Results 5,081-5,100 of 7,790 for speaker:Michael Fitzmaurice

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Afforestation and the Forestry Sector: Discussion (13 Apr 2022)

Michael Fitzmaurice: I was contacted by farming organisations during the week with regard to the new document being published next month. People have seen a draft; I have not. My understanding, and the Minister of State has alluded to it with regard to the habitats directive and various environmental regulations, is that there will not be a lot of change in getting opinions or a fast-track system because of the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Afforestation and the Forestry Sector: Discussion (13 Apr 2022)

Michael Fitzmaurice: Mr. Delany has seen it I presume.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Afforestation and the Forestry Sector: Discussion (13 Apr 2022)

Michael Fitzmaurice: What is Mr. Delany's view on the draft? I am not asking about the final document.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Afforestation and the Forestry Sector: Discussion (13 Apr 2022)

Michael Fitzmaurice: I want to put it back to Mr. Delany that the senior inspector is the first person involved in getting an application. Mr. Collins will be familiar with this. If an ecologist screened in or screened out something at the beginning where an inspector is not covered because he or she does not have the qualifications, would that speed up the process?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Afforestation and the Forestry Sector: Discussion (13 Apr 2022)

Michael Fitzmaurice: If I am not qualified at something how can I screen it if I must then go into court?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Afforestation and the Forestry Sector: Discussion (13 Apr 2022)

Michael Fitzmaurice: To call a spade a spade, if I bring the Department to court for making a decision and the person who made the decision is not a qualified ecologist it will not stand up. This is where we were beaten previously.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Afforestation and the Forestry Sector: Discussion (13 Apr 2022)

Michael Fitzmaurice: Files cannot be screened out at the beginning to speed up the process.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Afforestation and the Forestry Sector: Discussion (13 Apr 2022)

Michael Fitzmaurice: There have been 186 out of 608 ash dieback reconstitution and underplanting scheme applications processed. What is the delay with them?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Afforestation and the Forestry Sector: Discussion (13 Apr 2022)

Michael Fitzmaurice: I listened to what the Minister of State said about the problems in environmental law. It is sad to say that farmers who were interested in planting have gone away from it because of a failure in the Department for seven or eight years, and that is the reality. Unfortunately, from what Mr. Delany said about environmental law and the different situations, and he tried to take the positive...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Afforestation and the Forestry Sector: Discussion (13 Apr 2022)

Michael Fitzmaurice: I may have picked up the Minister of State incorrectly, but did she state earlier that she had signed off on an environmental grant in forestry? Regarding what was said about a 10 ha mix of hardwood and softwood species, is something in the pipeline that will make it possible to do this without a licence? Under the new results-based environmental agri pilot, REAP, scheme, will it be...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Afforestation and the Forestry Sector: Discussion (13 Apr 2022)

Michael Fitzmaurice: When will the form 2 stage grant be paid?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Afforestation and the Forestry Sector: Discussion (13 Apr 2022)

Michael Fitzmaurice: Did Mr. Delaney mention something about 10 ha?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Afforestation and the Forestry Sector: Discussion (13 Apr 2022)

Michael Fitzmaurice: Is that without a licence?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Afforestation and the Forestry Sector: Discussion (13 Apr 2022)

Michael Fitzmaurice: What about the results-based environmental agri pilot, REAP?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Afforestation and the Forestry Sector: Discussion (13 Apr 2022)

Michael Fitzmaurice: No, I am saying that if I went into the green low-carbon agri-environment scheme, GLAS, in 2016 and planted, if I was using that ground then I paid the whole thing back. In fairness, we all highlighted that at committee for the new environmental schemes and, indeed, the new Common Agricultural Policy, CAP. What is the story on that? If I have my farm in the REAP then decide I am going to...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Afforestation and the Forestry Sector: Discussion (13 Apr 2022)

Michael Fitzmaurice: Will the Minister of State come back to the committee on the REAP issue and give us a reply in a month-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Afforestation and the Forestry Sector: Discussion (13 Apr 2022)

Michael Fitzmaurice: -----to clarify whether a farmer who decides to go into forestry will be penalised. That is all I want to know.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Challenges Facing the Pig Industry: Discussion. (13 Apr 2022)

Michael Fitzmaurice: I thank the witnesses for coming in. Mr. Cullinan talked about 7% of pig producers basically going broke. Why is the figure of 7% being picked as against the 93%? I have talked to the two producers in County Roscommon. Any of them I have talked to so far have said that they are losing phenomenal money. Even pig producers in Tipperary, Cork and other places will tell you that. I ask Mr....

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Challenges Facing the Pig Industry: Discussion. (13 Apr 2022)

Michael Fitzmaurice: Would I be correct in saying that there is no point talking about a Brexit fund for the simple reason that for the next six, eight, and perhaps ten months, the pig sector is going to go through a wobbly enough time. After that, the projections are looking fairly good. Teagasc predicted that will happen in February of next year. Whether it is the Brexit fund or a bank, applicants have to be...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Challenges Facing the Pig Industry: Discussion. (13 Apr 2022)

Michael Fitzmaurice: Was there much of an increase in Ireland, percentage wise?