Results 3,581-3,600 of 7,789 for speaker:Michael Fitzmaurice

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Organic Farming Scheme (17 Nov 2020)

Michael Fitzmaurice: 877. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the budgetary allocations for organic farming scheme payments outlined in budget 2019; the actual amount paid out; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36158/20]

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Challenges for the Forestry Sector: Discussion (Resumed) (17 Nov 2020)

Michael Fitzmaurice: Will the witness comment on the proposed reconstitution and underplanting scheme, RUS, or does Coillte have any part to play in that? In the past four weeks we have received information from a departmental dashboard on the licences issued and I note Coillte has received 180 licences. Will the witness confirm that this is all for commercial heavy cutting or are some for thinning? How many...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Challenges for the Forestry Sector: Discussion (Resumed) (17 Nov 2020)

Michael Fitzmaurice: I welcome the Minister of State. My questions are more for the officials. I would like Mr. Hayes or Mr. Dunne to answer them. They are quick-fire questions, because many people wish to talk. I do not want essays, I just want quick answers. My understanding is that 200 applications have been made in respect of RUS. Why has there not been an acknowledgement to one person?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Challenges for the Forestry Sector: Discussion (Resumed) (17 Nov 2020)

Michael Fitzmaurice: There has been no acknowledgement.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Challenges for the Forestry Sector: Discussion (Resumed) (17 Nov 2020)

Michael Fitzmaurice: That is fine. Is there a problem with the Department's integrated forestry information system? My understanding from the Department is that there is an IT problem with that system.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Challenges for the Forestry Sector: Discussion (Resumed) (17 Nov 2020)

Michael Fitzmaurice: I just want to try to move on with my questions. Is there or is there not a problem? Has the IT system been built?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Challenges for the Forestry Sector: Discussion (Resumed) (17 Nov 2020)

Michael Fitzmaurice: That is fine. What qualification is required to do a screening of a forestry licence application? Is it necessary to have a degree in ecology?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Challenges for the Forestry Sector: Discussion (Resumed) (17 Nov 2020)

Michael Fitzmaurice: If it is within 15 km of a special area of conservation, are they trained?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Challenges for the Forestry Sector: Discussion (Resumed) (17 Nov 2020)

Michael Fitzmaurice: It is not necessary to have an ecology degree.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Challenges for the Forestry Sector: Discussion (Resumed) (17 Nov 2020)

Michael Fitzmaurice: Does someone need an ecology degree in order to screen in or screen out?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Challenges for the Forestry Sector: Discussion (Resumed) (17 Nov 2020)

Michael Fitzmaurice: Lovely. Have Mr. Hayes or his management team heard that forestry inspectors have said to senior management that they do not want to carry out screening or licence application processes? Is there any problem in the Department?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Challenges for the Forestry Sector: Discussion (Resumed) (17 Nov 2020)

Michael Fitzmaurice: Returning to the documents we were sent by the Department - they are very helpful, as is the dashboard - the COFORD Council report in 2018 stated that 3.2 million cu. m of timber was harvested in the Republic. On the island in total, there was processing of some 4.9 million cu. m. That is the COFORD Council report, so I obviously believe it. On the Department's dashboard, it is stated that...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Challenges for the Forestry Sector: Discussion (Resumed) (17 Nov 2020)

Michael Fitzmaurice: The statement from the Minister of State referred to 761,213 cu. m having been licensed in October. That timber is not available, obviously. The guts of 20 million cu. m over two years, if we go by the Department, has been put on the dashboard. That is there. Where is the timber? Why is there a shortage if the Department states that there is all this licensing?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Challenges for the Forestry Sector: Discussion (Resumed) (17 Nov 2020)

Michael Fitzmaurice: The focus is not on cubic metres of timber ready for cutting.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Challenges for the Forestry Sector: Discussion (Resumed) (17 Nov 2020)

Michael Fitzmaurice: Why would they wait two years or five years? Is thinning included?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Challenges for the Forestry Sector: Discussion (Resumed) (17 Nov 2020)

Michael Fitzmaurice: Do we have a breakdown comparing volumes of thinning timber and felling timber?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Challenges for the Forestry Sector: Discussion (Resumed) (17 Nov 2020)

Michael Fitzmaurice: We did not get that on the dashboard.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Challenges for the Forestry Sector: Discussion (Resumed) (17 Nov 2020)

Michael Fitzmaurice: As for the methodology, the whole system is in crisis.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Challenges for the Forestry Sector: Discussion (Resumed) (17 Nov 2020)

Michael Fitzmaurice: I do not know how the witness can say that when thinning is included. A hectare of thinning is totally different to a hectare of felling timber at 30 years.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Challenges for the Forestry Sector: Discussion (Resumed) (17 Nov 2020)

Michael Fitzmaurice: I want to move on. How many licences are stuck in the Department's system at the moment?