Results 7,001-7,020 of 8,026 for speaker:Michael Fitzmaurice
- Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (7 Mar 2024)
Michael Fitzmaurice: So the lens of safety-----
- Nature Restoration Law: Statements (7 Mar 2024)
Michael Fitzmaurice: I welcome the opportunity to speak on this. A few things need to be addressed. Earlier I heard reference to scaremongering. I hope it was not directed towards me because I was at the forefront of highlighting difficulties with the nature restoration law. I have dealt with the National Parks and Wildlife Service and the Department for many years and I would not like anybody to think this,...
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Compliance with the Nitrates Directive and Implications for Ireland: Discussion (Resumed) (20 Mar 2024)
Michael Fitzmaurice: I thank everyone for attending. I will shoot a few quickfire questions at a few of the witnesses, starting with LAWPRO. How many towns and villages have no sewerage?
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Compliance with the Nitrates Directive and Implications for Ireland: Discussion (Resumed) (20 Mar 2024)
Michael Fitzmaurice: No. These are areas where there is no Uisce Éireann infrastructure. How many of the towns local authorities are in control of have no sewerage?
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Compliance with the Nitrates Directive and Implications for Ireland: Discussion (Resumed) (20 Mar 2024)
Michael Fitzmaurice: The number around the country is in the hundreds. Sewage is going into streams. Turning to Uisce Éireann, how many towns under its programme need upgrades and new systems?
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Compliance with the Nitrates Directive and Implications for Ireland: Discussion (Resumed) (20 Mar 2024)
Michael Fitzmaurice: If the two organisations do not know the number, how can they know if they need to fix a problem? The dogs on the street know that sewage is going into rivers. The reports talk about phosphorous and a model is used. As a result of Uisce Éireann and the local authorities not knowing, the farmer has a red mark over him or her. A farmer in Leitrim was in derogation but is out of it now....
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Compliance with the Nitrates Directive and Implications for Ireland: Discussion (Resumed) (20 Mar 2024)
Michael Fitzmaurice: Okay, but-----
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Compliance with the Nitrates Directive and Implications for Ireland: Discussion (Resumed) (20 Mar 2024)
Michael Fitzmaurice: Will that investment process and all of this work be done by 2025?
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Compliance with the Nitrates Directive and Implications for Ireland: Discussion (Resumed) (20 Mar 2024)
Michael Fitzmaurice: No, I am asking a straightforward question. Will it be done by 2025? The farmers of Ireland on the derogation are up to date on all the results of water quality as they relate to the derogation going forward. Is it fair to say that the answer to whether the work will be done is “No”?
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Compliance with the Nitrates Directive and Implications for Ireland: Discussion (Resumed) (20 Mar 2024)
Michael Fitzmaurice: Sure, I could start the job tomorrow and not have it done by 2025. Anyone who knows anything about this work knows that.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Compliance with the Nitrates Directive and Implications for Ireland: Discussion (Resumed) (20 Mar 2024)
Michael Fitzmaurice: Please do. My next question is for the Department. I am not a scientist, but am I right in saying that four criteria are used when assessing water quality?
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Compliance with the Nitrates Directive and Implications for Ireland: Discussion (Resumed) (20 Mar 2024)
Michael Fitzmaurice: Who came up with those?
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Compliance with the Nitrates Directive and Implications for Ireland: Discussion (Resumed) (20 Mar 2024)
Michael Fitzmaurice: I apologise for my ignorance, but I just want to know about it. There are four criteria used and if farmers go down in one of the criteria, they are gone. Is that correct?
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Compliance with the Nitrates Directive and Implications for Ireland: Discussion (Resumed) (20 Mar 2024)
Michael Fitzmaurice: At one time, when doing the leaving certificate examinations if students got three questions right and one wrong, they passed. They would get a B grade, or whatever. In this situation, by contrast, if farmers go down in one of the criteria, they are gone.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Compliance with the Nitrates Directive and Implications for Ireland: Discussion (Resumed) (20 Mar 2024)
Michael Fitzmaurice: Is it a very high threshold?
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Compliance with the Nitrates Directive and Implications for Ireland: Discussion (Resumed) (20 Mar 2024)
Michael Fitzmaurice: Are scientific people in Europe telling us what they want to get over the line? If the Department were setting it out, in fairness to it, some of those things would not be included. Would that be fair to say? Europe is trying to move the Department to a particular standard.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Compliance with the Nitrates Directive and Implications for Ireland: Discussion (Resumed) (20 Mar 2024)
Michael Fitzmaurice: I am sorry for interrupting. Dr. Archbold said, "if the Commission is willing to listen". What is the hope of that? I do not want to be codding farmers. That is it. The guillotine may be coming today or tomorrow. Someone in the Commission is setting out criteria to the Department, which is getting a raft of criteria from Europe, and is telling the Department that the Commission can give...
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Compliance with the Nitrates Directive and Implications for Ireland: Discussion (Resumed) (20 Mar 2024)
Michael Fitzmaurice: When will decisions be made as to what the criteria will be for the next review?
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Compliance with the Nitrates Directive and Implications for Ireland: Discussion (Resumed) (20 Mar 2024)
Michael Fitzmaurice: I am trying to understand. Nitrates affect one part of the country and the rest of it is affected by phosphorous. Who set up the model? Modelling has been done. When I sample the water and then ring the Department, I am asked how many cows and cattle and other things are in the area. I will be asked about Irish Water in the area. A model is being used. Who did up that model and how...
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Compliance with the Nitrates Directive and Implications for Ireland: Discussion (Resumed) (20 Mar 2024)
Michael Fitzmaurice: I ask Dr. Archbold to correct me if I am wrong in my understanding. The committee has heard from representatives of the EPA. Some 286 are tested regularly. Off the top of my head, and I am open to correction on this point, I believe 1,680 are tested once a year. The rest are tested every few years. Is that correct? The Cathaoirleach, Senators Lombard and Paul Daly and I were in Brussels...