Results 2,381-2,400 of 2,691 for speaker:Tim Lombard

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Recycling Farm Plastics: Discussion (Resumed) (15 May 2024)

Tim Lombard: That is my question. How much has been recycled?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Recycling Farm Plastics: Discussion (Resumed) (15 May 2024)

Tim Lombard: No, that is the percentage that has been collected. These are slightly different issues; there is a difference between what is stored under the ownership of this company and what is recycled. I say that with respect to the Minister of State. If it is sitting in one of these five yards and it is not baled but it is compliant with the terms and conditions of the local authority, it is still...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Recycling Farm Plastics: Discussion (Resumed) (15 May 2024)

Tim Lombard: We fully agree on that. The question is regarding how much of it is sitting there. The Minister of State has gone through the issues that have arisen with the Chinese authorities and the war. These are really serious issues. We are genuinely concerned that there could be stockpiles out there that have not been recycled. We know the collection rates are approximately 90%. They should be...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Recycling Farm Plastics: Discussion (Resumed) (15 May 2024)

Tim Lombard: Yes. It is a matter of that figure. Today, there are five yards are in compliance with local authorities. There could be six next year, seven the year after or 20 the year after that. There is a fear among the committee members that the recycling targets are not actually being met with regard to this product. We realise there is pressure here. We realise there is significant pressure in...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Recycling Farm Plastics: Discussion (Resumed) (15 May 2024)

Tim Lombard: I wish to ask about the licensing. The Minister of State informed us that the day-to-day running of the organisation is not his job; it is the licensing. Can he give me the date on which the last licence was issued and the timeline for that licence? When will the next licence be issued? How does that process run?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Recycling Farm Plastics: Discussion (Resumed) (15 May 2024)

Tim Lombard: As the Minister of State wants to be excused, we will suspend.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Recycling Farm Plastics: Discussion (Resumed) (15 May 2024)

Tim Lombard: Usually, we stay until we get the topic finished. Obviously, the votes that were called in the Dáil interrupted our discussion.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Recycling Farm Plastics: Discussion (Resumed) (15 May 2024)

Tim Lombard: In the majority of cases, witnesses would not leave the committee room when there is a vote but, unfortunately, the Minister of State was voting and was not paired, so we had to suspend. A Senator usually takes on the role of Chair in such circumstances to allow us to continue. Unfortunately, the Minister of State was not paired, although that is not a material issue. Members of the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Recycling Farm Plastics: Discussion (Resumed) (15 May 2024)

Tim Lombard: That is okay. I thank the Minister of State. We will work away so.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Recycling Farm Plastics: Discussion (Resumed) (15 May 2024)

Tim Lombard: The Minister of State has given indications he will stay until 7.30 p.m. and come back to us on another date.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Recycling Farm Plastics: Discussion (Resumed) (15 May 2024)

Tim Lombard: The Minister of State gives the impression he will be able to arrange that as soon as he possibly can.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Recycling Farm Plastics: Discussion (Resumed) (15 May 2024)

Tim Lombard: The secretariat will look at this and reschedule around the Minister of State's diary. We will make time.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Recycling Farm Plastics: Discussion (Resumed) (15 May 2024)

Tim Lombard: I thank the Deputy.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Recycling Farm Plastics: Discussion (Resumed) (15 May 2024)

Tim Lombard: Will Deputy Flaherty make a note to give to the clerk?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Recycling Farm Plastics: Discussion (Resumed) (15 May 2024)

Tim Lombard: To summarise, the view of the committee is that there is a potential time bomb in that we could have plastic collected and not recycled. It is a simple enough ask. A levy has been paid and collected and we are worried that there potentially could be a scenario where this entity might move or change and the State could be left with an issue. We are just trying to work out the volumes and we...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Recycling Farm Plastics: Discussion (Resumed) (15 May 2024)

Tim Lombard: If we are agreed, we will adjourn and come back to the issue. I thank the Minister of State and his officials. The next public meeting of the joint committee is at 5.30 p.m. on Wednesday, 22 May, when the committee will engage with the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine on issues regarding the Department.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Recycling Farm Plastics: Discussion (Resumed) (15 May 2024)

Tim Lombard: I am sorry, but the Minister of State missed my point. I must be getting poor at this. The issue is about how much plastic is in storage that has been picked up from yards. According to the letter the Minister if State received earlier, those yards are now compliant. How many thousands of tonnes are sitting there at the moment that have not been recycled? We need a figure for the actual...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Recycling Farm Plastics: Discussion (Resumed) (15 May 2024)

Tim Lombard: I have only one more question because I know I have been hogging the meeting. Regarding the board that has been set up, the Minister of State went into detail about who is involved in the board. Do any Department officials sit on the board?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Recycling Farm Plastics: Discussion (Resumed) (15 May 2024)

Tim Lombard: We will now resume.

Committee on Public Petitions: Reasonable Accommodation for Dyslexic Students in State Examinations: Discussion (16 May 2024)

Tim Lombard: I welcome the witnesses. It is important that we have this debate and have clarity regarding what we are talking about. Approximately 136,000 students will be sitting the junior certificate and leaving certificate examinations this year. If we look at the statistics, 10% of those students are dyslexic. That is the cohort of people who are affected in the system today. That amounts, one...