Results 5,721-5,740 of 11,413 for speaker:Matt Carthy

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (14 Jul 2022)

Matt Carthy: That was the point on which I was going to come in. I want to link it to the ongoing conversations we have been having regarding the national paediatric hospital. Up to this point, it appears that no lessons have been learned, even from the debates we had around the signing of the contracts, which many people continue to feel will have long-term repercussions in itself. Even the fact that...

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (14 Jul 2022)

Matt Carthy: It would be helpful if we were able to find out the cost of the private hospital that is being built in Spain that will cater for the people we are shipping over there because of the health services. I imagine it will probably compare fairly favourably with the pharmacy we have in Dublin. This committee has a role to play and this follows on from Deputy Catherine Murphy's point. We need...

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (14 Jul 2022)

Matt Carthy: Yes.

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (14 Jul 2022)

Matt Carthy: That is what I would propose.

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (14 Jul 2022)

Matt Carthy: That is a good idea.

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (14 Jul 2022)

Matt Carthy: I completely agree. I would argue against having health-related matters two weeks in a row. It is the body of work that takes the most time to prepare for. Will we be asking the Accounting Officer from the Department of Health to be present at these meetings?

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (14 Jul 2022)

Matt Carthy: We have written to him on a number of occasions requesting information on the waiving of his salary in 2021. Has he ever responded?

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (14 Jul 2022)

Matt Carthy: On the next occasion the Secretary General is due to come, I ask that we inform him in advance that we will be asking him about it.

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (14 Jul 2022)

Matt Carthy: I will rephrase my proposal. Can we write again to the Secretary General asking him to clarify the position regarding the information we have requested?

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (14 Jul 2022)

Matt Carthy: We can indicate that in the event he cannot clarify it in writing, he will be asked about it. It is not necessary for us to spend time discussing it. On his appointment, he issued a public statement indicating that he was waiving a portion of his salary. It is entirely legitimate for the public to know for how long he did so. It is not acceptable that he has not answered the questions.

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (14 Jul 2022)

Matt Carthy: That warrants a hearing in itself.

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Brexit Supports (14 Jul 2022)

Matt Carthy: The Minister is aware that I sent my ideas to him in March in respect of the sectors that could benefit from this reserve. The difficulty is that farmers are told that there is a pot of €1 billion to support those who are impacted by Brexit, and although their sector is potentially most impacted, they have not got a fair share as of yet. We know that there are significant challenges...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Brexit Supports (14 Jul 2022)

Matt Carthy: I sent them to the Minister.

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Brexit Supports (14 Jul 2022)

Matt Carthy: 3. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he intends to request further financial measures from the Brexit Adjustment Reserve to provide direct supports to farmers. [37921/22]

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Brexit Supports (14 Jul 2022)

Matt Carthy: Does the Minister intend to request further financial measures from the Brexit Adjustment Reserve, BAR, to provide direct support for farmers?

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Brexit Supports (14 Jul 2022)

Matt Carthy: The Minister will recall that during the Brexit negotiations, stories of Irish farming, fishing and rural communities were at the forefront not only of the Irish political approach, but also the EU's deliberations. Those stories ensured that Ireland was allocated €1 billion from the BAR. I do not believe they have received the benefit of that. I welcome that the fishing sector...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Tillage Sector (14 Jul 2022)

Matt Carthy: 1. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his targets for land use associated with the growing of crops for 2022, 2023, 2024 and 2025; and his proposed measures to reach those targets. [37920/22]

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Tillage Sector (14 Jul 2022)

Matt Carthy: What are the Department's proposals to increase the land associated with growing crops in the coming years to reach targets?

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Tillage Sector (14 Jul 2022)

Matt Carthy: I thank the Minister for that response. The context of this conversation has changed dramatically because the Russian invasion of Ukraine has exposed fault lines in global, EU and domestic policy on food security. Of course, Sinn Féin recognises that the Government is limited in its ability to respond to geopolitical events and global commodity markets and, therefore, any response,...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Tillage Sector (14 Jul 2022)

Matt Carthy: I acknowledge that tillage production did increase by 6.1% so far this year, which I think was 78% of the objective. Approximately 13,000 ha of that related to cereal, which was just an increase of 4.5%. This is a crucially important area as I am sure the Minister recognises, including for other sectors that need feed. It makes sense if we can produce it in Ireland. It also makes sense...