Results 361-380 of 7,985 for speaker:Michael Fitzmaurice

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications: General Scheme of Road Traffic Bill 2015: Discussion (16 Apr 2015)

Michael Fitzmaurice: I thank the witnesses for their presentations. I will begin by putting some questions to Mr. Fintan Towey. Over the last few years, every lorry driver has had to take the certificate of professional competence. It makes a lorry driver a competent driver. As part of that process, lorry drivers are given explanations about drinking and driving, etc. Mr. Towey spoke about Bus Éireann...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications: General Scheme of Road Traffic Bill 2015: Discussion (16 Apr 2015)

Michael Fitzmaurice: Is Mr. Towey saying that if I own a lorry and employ a person to drive it, that following the passage of this legislation I can change the terms and conditions of the contract under which I employed that person?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications: General Scheme of Road Traffic Bill 2015: Discussion (16 Apr 2015)

Michael Fitzmaurice: Am I correct that Mr. Towey is also saying that there will be an obligation on me as employer to carry out a breathalyser test each morning on that person?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications: General Scheme of Road Traffic Bill 2015: Discussion (16 Apr 2015)

Michael Fitzmaurice: What is meant by "random?" Will I be required to carry out the test once a day, once a month or once a year?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications: General Scheme of Road Traffic Bill 2015: Discussion (16 Apr 2015)

Michael Fitzmaurice: Mr. Towey spoke about Iarnród Éireann, which has thousands of employees. He should consider the person who has one or two lorries going to the Continent, Cork or Belfast. What the Department thinks it can achieve is ludicrous. We designed the CPC course to put responsibility on drivers to ensure checks are done every morning when they go out and to put responsibility on drivers...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications: General Scheme of Road Traffic Bill 2015: Discussion (16 Apr 2015)

Michael Fitzmaurice: The Bill would impose an extra cost on employers. Does Mr. Towey mean a doctor would take the sample?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications: General Scheme of Road Traffic Bill 2015: Discussion (16 Apr 2015)

Michael Fitzmaurice: Then it is not good enough to buy the kit used in Australian mines to see if any worker had a drink the night before. It will cost a good bit to bring a doctor to premises to take samples from drivers. Is that what the Department is thinking of?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications: General Scheme of Road Traffic Bill 2015: Discussion (16 Apr 2015)

Michael Fitzmaurice: Jesus Christ, Ireland has gone wrong.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications: General Scheme of Road Traffic Bill 2015: Discussion (16 Apr 2015)

Michael Fitzmaurice: I did not say we needed a European licence, I asked why we have a European licence when nobody recognises anything we do in any other country.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications: General Scheme of Road Traffic Bill 2015: Discussion (16 Apr 2015)

Michael Fitzmaurice: This committee is looking at more new legislation. In line with the CPCs, every lorry or plant driver is obliged to tick their boxes and be a competent driver every morning they go out. Will the witness tell the committee how is it that every private driver has to do this and yet there are public bodies that have refused to do it and ignore it?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications: General Scheme of Road Traffic Bill 2015: Discussion (16 Apr 2015)

Michael Fitzmaurice: The CPC is a competence certificate. There is a legislative process in place that one has to do five courses in order to become a competent driver. It is part of the NTA and is European-wide, even though France has refused to do it. One will not be allowed to drive plant on a road here without doing the five modules. How come every private plant or lorry driver in Ireland is obliged to...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications: General Scheme of Road Traffic Bill 2015: Discussion (16 Apr 2015)

Michael Fitzmaurice: It is just to get the message out there. I have spoken to people in the UK. There were difficulties in the UK through he years but they have come along a lot. People on blood pressure tablets or with heart conditions need to be reassured with regard to drug testing. The first message which should go out is that guidelines exist whereby such people will be encompassed. This will give them...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications: General Scheme of Road Traffic Bill 2015: Discussion (16 Apr 2015)

Michael Fitzmaurice: I will breathalyse Professor Cusack before he leaves.

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Land Parcel Identification System (21 Apr 2015)

Michael Fitzmaurice: 360. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the precise statutory basis for the land parcel identification system appeals committee; the way he has delegated powers to this committee; the procedures this committee follows and the location where such information can be accessed; his views that applicants should be entitled to this information, prior to his Department offering...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Land Parcel Identification System (21 Apr 2015)

Michael Fitzmaurice: 361. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question No. 142 of 26 March 2015, if he is satisfied that there is no discrimination where verification visits and-or land parcel verifications are notified to farmers of privately owned lands, but commonage farmers are not notified in advance of such verification visits and-or land parcel verifications;...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Basic Payment Scheme Eligibility (21 Apr 2015)

Michael Fitzmaurice: 362. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the criteria his Department have defined in accordance with European Union Regulation 1307/2013 Article 4(1)(c)(ii) and Article 4(1)(c)(iii); if he is in agreement with a senior official (details supplied) from his Department stating that no such criteria can be defined for marginal lands, such as commonage; and if he will make a...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Direct Payment Scheme (21 Apr 2015)

Michael Fitzmaurice: 364. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question No. 142 of 26 March 2015, if he will explain the difference between verification visits and land parcel verification, and on-the-spot checks which are specifically defined under European Union regulations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15525/15]

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Single Payment Scheme Administration (21 Apr 2015)

Michael Fitzmaurice: 365. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question No. 142 of 26 March 2015, if he will confirm the European Union regulatory basis for a verification visit under the single payment schemes and under the basic payment scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15526/15]

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Commonage Land (21 Apr 2015)

Michael Fitzmaurice: 366. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question No. 142 of 26 March 2015, if he will agree that he does not afford commonage land owners the right to refuse his Department's inspectors entry onto their lands where verification visits and / or land parcel verifications occur; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15527/15]

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Commonage Framework Plans (21 Apr 2015)

Michael Fitzmaurice: 368. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if a commonage framework plan remains valid after its implementation date expires; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15549/15]