Results 441-460 of 7,985 for speaker:Michael Fitzmaurice

Other Questions: Special Areas of Conservation Designation (30 Apr 2015)

Michael Fitzmaurice: The term SAC does not exist. That is all I am asking about. The Minister may call them SCIs or whatever under legal protection but SACs will not exist until that bit of tweaking has been done.

Other Questions: Turf Cutting Restrictions (30 Apr 2015)

Michael Fitzmaurice: 8. To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if she will confirm that her Department is prepared to introduce more and tighter restrictions on designated blanket bogs, such as Bragan Mountain and others in County Cavan, and countrywide; if her Department is planning to stop turf cutting on designated blanket bogs; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16851/15]

Other Questions: Turf Cutting Restrictions (30 Apr 2015)

Michael Fitzmaurice: It seems to me, having to spoken to some of the Minister's officials in different parts of Ireland, that preparations are being made to impose tighter restrictions on the blanket bogs in different parts of Ireland. One of the bogs in question is found on Bragan Mountain in the Minister's part of the country. Can the Minister confirm that the intention is to stop turf cutting on those bogs?...

Other Questions: Turf Cutting Restrictions (30 Apr 2015)

Michael Fitzmaurice: I take it that the person who wrote the Minister's reply was not looking at the question because it seems we are talking once more about special areas of conservation.

Other Questions: Turf Cutting Restrictions (30 Apr 2015)

Michael Fitzmaurice: I say that on the basis of the reply read by the Minister. We established earlier that while these areas might have legal importance, they are not yet special areas of conservation. I urge people to stop using the phrase "special areas of conservation" in this context because it is misleading.

Other Questions: Turf Cutting Restrictions (30 Apr 2015)

Michael Fitzmaurice: It seems from the Minister's reply that one's right to cut turf on a blanket bog will depend on where one is in Ireland. If one is lucky enough, one may be able to cut turf. If one is unlucky and the blanket bog is in one of the sensitive areas about which the Minister is talking - it could be any bog in any county in any part of Ireland - one may face restrictions. Would it be fair to say...

Other Questions: Turf Cutting Restrictions (30 Apr 2015)

Michael Fitzmaurice: I did not say we do not.

Other Questions: Turf Cutting Restrictions (30 Apr 2015)

Michael Fitzmaurice: I welcome what the Minister has said and I fully agree with her. As we have always said, there can be conservation while people make use of things in different parts of the country. There is no reason people cannot work together constructively. I often saw in Connemara that the biggest attraction for a busload of people might be to look at a fellow cutting a few sods with a sleá....

Other Questions: Turf Cutting Restrictions (30 Apr 2015)

Michael Fitzmaurice: Yes. I agree with the point made by the Minister when she spoke about finding archaeological evidence of roads, etc. Those who have worked on the bogs down through the years need a bit of clarity. I welcome what the Minister has said about trying to work constructively with people so that they can cut their turf on these blanket bogs while also preserving these locations. The final...

Order of Business (30 Apr 2015)

Michael Fitzmaurice: When will the apprenticeship Bill be introduced? Throughout the country there is a dire need for apprentices to be trained in different areas. The issue needs to be moved on rapidly for our nation to prosper because the more we train, the better it is for people getting back to work. The Minister will be able to give me a clear answer on the second issue, the energy (miscellaneous...

Spring Economic Statement (Resumed) (30 Apr 2015)

Michael Fitzmaurice: I thank the House for the opportunity to speak on this issue and understand that the Chair may have to call time on it shortly. The spring statement is a new idea in Ireland. I am not that long in this House, but from what I understand it had been circulated in recent years. It is basically a statement of where we are and a projection of where we are going. There are positive things in...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Turf Cutting Compensation Scheme (30 Apr 2015)

Michael Fitzmaurice: 26. To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht with 17 years of attempting to implement the habitats directive having resulted in only partial relocation of domestic turf cutters from two of the 53 so-called special areas of conservation raised bogs, if her views that efforts to resolve the problems imposed upon domestic turf cutters by the Government's designation of these...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Special Protection Areas Designation (30 Apr 2015)

Michael Fitzmaurice: 28. To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if she has met, and is working with, the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government on behalf of farmers whose lands are designated and who are being prevented from stock-proofing their land by replacing old and damaged fences as a result of regulations introduced by her Department and the Department of the...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Turbary Rights (30 Apr 2015)

Michael Fitzmaurice: 34. To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if her Department has contacted the Department of Justice and Equality demanding that gardaí be sent out to patrol bogs with a view to preventing domestic turf cutters from exercising their rights to cut their own turf, for their own use, on their own family turf banks; if she will confirm that it is her Department that has...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Felling Licences Applications (6 May 2015)

Michael Fitzmaurice: 209. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will provide a review of the utilisation of felling licences Nos. 15843 and 15842, with specific reference to the loss of growing stock as a result of windblow adjacent to wind turbine felling sites, focusing in particular on felling operations in Doughall Forest Sliabh Bán, having regard to the Code of Best Forest...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Service Provision (6 May 2015)

Michael Fitzmaurice: 505. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills in view of the glowing report the Government has given itself in its spring economic statement whether she will immediately reverse the 15% cut in resource teaching hours for students with special education needs that she imposed in 2012; if she will restore resource teaching hours for students with special education needs to the levels...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications: General Scheme of Road Traffic Bill 2015: Discussion (Resumed) (6 May 2015)

Michael Fitzmaurice: I thank the representatives for their presentations. The numbers of people killed on the roads was mentioned. What percentage of heavy goods vehicles was involved in those deaths and what is the extent of alcohol consumption with regard to the cause of those deaths? Mr. John Twomey mentioned that mandatory alcohol testing was introduced in 2006. From what he said I understand that the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications: General Scheme of Road Traffic Bill 2015: Discussion (Resumed) (6 May 2015)

Michael Fitzmaurice: The witnesses is right about the trailers he mentioned. Someone could have four or five trailers on the premises. If one is hiring a trailer from someone they should have it tested; the employee should not be responsible.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications: General Scheme of Road Traffic Bill 2015: Discussion (Resumed) (6 May 2015)

Michael Fitzmaurice: Cracked spring.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Data (7 May 2015)

Michael Fitzmaurice: 192. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the reason applications to the National Council for Special Needs Education for resource teaching hours on behalf of students with special education needs, that miss the March 2015 deadline because schools are waiting for the relevant documentation from health care professionals, cannot be processed until October 2015; her views that in such...