Results 2,401-2,420 of 10,862 for speaker:Matt Carthy

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Beef Task Force: Discussion (6 Jul 2021)

Matt Carthy: I am not sure how anything Mr. Dowling said contradicts the statement I made.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Beef Task Force: Discussion (6 Jul 2021)

Matt Carthy: I said that Mr. Dowling said that nothing can be done about it.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Beef Task Force: Discussion (6 Jul 2021)

Matt Carthy: It is important to clarify. Mr. Dowling mentioned the market and in a number of instances talked about consumers or customers. He is talking about retailers in this instance.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Beef Task Force: Discussion (6 Jul 2021)

Matt Carthy: They buy it to sell on to the next person, who is the actual consumer. Therefore, I think it would be useful to know whether Mr. Dowling has carried out any analysis of whether any of the group that he has just mentioned has labelling systems in place for the end customer that indicate the age or number of movements that the cattle and beef in question went through when they were back home...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Beef Task Force: Discussion (6 Jul 2021)

Matt Carthy: Does it strike Mr. Dowling as strange that a retailer would be so specific about what it needs to sell a product but would not feel a need to provide that specification to the end customer?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Beef Task Force: Discussion (6 Jul 2021)

Matt Carthy: There is another reason retailers and processors like it, which is that it allows them to exert more control over the primary producer. In terms of the product, there is a primary producer and the end customer but the people in the middle, whom, I suspect, are making the vast of the profits being made on beef, happen to have a set of specs that allow them to, in many cases, manipulate the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Beef Task Force: Discussion (6 Jul 2021)

Matt Carthy: To return to the establishment of the beef task force, we all recall the protests at factory gates. I am sure Mr. Dowling will accept that the primary cause of the agitation, which led to the establishment of the beef task force, was price.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Beef Task Force: Discussion (6 Jul 2021)

Matt Carthy: Mr. Dowling's evidence to the committee is that matters pertaining to price are outside of the scope of the beef task force.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Beef Task Force: Discussion (6 Jul 2021)

Matt Carthy: In terms of the remit, the problem from my point of view is that we have beef prices that are potentially manageable if they remain stable. I have heard nothing today which suggests that we are moving to a point where we can prevent the type of major price fluctuations we have seen in the past. In reality, this means that many primary producers will have to endure periods of poverty because...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Beef Task Force: Discussion (6 Jul 2021)

Matt Carthy: We have a beef sector agreement that was reached in 2019 but that has not been fully conveyed to all farmers. Some farmers have outlined to us that there are major issues in terms of beef price transparency. In real terms, nothing has been proposed to deliver on that. We have penalties in respect of movements and age and no proposal in that regard. We do have proposals in regard to PGI...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Beef Task Force: Discussion (6 Jul 2021)

Matt Carthy: I thank the witnesses.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Alleged Issues in the Horse Racing Industry: Discussion (8 Jul 2021)

Matt Carthy: I thank our guests. I put on record my esteem for the success of Irish horse racing and echo Senator Paul Daly's comments that the objective of this committee is to ensure that the international reputation for which we are renowned will be protected and enhanced at all stages. Mr. Egan concluded his opening remarks by stating that there is no systemic cheating within the horse racing...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Alleged Issues in the Horse Racing Industry: Discussion (8 Jul 2021)

Matt Carthy: Does Dr. Hillyer believe that the former happens?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Alleged Issues in the Horse Racing Industry: Discussion (8 Jul 2021)

Matt Carthy: I might just return to the questions. Our guests mentioned that blood and urine samples are routinely taken from winners. Is it the case that both types of sample are taken? My understanding is that it is primarily urine samples that are taken and that blood is taken only when urine has not been passed.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Alleged Issues in the Horse Racing Industry: Discussion (8 Jul 2021)

Matt Carthy: In what percentage is only urine taken, as opposed to both?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Alleged Issues in the Horse Racing Industry: Discussion (8 Jul 2021)

Matt Carthy: That is an important clarification. Routinely, therefore, only urine tests are taken.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Alleged Issues in the Horse Racing Industry: Discussion (8 Jul 2021)

Matt Carthy: I apologise but because of Covid restrictions, time is limited. I ask our guests for sharper responses, if possible. Will Mr. Egan describe the structure of the IHRB board?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Alleged Issues in the Horse Racing Industry: Discussion (8 Jul 2021)

Matt Carthy: It is the governing authority, however. The reason I ask is that the US anti-doping agency is to put in place a new governing body comprising nine members, five of whom will be completely independent of the industry, while four will be experts of the industry who have no current engagement. Does Mr. Egan see the merit of that type of structure whereby there would be a clear difference...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Alleged Issues in the Horse Racing Industry: Discussion (8 Jul 2021)

Matt Carthy: There is some confusion regarding the distinction between where the responsibility of HRI ends and that of the IHRB starts. Some questions are often put to the two bodies because there is confusion as to which of them is responsible. To get a sense of the relationship between the two bodies, will Mr. Egan advise if there was any interaction between HRI and IHRB before this meeting?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Alleged Issues in the Horse Racing Industry: Discussion (8 Jul 2021)

Matt Carthy: Did the two bodies meet to discuss this morning's hearing?