huge additional cost on them. Has the IFA given any thought to this whole...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Compliance with the Nitrates Directive and Implications for Ireland: Discussion (14 Feb 2024)

Joe Flaherty: In fairness we accept that but, unfortunately, much as we would like to, we cannot control the media. The IFA probably has the same issues we have. I take it on board. The media are very much Dublin-centred and it is a big issue for farmers. The reality is that the water quality did not improve, so we are where we are. I take it on board, and I have say this every time the EPA comes...