Results 1,701-1,720 of 4,399 for speaker:Martin Browne

Committee on Public Petitions: Financial Services and Pensions Ombudsman Annual Report and Related Matters: Discussion (31 Mar 2022)

Martin Browne: Do other members wish to ask any further questions? Does the Financial Services and Pensions Ombudsman, Ms McGovern, or any other members wish to make final comments?

Committee on Public Petitions: Financial Services and Pensions Ombudsman Annual Report and Related Matters: Discussion (31 Mar 2022)

Martin Browne: On behalf of the committee, I thank Ms McGovern and Ms Carroll for appearing before us today. We have met a good few ombudsmen and it has been very informative any time we have met them, to fill us in on what they are doing and the help they provide. I have no doubt that today's discussion has been very beneficial and informative to the committee, and I hope the ombudsman will be able to...

Committee on Public Petitions: Decisions on Public Petitions Received (31 Mar 2022)

Martin Browne: We have two petitions for consideration today. Petition 7/22 "Condemn Cuba for Human Rights Issues", is from Mr. Kevin Carter. The recommendation from the private session was that the correspondence from the Department of Foreign Affairs be forwarded to the petitioner for comment. Do the members have views on that or is that agreed?

Committee on Public Petitions: Decisions on Public Petitions Received (31 Mar 2022)

Martin Browne: Yes, it is.

Committee on Public Petitions: Decisions on Public Petitions Received (31 Mar 2022)

Martin Browne: Yes.

Committee on Public Petitions: Decisions on Public Petitions Received (31 Mar 2022)

Martin Browne: Yes, go on.

Committee on Public Petitions: Decisions on Public Petitions Received (31 Mar 2022)

Martin Browne: I agree with the Senator, but with the rising number of Covid cases and in the context of the correspondence we got from the Ceann Comhairle last week about wearing face masks and all that, I do not think we will be allowed to move out to the districts for a while. As I said, I have no problem with this and would agree with the Senator that as soon as restrictions start to be lifted, we...

Committee on Public Petitions: Decisions on Public Petitions Received (31 Mar 2022)

Martin Browne: On my behalf, and we spoke about this yesterday, this is our last meeting with Mr. Leo Bollins as the clerk to the committee. We would all agree that he has been a massive addition to the secretariat, including Ms Susan Moran and Ms Margaret O'Donnell, since the committee was formed. We wish Leo the best. As I said yesterday, our loss is someone else's gain. Ms Maggie Semple will come on...

Committee on Public Petitions: Financial Services and Pensions Ombudsman Annual Report and Related Matters: Discussion (31 Mar 2022)

Martin Browne: Yes. I just did not want to name anybody.

Committee on Public Petitions: Financial Services and Pensions Ombudsman Annual Report and Related Matters: Discussion (31 Mar 2022)

Martin Browne: I thank Deputy Higgins and call Senator Buttimer now, please.

Committee on Public Petitions: Financial Services and Pensions Ombudsman Annual Report and Related Matters: Discussion (31 Mar 2022)

Martin Browne: I am glad to see Deputy Buckley is happy. He has lifted all our spirits. I have a few quick questions. During 2020, 6,193 complaints were closed. That was an increase of 95% on the previous year. That is welcome and represents the dedication of the ombudsman's office to resolving issues affecting people. Can Ms McGovern give a brief summary of what was employed to achieve that kind of...

Committee on Public Petitions: Decisions on Public Petitions Received (31 Mar 2022)

Martin Browne: Petition 8/22 "Ban herbicides in public areas", is from Mr. James Walsh. The recommendation from the private session was that the correspondence from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine be forwarded to the petitioner for comment. Do the members have any views on this?

Committee on Public Petitions: Decisions on Public Petitions Received (31 Mar 2022)

Martin Browne: There is a substantial reply going to the petitioner and we will see what his views are of it. We will no doubt come back to it again. That is agreed. That concludes our consideration of public petitions. I invite members of the public to submit petitions via our online portal. A petition may be addressed to the Houses of the Oireachtas on a matter of general public concern or interest...

Committee on Public Petitions: Decisions on Public Petitions Received (31 Mar 2022)

Martin Browne: I agree with Senator Murphy. What people see here in the public meetings is only a small fraction of the amount of work that Mr. Bollins and his staff put in to get petitions to this stage, and the correspondence over and back between petitions. There is a massive amount of work and the public does not realise it. I wish Mr. Bollins all the best and welcome Ms Maggie Semple.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Health and Welfare Act 2013: Post-Enactment Scrutiny (Resumed) (6 Apr 2022)

Martin Browne: I welcome our guests. A question was asked about how many databases there are. It must be next to impossible to get an accurate figure on traceability. Is it nearing impossible with that many databases?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Health and Welfare Act 2013: Post-Enactment Scrutiny (Resumed) (6 Apr 2022)

Martin Browne: Yes.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Health and Welfare Act 2013: Post-Enactment Scrutiny (Resumed) (6 Apr 2022)

Martin Browne: The revising of the microchipping must be causing the witnesses to tear their hair out. People can be fined for giving false information but with four databases how easy is it to identify those who are providing false information and to bring them to a stage where they can be fined?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Health and Welfare Act 2013: Post-Enactment Scrutiny (Resumed) (6 Apr 2022)

Martin Browne: I imagine that if there was one database it would make life an awful lot easier for our guests. Is there any indication of a willingness at government level that legislation be changed and that all that information be brought in under one database or has that even been broached?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Health and Welfare Act 2013: Post-Enactment Scrutiny (Resumed) (6 Apr 2022)

Martin Browne: It is something we as a committee need to look more into as we get feedback from Dogs Trust Ireland. The ISPCA said it is illegal to perform the cropping procedure and for another person to carry it out and also to show dogs with cropped ears. It is not an offence to import a dog, however. If I have a dog with cropped ears, I cannot show it. However, I take it that most of these dogs are...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Health and Welfare Act 2013: Post-Enactment Scrutiny (Resumed) (6 Apr 2022)

Martin Browne: Who is responsible in the event that I am walking down the street with a dog with cropped ears? If the ISPCA sees me, is it able to hold me responsible or does it need to get a dog warden who is hired by the local authority to follow up on that?