Results 3,721-3,740 of 7,670 for speaker:Jackie Cahill

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Collection and Recycling of Farm Plastics: Discussion (29 Jun 2021)

Jackie Cahill: On behalf of the committee, I thank Mr. McDonald and Ms Byrne from the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications for engaging with us today on this important issue. I heard Mr. McDonald say the plastic is not the responsibility of the Department. There is a considerable amount of plastic to be dealt with. It poses a monumental challenge. Farmers have paid the levy on it....

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Collection and Recycling of Farm Plastics: Discussion (29 Jun 2021)

Jackie Cahill: I thank Mr. McDonald very much. I propose that we hold a private meeting on MS Teams tomorrow, 30 June, at 3.30 p.m. Is that agreed? Agreed. That concludes our proceedings for today.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Impact of Peat Shortages on the Horticulture Industry: Discussion (Resumed) (6 Jul 2021)

Jackie Cahill: Deputy Carthy is attending a meeting of the Committee of Public Accounts and will join this meeting at 10 a.m. Before we begin, I remind members that, in the context of the current Covid-19 restrictions, only the Chairman and staff are present in the committee room. All members must join remotely from elsewhere in the parliamentary precincts. The secretariat can issue invitations to join...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Impact of Peat Shortages on the Horticulture Industry: Discussion (Resumed) (6 Jul 2021)

Jackie Cahill: There are a number of very pertinent questions there. Ms Kavanagh is indicating.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Impact of Peat Shortages on the Horticulture Industry: Discussion (Resumed) (6 Jul 2021)

Jackie Cahill: Those were comprehensive answers.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Impact of Peat Shortages on the Horticulture Industry: Discussion (Resumed) (6 Jul 2021)

Jackie Cahill: I thank Mr. O'Rourke and I call Deputy Michael Collins.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Impact of Peat Shortages on the Horticulture Industry: Discussion (Resumed) (6 Jul 2021)

Jackie Cahill: I will come back to the witnesses in a moment and they can answer them then. I call Deputy Michael Collins.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Impact of Peat Shortages on the Horticulture Industry: Discussion (Resumed) (6 Jul 2021)

Jackie Cahill: I note Mr. Dunne is waiting to come in. Deputy Fitzmaurice asked a few specific questions that were not answered. I ask Mr. Dunne to respond to Deputy Fitzmaurice's questions as well as the questions posed by Deputy Collins.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Impact of Peat Shortages on the Horticulture Industry: Discussion (Resumed) (6 Jul 2021)

Jackie Cahill: I thank Mr. Dunne for his passionate answers. He has outlined the significant difficulties that are coming down the tracks. We were on Bord Bia when the decision on Bloom was made, and that was a success story for the horticulture industry. I understand his point that its concept would be undermined and made a mockery of if it could not be supported by Irish industries.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Impact of Peat Shortages on the Horticulture Industry: Discussion (Resumed) (6 Jul 2021)

Jackie Cahill: A number of members have indicated they wish to speak. I call Senator Lombard.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Impact of Peat Shortages on the Horticulture Industry: Discussion (Resumed) (6 Jul 2021)

Jackie Cahill: Regarding the officials, this meeting was called at short notice at the request of the horticulture industry and no officials were available to us this morning. On my way down to the committee room, I saw that the Minister of State, Deputy Noonan, was taking Commencement matters in the Seanad. It is not that officials refused; rather, it was the time factor.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Impact of Peat Shortages on the Horticulture Industry: Discussion (Resumed) (6 Jul 2021)

Jackie Cahill: When we finish this meeting, we will make a number of decisions about how we as a committee will proceed to try to progress this matter.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Impact of Peat Shortages on the Horticulture Industry: Discussion (Resumed) (6 Jul 2021)

Jackie Cahill: Deputy Kehoe asked a very specific question about a particular company and a legal case. If a witness can answer that without landing us in bother we would appreciate it. The point Deputy Kehoe made about the officials is extremely important. When this meeting finishes today the committee will have to discuss how we can progress this. We will discuss this when we finish this morning.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Impact of Peat Shortages on the Horticulture Industry: Discussion (Resumed) (6 Jul 2021)

Jackie Cahill: That is an experienced answer Mr. Dunne and, as Chairman, I appreciate it.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Impact of Peat Shortages on the Horticulture Industry: Discussion (Resumed) (6 Jul 2021)

Jackie Cahill: I have others who want to come in. I thank Ms. Kavanagh.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Impact of Peat Shortages on the Horticulture Industry: Discussion (Resumed) (6 Jul 2021)

Jackie Cahill: I already gave the Deputy the answer I was given.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Impact of Peat Shortages on the Horticulture Industry: Discussion (Resumed) (6 Jul 2021)

Jackie Cahill: Sorry, I know Deputy Carthy was late joining the meeting. The delegation went through the alternatives in detail earlier.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Impact of Peat Shortages on the Horticulture Industry: Discussion (Resumed) (6 Jul 2021)

Jackie Cahill: Can Ms Kavanagh respond to Deputy Carthy? Is it possible to do this with a statutory instrument or must it be legislation?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Impact of Peat Shortages on the Horticulture Industry: Discussion (Resumed) (6 Jul 2021)

Jackie Cahill: We will discuss actions afterwards but the committee needs clarity on whether it is legislation or a statutory instrument that can do this. I hope the committee will agree when we discuss this afterwards that we will get legal advice, as a committee, on what measures are in the Government's power to do in a very short time frame.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Impact of Peat Shortages on the Horticulture Industry: Discussion (Resumed) (6 Jul 2021)

Jackie Cahill: I thank the Deputy. I think that was more of a statement than a question. Senator Gallagher, who is not a member of the committee but comes from Monaghan, raised this issue with me over the weekend and has been working hard on it. Deputy Leddin has joined the meeting late, so I will let him in first, followed by Senator Gallagher.