Results 2,361-2,380 of 7,789 for speaker:Michael Fitzmaurice

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Rural Development Programme (10 Jul 2018)

Michael Fitzmaurice: 702. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason Ireland opted to take forestry out of its rural development programme (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30056/18]

Implications of Brexit for Irish Ports: Motion (Resumed) [Private Members] (11 Jul 2018)

Michael Fitzmaurice: I welcome this opportunity to speak and I thank Deputy O'Sullivan. Brexit or no Brexit, this infrastructure should be have been in place down through the years. The Minister may recall that during negotiations on the programme for Government one of the first things to be discussed was putting the west of Ireland into the TEN-T funding. Alas, as per usual, the people who do not realise...

Health (General Practitioner Service) Bill 2018 [Seanad]: Second and Subsequent Stages (11 Jul 2018)

Michael Fitzmaurice: I welcome this Bill. Providing a GP medical card is a step in the right direction. I emphasise the word "step". However, I believe we need a total re-examination of the way carers are treated. Every one of us across this floor has put in applications or helped people with their applications. The process is very cumbersome. It might take three or four months, and longer if it goes to an...

Fossil Fuel Divestment Bill 2016: Report and Final Stages (12 Jul 2018)

Michael Fitzmaurice: I welcome the opportunity to contribute to the debate. I do not have a problem with governments not investing in fossil fuels in future but there are few issues of which we should be mindful. According to reports, it seems that the rate of coal consumption last year was one of the highest ever, so despite what we are trying to do in this country, other countries do not seem to be adhering...

Water Conservation: Statements (12 Jul 2018)

Michael Fitzmaurice: I join other Members in asking the public to conserve water in every way possible. Over the years there has been underinvestment; there is no point in saying otherwise. I have heard people talking about how the climate has changed. In 1976, we had about a month of fine weather. It has not rained now for 19 days and we are short of water in a country that has plenty of water. The reason...

Insurance (Amendment) Bill 2018: Committee and Remaining Stages (12 Jul 2018)

Michael Fitzmaurice: Could insurance companies be forced to absorb this rather than having the people out there paying insurance, which has gone up for different reasons? They seem to be getting screwed the whole time. As Deputy McGrath has pointed out, when the threshold is reached, is there something to ensure it will be dropped from 2% to 1% or zero? Is there a forecast from the Department? If the...

Insurance (Amendment) Bill 2018: Committee and Remaining Stages (12 Jul 2018)

Michael Fitzmaurice: Insurance companies are picking and choosing in the line of flooding and so on. At the moment there are areas where a person may buy a house that never flooded but because the company has that property on a map, it will refuse the new owner insurance. At the same time, insurance companies from other countries have gone into liquidation or gone bust and we are trying to ensure we protect the...

Insurance (Amendment) Bill 2018: Committee and Remaining Stages (12 Jul 2018)

Michael Fitzmaurice: The companies will not insure now in places where there was never flooding previously.

Insurance (Amendment) Bill 2018: Committee and Remaining Stages (12 Jul 2018)

Michael Fitzmaurice: Yes, It may be 1,000 years from now.

Insurance (Amendment) Bill 2018: Committee and Remaining Stages (12 Jul 2018)

Michael Fitzmaurice: The CFRAM report dealt with certain parts of the country. Its scope has widened because the analysts have looked at one in 100 year events and one in 1,000 year events. I imagine the Minister of State has, like every other Deputy, encountered cases such as those I have encountered in Roscommon. A person may be selling a house on a hill, but the CFRAM report will have that house in the...

Insurance (Amendment) Bill 2018: Committee and Remaining Stages (12 Jul 2018)

Michael Fitzmaurice: I want to get some clarifications to ensure that I am understanding this correctly. I refer specifically to customers of Setanta. Third-party claims will be paid. If someone had comprehensive insurance on a vehicle and was involved in an accident, would the customer be paid for his or her car if that customer had comprehensive insurance? Up to now, that was being paid at 65%. People have...

Insurance (Amendment) Bill 2018: Committee and Remaining Stages (12 Jul 2018)

Michael Fitzmaurice: I, too, welcome what has been done. Many who took out policies were very uneasy because they were afraid for their houses and properties. They were very afraid of being bothered after doing things right. Senanta Insurance came in here. Under European legislation, is there anything that will ensure what happened will not happen again on a Europe-wide basis? Does the Union not have a set...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Fodder Shortages and Drought Issues: Discussion (4 Sep 2018)

Michael Fitzmaurice: I thank the Minister for his presentation. I would like to clarify a few things. He said there were approximately 17 approved operators for bringing in feed from outside the country, including co-ops. We are hearing stories, and the Minister might be able to enlighten me. As he is aware, in most parts of the country people who had lorries were bringing the feed from A to B, and that was...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Fodder Shortages and Drought Issues: Discussion (4 Sep 2018)

Michael Fitzmaurice: What about the payment of €200? Some €250 million a year was laid out.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Fodder Shortages and Drought Issues: Discussion (4 Sep 2018)

Michael Fitzmaurice: I asked a question on hauliers.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Impact of Retirement Packages for Postmasters: Discussion (4 Sep 2018)

Michael Fitzmaurice: I put my name down in time.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Impact of Retirement Packages for Postmasters: Discussion (4 Sep 2018)

Michael Fitzmaurice: Yes, and I wish to have them addressed directly by the Minister and Mr. McRedmond. I thank them for their presentation. An Post tendered for a contract with the then Department of Social Protection. When it tendered it gave the number of outlets it has around the country for the services. That is how it got the contract. An Post is now in breach of the contract up to 2019 because it is...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Impact of Retirement Packages for Postmasters: Discussion (4 Sep 2018)

Michael Fitzmaurice: I am sorry if I misunderstood the Minister.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Impact of Retirement Packages for Postmasters: Discussion (4 Sep 2018)

Michael Fitzmaurice: I thank the witnesses for their time. I want those questions to be given straight answers.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Impact of Retirement Packages for Postmasters: Discussion (4 Sep 2018)

Michael Fitzmaurice: Could the Minister answer the question I asked? He knows about contracts from his own Department. When the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection tendered for the contract, An Post put forward the list of what was being supplied for the duration of the contract. Is the contract not null and void if it is being taken away and An Post does not do what it said it would do?