Results 2,481-2,500 of 4,399 for speaker:Martin Browne

Horse and Greyhound Racing Fund Regulations 2022: Motion (30 Nov 2022)

Martin Browne: I commend Deputy Carthy on tabling the amendment and I hope the Government will accept it. The horse and greyhound industry plays a significant role in my county of Tipperary. Whether it is the small operator with a couple of dogs or horses or the larger operators, the contribution they make to my home county cannot be understated and must be supported. These sectors provide great...

Horse and Greyhound Racing Fund Regulations 2022: Motion (30 Nov 2022)

Martin Browne: The Minister went overboard because he spent all his time talking about the Opposition.

Committee on Public Petitions: Consideration of Public Petition on Reform of Insurance for Thatched Heritage Buildings: Discussion (Resumed) (24 Nov 2022)

Martin Browne: One of the problems I have with that is that although we can give families specific targets they need to reach, the issues relating to insurance companies will continue. I am looking at one of the opening statements, which points out that there is no consensus in the insurance industry regarding what works to prevent fire in thatched buildings. All present are of an age where we can...

Committee on Public Petitions: Consideration of Public Petition on Reform of Insurance for Thatched Heritage Buildings: Discussion (Resumed) (24 Nov 2022)

Martin Browne: I appreciate that. I have no more questions, and there are no other members present. I invite the Ministers of State to make their closing remarks.

Committee on Public Petitions: Consideration of Public Petition on Reform of Insurance for Thatched Heritage Buildings: Discussion (Resumed) (24 Nov 2022)

Martin Browne: On behalf of the committee, I apologise for the low attendance. The Ministers of State and the families are present, but the meeting clashed with the meetings of other committees. There are normally far more members present.

Committee on Public Petitions: Business of Joint Committee (24 Nov 2022)

Martin Browne: Due to unforeseen circumstances, we are going to have to defer consideration of the three petitions scheduled to today until our next public meeting, which will take place at 1.30 p.m. on 8 December 2022.

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forestry Sector (29 Nov 2022)

Martin Browne: 790. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his Department will achieve the issuing of the target number of private felling licences as set out in his Department’s forestry licensing plan 2022, given that his Department has only issued 78% of the target number of licences to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [59231/22]

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forestry Sector (29 Nov 2022)

Martin Browne: 791. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his Department will achieve the issuing of the target number of forest road licences as set out in the forestry licensing plan 2022, given that his Department has only issued 79% of the target number of licences to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [59232/22]

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forestry Sector (29 Nov 2022)

Martin Browne: 792. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his Department will achieve the issuing of the target number of afforestation licences as set out in the forestry licensing plan 2022, given that his Department has only issued 61% of the target number of licences to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [59233/22]

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forestry Sector (29 Nov 2022)

Martin Browne: 789. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his Department will divert attention from Coillte to private foresters for the remainder of 2022, given that the target number of Coillte felling licences stated in the forestry licensing plan for 2022 of 1530 has now been exceeded; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [59230/22]

Committee on Public Petitions: Consideration of Public Petition on Reform of Insurance for Thatched Heritage Buildings: Discussion (Resumed) (24 Nov 2022)

Martin Browne: We will suspend the meeting for five minutes to allow the witnesses to leave.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Impact of Peat Shortages on the Horticulture Industry: Discussion (Resumed) (30 Nov 2022)

Martin Browne: I welcome Mr. Boland. I am thankful that he notes in page 7 of his report that some suppliers, particularly in the mushroom sector, are precariously close to exhausting all supplies and termination of employment is a risk in areas of Ireland. I say this because the Department has made efforts at downplaying this fact and telling us that there is no real worry there. It has come in and told...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Impact of Peat Shortages on the Horticulture Industry: Discussion (Resumed) (30 Nov 2022)

Martin Browne: I was talking about Mr. O'Leary from Walsh Mushrooms in Golden in Tipperary, where myself and the Chairman are from. He said he does not see a short-term solution in sight. He said diluting peat is driving up costs by 40% to 50%. He also suggested that as you narrow the providers of peat, the prices are going to increase. Does Mr. Boland have any opinion on that?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Impact of Peat Shortages on the Horticulture Industry: Discussion (Resumed) (30 Nov 2022)

Martin Browne: That is okay. Mr. Boland also pointed out that no sub-30 ha sites can be identified. We have had industry representatives claim that a number of them were pointed out. Can Mr. Boland explain why there is such a difference between his recommendations and what these stakeholders are telling us?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Impact of Peat Shortages on the Horticulture Industry: Discussion (Resumed) (30 Nov 2022)

Martin Browne: Is Mr. Boland saying they have not come forward with sites to him or to the Department?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Impact of Peat Shortages on the Horticulture Industry: Discussion (Resumed) (30 Nov 2022)

Martin Browne: The report also recommends a number of options to secure supply of horticultural peat. However there was no considered role for the private sector in the supply of horticultural peat. Given the past experience these people have had and the companies operating in Ireland, why does the report more or less ignore that sector and does that not undermine the report itself when such a large-scale...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Impact of Peat Shortages on the Horticulture Industry: Discussion (Resumed) (30 Nov 2022)

Martin Browne: Yes. As I missed some of the meeting, Mr. Boland may have answered on this point already. One of the recommendations relates to the pilot scheme in which the plan is that local authorities will work as swiftly as possible to process the planning applications. Can Mr. Boland outline how this pilot scheme would work in practical terms? His report indicates that the planning process here...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Impact of Peat Shortages on the Horticulture Industry: Discussion (Resumed) (30 Nov 2022)

Martin Browne: Why does he feel that is the case?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Impact of Peat Shortages on the Horticulture Industry: Discussion (Resumed) (30 Nov 2022)

Martin Browne: Would the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage or the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine be responsible for the establishment of the scheme and what would a timeframe for that be? Would it be across Departments like we have had and everything gets muddled up or would it be better with one Department taking it or the other?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Impact of Peat Shortages on the Horticulture Industry: Discussion (Resumed) (30 Nov 2022)

Martin Browne: Finally, this is the latest in a series of reports and waiting for each of these reports is wasting valuable time for the industry itself. Some people will claim that it will buy time for the Departments involved. This is the fifth report or working paper or whatever you want to call it that the Government has undertaken. When can we expect the Government to act on this report or will it...