Results 1,301-1,320 of 4,507 for speaker:Pat Deering

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Beef Data and Genomics Programme: Discussion (16 Jun 2015)

Pat Deering: Just to clarify, the figures Mr. Gleeson has cited are for fewer than 20 cows.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Beef Data and Genomics Programme: Discussion (16 Jun 2015)

Pat Deering: I apologise for not being here earlier. Before we wrap up, I have two questions. There was not much discussion since I arrived about the stocking density. Is the stocking density of 1.5 very rigid? The suckler farmer would be very uneasy or unhappy compared with the dairy farmer who would regard the stocking density as a serious advantage. A stocking density of 1.5 calved cows per hectare...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Beef Data and Genomics Programme: Discussion (16 Jun 2015)

Pat Deering: Will they be paid?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Beef Data and Genomics Programme: Discussion (16 Jun 2015)

Pat Deering: I understand, but the 2% might make the point that although they have been doing all that is required under the scheme for quite some time, they are not being rewarded now.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Beef Data and Genomics Programme: Discussion (16 Jun 2015)

Pat Deering: My final question was on the doomsday scenario of a poor take-up under the scheme, resulting in a pool of money left over.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Beef Data and Genomics Programme: Discussion (16 Jun 2015)

Pat Deering: That concludes what has been a very interesting and important discussion. Representatives of the ICBF will be here in a couple of weeks on 2 July for a follow-up discussion when we will have many more questions for delegates. I thank Mr. Gleeson and his colleagues for attending to answer questions in a very forthright way.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Basic Payment Scheme Eligibility: Discussion (16 Jun 2015)

Pat Deering: I welcome from the Irish Cattle & Sheep Farmers Association, ICSFA, Mr. Patrick Kent, president; Mr. Eddie Punch, general secretary; Mr. Cathal O'Reilly; Mr. Kenneth O'Brien; Mr. James Fitzgerald, and Mr. Michael Murphy. The delegates from Macra na Feirme are Mr. Seán Finan, national president, whom I congratulate on his recent election and wish well in his coming term; Mr....

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Basic Payment Scheme Eligibility: Discussion (16 Jun 2015)

Pat Deering: I invite Mr. Seán Finan to make his opening statement.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Basic Payment Scheme Eligibility: Discussion (16 Jun 2015)

Pat Deering: We may have another vote in 20 minutes or half an hour so we will try to get through this if we can.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Basic Payment Scheme Eligibility: Discussion (16 Jun 2015)

Pat Deering: Is there a county-by-county breakdown of the 3,800 forgotten farmers, and I feel as though I am one myself, about whom we are speaking? Do the witnesses have any idea where they are? Is there a bigger proportion in one part of the country than another? This day week, the Commissioner, Mr. Hogan, will come before the committee to brief it on agricultural matters. Have the witnesses...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Basic Payment Scheme Eligibility: Discussion (16 Jun 2015)

Pat Deering: How do you mean a problem, numbers-wise?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Basic Payment Scheme Eligibility: Discussion (16 Jun 2015)

Pat Deering: The red light is flashing to indicate a division has been called in the Dáil. We will have to hurry.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Basic Payment Scheme Eligibility: Discussion (16 Jun 2015)

Pat Deering: I ask Mr. Punch to be brief as Deputies must leave shortly for a division in the Dáil.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Basic Payment Scheme Eligibility: Discussion (16 Jun 2015)

Pat Deering: I apologise for hurrying the witnesses but we are under time pressure.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Basic Payment Scheme Eligibility: Discussion (16 Jun 2015)

Pat Deering: We can put it to the committee at the next meeting. From listening to the contributions of members, it seems they are generally supportive of the principle. Some work needs to be done to harden the numbers, but members are supportive in principle. We all know that the age profile of farmers in this country is high and we need to get it down. We need to get young farmers involved. That is...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Basic Payment Scheme Eligibility: Discussion (16 Jun 2015)

Pat Deering: We will put it to the committee at the next meeting. I thank the delegates for coming to explain the position. There is an anomaly in the system dating back a number of years which has not been addressed. The committee will do whatever it can to address it.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Basic Payment Scheme Eligibility: Discussion (16 Jun 2015)

Pat Deering: It is highly unlikely that the Government will fall today.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Basic Payment Scheme Eligibility: Discussion (16 Jun 2015)

Pat Deering: Next Tuesday we will have a joint meeting with the Joint Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation and the Joint Committee on European Union Affairs to discuss the TTIP.

Topical Issue Debate: Mortgage to Rent Scheme Eligibility (17 Jun 2015)

Pat Deering: I thank the Ceann Comhairle for selecting this issue and the Minister of State with responsibility for housing for his attendance. It is an important issue. Unfortunately, one of the legacy issues of the Celtic tiger economy is the many people in mortgage distress and mortgage arrears. Recent figures show that 38,000 are in mortgage arrears for two years or more, a very difficult...

Topical Issue Debate: Mortgage to Rent Scheme Eligibility (17 Jun 2015)

Pat Deering: The Minister of State makes the same points I made in my initial contribution. I very much welcome the changes to the scheme announced a few weeks ago, particularly with regard to the valuation. They have been helpful. The Minister of State referred to the financial eligibility criteria. In the case I outlined the individual in question would be better off staying at home on the dole,...