Results 2,321-2,340 of 2,691 for speaker:Tim Lombard

Seanad: Agriculture: Statements (16 Apr 2024)

Tim Lombard: I thank the Minister for attending this welcome debate on agriculture. I can blame him for many things but I cannot blame him for the weather. The past seven months have been frightening. It has been appalling. Since last September, it has not stopped raining. In my part of the world, an inch and a half of rain fell last Monday week. To say it was depressing is an understatement. Where...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (23 Apr 2024)

Tim Lombard: I thank the Cathaoirleach for those very kind words. We are 45 or 46 days away from the local elections. This debate about what we are going to do about local government and where it is going to be a part of our society needs to happen in a very appropriate place like this. Limerick is going to be the leading light when it comes to local government in the next few days. Limerick will...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Road Network (24 Apr 2024)

Tim Lombard: The Minister is more than welcome to the House. It is great to have the opportunity to discuss this issue with him in the Chamber. I ask that he ensures necessary funding is put in place for Cork County Council under the national regional road improvement scheme. I am very much aware that a delegation from Cork County Council, including Councillors Michael Hegarty and John Paul O'Shea, is...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Road Network (24 Apr 2024)

Tim Lombard: I thank the Minister. Cork has one eighth of the roads in Ireland, so one would expect it to get one eighth of the funding. This would be the normal breakdown of funding required. The scale of the county is an issue in that it is massive. Its roads need to be repaired, as the Minister knows, and very many minor roads need funding. Consequently, we need a special funding block put in...

Seanad: Smartphone and Social Media Use: Motion [Private Members] (24 Apr 2024)

Tim Lombard: I commend the motion to the House. It is very important. I am a parent of four children. My twins are seven and the other children are 13 and 14. This is the biggest issue in our household by a country mile. How do we police this space? How do we involve everyone in it? How can we have an appropriate environment so people have an active lifestyle and engage with digital technology if...

Seanad: Gnó an tSeanaid - Business of Seanad: Flood Relief Schemes (1 May 2024)

Tim Lombard: It is great to have the Minister of State, Deputy O'Donnell, here to discuss the issue of the flooding in Ring. Last Friday evening, we had the wonderful opportunity to welcome him to Ring, which really was a great honour for me. He met up with local councillor, John O'Sullivan, and members of the tidy towns committee in the area, particularly Frances Coakley. He also met local election...

Seanad: Gnó an tSeanaid - Business of Seanad: Flood Relief Schemes (1 May 2024)

Tim Lombard: I thank the Minister of State for his comprehensive response regarding this real, significant work scheme. The 38 projects in County Cork are significant ones. The 39th project will be the most significant one when we get the go-ahead in the next few weeks for this project. I will liaise directly with Cork County Council to make sure it has received this further information from the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Horse Welfare Concerns and Compliance with Legislation: County and City Management Association (1 May 2024)

Tim Lombard: I thank Mr. Condon for joining us all the way from Mayo. It is welcome to have him on board and it is important to get the views of the CCMA, which brings great knowledge to this issue. He might elaborate on the financial implications of trying to deal with it. The local authorities are invested in trying to make sure the controls are appropriate. Are there enough vets within the local...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Horse Welfare Concerns and Compliance with Legislation: County and City Management Association (1 May 2024)

Tim Lombard: Some local authorities feel this is a bigger issue than others. It could be argued that some of the urban local authorities would be under more pressure from this issue. Mr. Condon stated that Mayo County Council had to deal with only five to ten horses last year. I take it that other local authorities have larger numbers of horses to deal with.

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (2 May 2024)

Tim Lombard: I call on the Acting Leader to arrange a debate on oral health and dental services. This is a very significant issue. I read some figures recently indicating that there are 23% fewer dentists working in the HSE now than there were in 2006. The school dental programme, in particular, is of concern. It is actually falling apart at the moment. We put a strategy in place five years ago to...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: VAT Refunds to Unregistered Farmers: Revenue Commissioners (8 May 2024)

Tim Lombard: It is great to have the Revenue before us. I apologise for being late. I was stuck in a meeting in another Department. Mr. Egan says Revenue has not changed its interpretation of the law of this refund order. That is a very bold statement to make. Does he think it is a fair statement, that the Revenue has not changed its interpretation of issues regarding bull tanks, meal bins, all the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: VAT Refunds to Unregistered Farmers: Revenue Commissioners (8 May 2024)

Tim Lombard: How then can the Revenue make a statement about 10-tonne meal bins and applications it has received? If I were to ask members of the public to write in to me about how many 8-, 9- or 6-tonne bins have been granted, I would say it would be quite significant. Would that not be fair?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: VAT Refunds to Unregistered Farmers: Revenue Commissioners (8 May 2024)

Tim Lombard: That would be a different interpretation of the order.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: VAT Refunds to Unregistered Farmers: Revenue Commissioners (8 May 2024)

Tim Lombard: If there is an order that has been there since before my time-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: VAT Refunds to Unregistered Farmers: Revenue Commissioners (8 May 2024)

Tim Lombard: Since 1972, and if Revenue were granting VAT reclaim on 3.5-tonne meal bins, which I have referred to, in 2002, then surely it is a different interpretation.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: VAT Refunds to Unregistered Farmers: Revenue Commissioners (8 May 2024)

Tim Lombard: There is assessment by the Revenue Commissioners afterwards.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: VAT Refunds to Unregistered Farmers: Revenue Commissioners (8 May 2024)

Tim Lombard: From 1972 on, the majority of meal bins have been smaller than 10 tonnes. It is only in the past eight or nine years that 10-tonne meal bins have been coming into the system.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: VAT Refunds to Unregistered Farmers: Revenue Commissioners (8 May 2024)

Tim Lombard: I think the majority of us with meal bins attached to milking parlours have them bolted to the ground for safety purposes. I could mention a dozen providers of such products. Talking to the industry, there is significant concern about how we can move it forward. The Chairman detailed the issues in the industry. There is unbelievable fear and paralysis at the moment. We do not know what...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: VAT Refunds to Unregistered Farmers: Revenue Commissioners (8 May 2024)

Tim Lombard: The change in interpretation is the issue. There is a view among farmers that in the last six to eight months there has been a definitive change in interpretation in Revenue. How can we move this forward? I do not want to misquote Mr. Egan. In his opening statement, he stated there would be a review or statement on how to move forward. Does Revenue have a timeline for when it will bring...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: VAT Refunds to Unregistered Farmers: Revenue Commissioners (8 May 2024)

Tim Lombard: A new online portal has been put in place in the past year or so? How efficient is it in getting claims out? What is the timeline for getting payments out to the so-called customer, to use Revenue's terminology? I have spoken to people who made claims last December and are still waiting on payments. What is the preferred or target timeline for paying out claims?