Results 6,581-6,600 of 7,793 for speaker:Michael Fitzmaurice

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (24 Oct 2023)

Michael Fitzmaurice: 337. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the income thresholds for those applying for the Rebuild Ireland Local Authority Home Loan under the fresh start principle; if there was a change in this rate in Budget 2024; if he will consider an increase in the threshold; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46555/23]

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine's Response to Ash Dieback: Limerick and Tipperary Woodland Owners (25 Oct 2023)

Michael Fitzmaurice: I thank the witnesses for appearing before the committee; we are fairly familiar with them. This is a long saga and the witnesses have ploughed the furrow for many a day. On the previous RUS scheme, am I right in saying 230 or 240 farmers went into it? How many farmers in total are involved in the ash dieback issue?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine's Response to Ash Dieback: Limerick and Tipperary Woodland Owners (25 Oct 2023)

Michael Fitzmaurice: Then, the number in the RUS is basically peanuts.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine's Response to Ash Dieback: Limerick and Tipperary Woodland Owners (25 Oct 2023)

Michael Fitzmaurice: I concur. An important point needs to be added to these findings. Someone is going to be killed on some public road very shortly.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine's Response to Ash Dieback: Limerick and Tipperary Woodland Owners (25 Oct 2023)

Michael Fitzmaurice: The Ministers will be responsible for not moving on this. Be it via county councils, the single farm payment or some other system, funding should be provided for any ash trees along a road to be cut down. This should have happened already because someone, somewhere is going to be injured or killed. We see what happens during storms. The other day I saw a branch of an ash tree snap...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine's Response to Ash Dieback: Limerick and Tipperary Woodland Owners (25 Oct 2023)

Michael Fitzmaurice: If the bike starts freewheeling on a good scheme and 6,000 people get involved in it, the people with the machinery will react to the business. Getting it going is about the quality of the scheme.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine's Response to Ash Dieback: Limerick and Tipperary Woodland Owners (25 Oct 2023)

Michael Fitzmaurice: Sorry, but dealing with people getting killed on the roads unnecessarily is every Department's business.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine's Response to Ash Dieback: Limerick and Tipperary Woodland Owners (25 Oct 2023)

Michael Fitzmaurice: Agreed.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine's Response to Ash Dieback: Limerick and Tipperary Woodland Owners (25 Oct 2023)

Michael Fitzmaurice: But it can be administered-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine's Response to Ash Dieback: Limerick and Tipperary Woodland Owners (25 Oct 2023)

Michael Fitzmaurice: Between €400 million and €1 billion.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine's Response to Ash Dieback: Limerick and Tipperary Woodland Owners (25 Oct 2023)

Michael Fitzmaurice: That figure sounds like a lot. When we were told there would be about €1.3 billion for forestry between 2023 and 2027 we said that was great money. Senator Paul Daly was with us when we went to the European Commission. We quizzed officials there and €1 billion of that figure is spread over 20 years. It is giving a bit every year. The bark is worse than the bite.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine's Response to Ash Dieback: Limerick and Tipperary Woodland Owners (25 Oct 2023)

Michael Fitzmaurice: Mr. White spoke about how this had been going on since 2018. There was an election in 2020 but there was no Rolls Royce scheme brought in for the farmers in March 2020. This could have been sorted. I fear the Department involved will make things complicated. I hope it will move on the issue. We will do our piece but it is like pushing up a hill, as Senator Daly and everyone else will...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine's Response to Ash Dieback: Limerick and Tipperary Woodland Owners (25 Oct 2023)

Michael Fitzmaurice: It is even an embarrassment to talk about it, and then the Department brings out a new scheme. When we look at what farmers have gone through over the past six to eight years, how can I go to farmers and give them confidence? Everything is about confidence, whatever you do in life. Whether you are at cattle, dairy, drystock, sheep or trees, it is about confidence in the market and in what...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine's Response to Ash Dieback: Limerick and Tipperary Woodland Owners (25 Oct 2023)

Michael Fitzmaurice: When does Mr. White think this task force will take place?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine's Response to Ash Dieback: Limerick and Tipperary Woodland Owners (25 Oct 2023)

Michael Fitzmaurice: Has Mr. White's group or farmer organisations had any communication? Is it fair to say this has been out for about five weeks?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine's Response to Ash Dieback: Limerick and Tipperary Woodland Owners (25 Oct 2023)

Michael Fitzmaurice: Has there been any communication to say, hey presto, a task force is being set up on 1 December or 1 January? Has anyone been in contact to give any inkling?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine's Response to Ash Dieback: Limerick and Tipperary Woodland Owners (25 Oct 2023)

Michael Fitzmaurice: I am not being smart but I think that is already the case. From the data Mr. White has, what is the general train of thought? Will farmers replant or would they rather make their plantations into a clean field again?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine's Response to Ash Dieback: Limerick and Tipperary Woodland Owners (25 Oct 2023)

Michael Fitzmaurice: Would it not be contended that that is-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine's Response to Ash Dieback: Limerick and Tipperary Woodland Owners (25 Oct 2023)

Michael Fitzmaurice: This is my last question. Would Mr. White not contend that what he spoke of is coming from Europe? We were there, and all they were talking about was broadleaf forests. They did not want to hear at all about conifers. This is being quite frank about it. There seems to be a belief that we are all just going to be walking around looking at broadleaf trees every day of the week and that is it.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine's Response to Ash Dieback: Limerick and Tipperary Woodland Owners (25 Oct 2023)

Michael Fitzmaurice: Right.