Results 3,261-3,280 of 3,706 for speaker:Michael Lowry

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forestry Sector (14 Feb 2024)

Michael Lowry: 266. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to provide additional information regarding farmland birds and afforestation in the new forestry programme; when will this information be released for public review and consideration; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6838/24]

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forestry Sector (14 Feb 2024)

Michael Lowry: 267. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to provide additional information regarding high nature value farmland and afforestation in the new forestry programme; when will this information be released for public review and consideration; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6839/24]

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forestry Sector (14 Feb 2024)

Michael Lowry: 268. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to provide additional information regarding the hen harrier within the ‘current distribution and breeding distribution for hen harrier’ layer and afforestation in the new forestry programme; when will this information be released for public review and consideration; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6840/24]

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Disability Services (14 Feb 2024)

Michael Lowry: 288. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth for an update on the current caseload of the Nenagh Child and Family Agency Children’s Disability Network Team; the current level of whole time equivalent staff based in Nenagh’s CDNT; the number of WTE staff positions that are currently vacant, and the plans in place to address these vacancies;...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Large-scale Capital Projects: Transport Infrastructure Ireland (14 Feb 2024)

Michael Lowry: I also welcome Mr. Walsh and Mr. O'Neill to our meeting and thank them for their informative presentation. My experience of TII has been good in that it is open and approachable and we normally get very accurate information from it. The general experience with TII as regards projects, which is no fault of the witnesses themselves, is that the system is very bureaucratic and cumbersome and...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Large-scale Capital Projects: Transport Infrastructure Ireland (14 Feb 2024)

Michael Lowry: Has TII got any indication from An Bord Pleanála that things will improve as regards the time factor?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Large-scale Capital Projects: Transport Infrastructure Ireland (14 Feb 2024)

Michael Lowry: In general terms, these large-scale projects are hugely important to the infrastructure and economy of the country. They are prioritised by national Government and TII is the principal agency. Surely TII has conveyed to An Bord Pleanála, without mentioning a specific project, the necessity and desirability to get an improvement in the time factors, that is, how long it takes to do the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Large-scale Capital Projects: Transport Infrastructure Ireland (14 Feb 2024)

Michael Lowry: I would appreciate if Mr. Walsh could make inquiries and send me a written report on it.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Large-scale Capital Projects: Transport Infrastructure Ireland (14 Feb 2024)

Michael Lowry: This is the N62. The main problem is the need to improve the junction coming on to the N62. Mr. Walsh’s engineers should be able to report on that.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Large-scale Capital Projects: Transport Infrastructure Ireland (14 Feb 2024)

Michael Lowry: What about the Thurles bypass?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Large-scale Capital Projects: Transport Infrastructure Ireland (14 Feb 2024)

Michael Lowry: We have made a submission and we will be making further submissions. Is Mr. Walsh anticipating that review will be undertaken in the current year?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Large-scale Capital Projects: Transport Infrastructure Ireland (14 Feb 2024)

Michael Lowry: Regarding funding, I was surprised to hear Mr. Walsh say that he still does not know the capital allocation for 2025. A small business has some indication. To run a business properly, you need to have some indication of what your outlay will be for the following year. I could not run my business on the basis that I did not know what my capital outlay was going to be in 2025.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Large-scale Capital Projects: Transport Infrastructure Ireland (14 Feb 2024)

Michael Lowry: Before Mr. Walsh moves on from this issue, the Thurles bypass was on the list but was then removed by the political authority at the time. It has not got back onto it since. As I understand what Mr. Walsh is saying, to use his own phrase, TII has “a matrix of projects”, which does not include the Thurles bypass, that have not been funded and would require additional...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Large-scale Capital Projects: Transport Infrastructure Ireland (14 Feb 2024)

Michael Lowry: I has a final question on the bypass for Tipperary town.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Large-scale Capital Projects: Transport Infrastructure Ireland (14 Feb 2024)

Michael Lowry: Could Mr. O'Neill please repeat that?

Health (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2024: Second Stage (21 Feb 2024)

Michael Lowry: I welcome the Bill. In making its pre-budget submission, the Regional Group met the Minister for Finance and the Minister for Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform and put forward several suggestions. On foot of doing so, we received a commitment. Therefore, I very much welcome this Bill. Its purpose is to exempt rent-a-room income of up to €14,000 per annum. It is to be...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (22 Feb 2024)

Michael Lowry: The ongoing shortage of some 300 prescription-only medications is causing significant stress for many people. This is compounded by news articles stating that pharmacists are being left with no alternative but to dispense substitute medications that have not been authorised or registered for use in Ireland. This has happened despite the fact these medications, known as exempt medicinal...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (20 Feb 2024)

Michael Lowry: 78. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection to provide an update on the implementation of the new pay-related jobseeker's benefit system; how this reform is improving the social welfare system for persons with a strong work history so they can receive enhanced benefits if they lose their employment; what measures are being taken to ensure its successful...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Code (20 Feb 2024)

Michael Lowry: 102. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection to provide details on the steps her Department is taking in addressing the 'cliff-edges' in welfare systems; as she is aware these 'cliff-edges' in the welfare systems are where benefit entitlements and other supports are withdrawn sharply; these 'cliff-edges' disincentivise individuals from increasing their work hours or...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Code (20 Feb 2024)

Michael Lowry: 104. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection for an update on the measures being taken to support low-income families, such as increases in weekly social welfare payments, an increase in the domiciliary care allowance, and increases in the income thresholds for the working family payment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7457/24]