Results 23,761-23,780 of 23,892 for speaker:Michael Healy-Rae
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture and Food: Ash Dieback and Other Forestry Issues: Discussion (16 Jul 2025)
Michael Healy-Rae: If we take it to the roadsides that are involved, it might not necessarily be just ash dieback. There could be other trees and other-----
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture and Food: Ash Dieback and Other Forestry Issues: Discussion (16 Jul 2025)
Michael Healy-Rae: I put it to the Deputy this way. He makes a good, sound argument on behalf of people in that situation. Like every argument that was ever made in politics, we have to listen to it, so we are listening to the Deputy. However, if he is asking me whether I am committing to an answer, I am not, but I very much respect the way the Deputy is asking the question.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture and Food: Ash Dieback and Other Forestry Issues: Discussion (16 Jul 2025)
Michael Healy-Rae: I am.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture and Food: Ash Dieback and Other Forestry Issues: Discussion (16 Jul 2025)
Michael Healy-Rae: Heads of Bill will be coming before the Department of Climate, Energy and the Environment in the very near future. We will be discussing the necessary legislation. Every one of us in this room would have always thought, for example, that the ESB had all-empowering legislation backing it in doing what it wanted to when it came to the protection of overhead lines. That actually was not the...
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture and Food: Ash Dieback and Other Forestry Issues: Discussion (16 Jul 2025)
Michael Healy-Rae: They are not being forgotten about, and that is an important point.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture and Food: Ash Dieback and Other Forestry Issues: Discussion (16 Jul 2025)
Michael Healy-Rae: We have excellent people working in the Department with regard to safeguarding us from future diseases. I have visited many of these facilities. I have met excellent scientists and eminent people who are working, who carried me into their labs and showed me all types of creatures inside all types of containers. I was frightened at how minute some of them were, thinking of the damage they...
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture and Food: Ash Dieback and Other Forestry Issues: Discussion (16 Jul 2025)
Michael Healy-Rae: A total of 4,000 ha out of the 16,000 ha have been claimed. That is the point I was making earlier.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture and Food: Ash Dieback and Other Forestry Issues: Discussion (16 Jul 2025)
Michael Healy-Rae: It is 4,000 ha out of the 16,000 ha, and the point I am making is-----
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture and Food: Ash Dieback and Other Forestry Issues: Discussion (16 Jul 2025)
Michael Healy-Rae: Yes, but it is very important use these questions to send out a message. Senator Collins is doing excellent work. With regard to the group she is speaking about, I welcome Mary McCormack. I have met the members of the group and listened to their stories.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture and Food: Ash Dieback and Other Forestry Issues: Discussion (16 Jul 2025)
Michael Healy-Rae: I am very concerned. I hope they see the proactive measures we are now putting in place to try to get us on the proper road.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture and Food: Ash Dieback and Other Forestry Issues: Discussion (16 Jul 2025)
Michael Healy-Rae: If I cannot answer a question, I will say that I cannot do so. I do not know-----
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture and Food: Ash Dieback and Other Forestry Issues: Discussion (16 Jul 2025)
Michael Healy-Rae: -----but what I am hoping is that a day like today might turn matters around. People such as Senator Collins asking very important questions such as this might help these people and encourage them to come forward. Keep doing what you are doing, and maybe you might help with the problem as well.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture and Food: Ash Dieback and Other Forestry Issues: Discussion (16 Jul 2025)
Michael Healy-Rae: The work has to be carried out and inspected, and then the grant is paid.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture and Food: Ash Dieback and Other Forestry Issues: Discussion (16 Jul 2025)
Michael Healy-Rae: The clearance grant is paid first.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture and Food: Ash Dieback and Other Forestry Issues: Discussion (16 Jul 2025)
Michael Healy-Rae: No.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture and Food: Ash Dieback and Other Forestry Issues: Discussion (16 Jul 2025)
Michael Healy-Rae: Yes.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture and Food: Ash Dieback and Other Forestry Issues: Discussion (16 Jul 2025)
Michael Healy-Rae: Then they replant, and they get paid for that. Now, the other €5,000-----
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture and Food: Ash Dieback and Other Forestry Issues: Discussion (16 Jul 2025)
Michael Healy-Rae: Correct.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture and Food: Ash Dieback and Other Forestry Issues: Discussion (16 Jul 2025)
Michael Healy-Rae: No.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture and Food: Ash Dieback and Other Forestry Issues: Discussion (16 Jul 2025)
Michael Healy-Rae: In response to this specific point, I am responsible for what happens on my watch. I cannot and will not accept responsibility for anything that happened before my time. If I get something wrong now, Senator Collins can tackle me on it.