Results 2,921-2,940 of 7,978 for speaker:Michael Fitzmaurice

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?

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 attending. What is the pig industry's throughput in factories? When pigs were dying in China, it opened a large market for us. By how much have Irish farmers increased production since then for throughput to the processors for export, for example?

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

Michael Fitzmaurice: When the price of pig meat was at its height because of a shortage during the crisis in China, how much did it cost per kilogram? Mr. Healy stated that it had increased by 20 cent in the past two weeks. Is that right?

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

Michael Fitzmaurice: To what does that equate per pig? Is it an 80 kg or 90 kg pig?

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

Michael Fitzmaurice: That would be €16, so.

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

Michael Fitzmaurice: Is Mr. Healy saying that it is €1.75 now?

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

Michael Fitzmaurice: What are MII's market projections for the coming months? Various things have been said. For example, Teagasc has stated that it could be next February. What is MII's view of the markets?

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

Michael Fitzmaurice: Mr. Carroll said we account for 1.4% or 1.5% of European pig meat production. It will probably come down to supply and demand. I remember Mr. Healy being in here before when cattle prices were depressed and cattle aged over 30 months could not be taken or there had to be three movements or whatever. We see a totally different sector now and nearly anything that stands will be taken. Does...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Fixed-Price Milk Contracts: Irish Co-operative Organisation Society (13 Apr 2022)

Michael Fitzmaurice: I thank the representatives from ICOS for coming in. I am not an expert on milk like the Chairman or Senator Lombard. I have a contract here to hand, which I presume the witnesses are familiar with. It seems to be a letter that came to farmers, with a section at the bottom for them to provide a number, name and address, state that they wish to avail of the contract, and a place to sign it....

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Fixed-Price Milk Contracts: Irish Co-operative Organisation Society (13 Apr 2022)

Michael Fitzmaurice: I have another here for 2020. If I buy a tractor or other equipment, I would be advised by the bank of a cooling-off period and to get legal advice to make sure the contract is valid.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Fixed-Price Milk Contracts: Irish Co-operative Organisation Society (13 Apr 2022)

Michael Fitzmaurice: Mr. O'Gorman can look at the one here.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Fixed-Price Milk Contracts: Irish Co-operative Organisation Society (13 Apr 2022)

Michael Fitzmaurice: Is there a note on any of that? That is a contract from a person who produces a large amount of milk. One would imagine the co-operatives would be more responsible. The witnesses said that 8% to 10% is tied up. I presume the customers that do the forward buying buy more than that from the co-operatives. How is the price of milk decided? It was at 40 cent then went to 41 cent and so on...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Fixed-Price Milk Contracts: Irish Co-operative Organisation Society (13 Apr 2022)

Michael Fitzmaurice: It is like the mouse when the elephant is present. The co-operatives have not come together in the spirit of farmers in this country at a time of war and manned up. There are no winners here. What will the Government do about a contract? I am not a solicitor or barrister but it shocked me that the contract I mentioned earlier was so casual, in that it simply asked people to write down...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Fixed-Price Milk Contracts: Irish Co-operative Organisation Society (13 Apr 2022)

Michael Fitzmaurice: Empathy and sympathy do not put money in farmers' pockets.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Fixed-Price Milk Contracts: Irish Co-operative Organisation Society (13 Apr 2022)

Michael Fitzmaurice: Is it an amalgamation of co-operatives?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Fixed-Price Milk Contracts: Irish Co-operative Organisation Society (13 Apr 2022)

Michael Fitzmaurice: I am correct, so we are back again to the same nucleus of people, including a CEO and all the milk suppliers that put that pot together. We are shafting our own, even with the same nucleus of people. I cannot understand it. One has to be a betting person to be involved in this. It is like "The Gambler"; you win some and lose some. This set-up is unprecedented. In any contract, there...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Fixed-Price Milk Contracts: Irish Co-operative Organisation Society (13 Apr 2022)

Michael Fitzmaurice: Do we have a right to get the end customers that the witnesses all deal with that are in with these contracts before the committee? We should bring them in here and ask them what their game is if they are not prepared to turn around and put on the Irish shirt during a time of war.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Fixed-Price Milk Contracts: Irish Co-operative Organisation Society (13 Apr 2022)

Michael Fitzmaurice: It is in the interests of a farmer who could go bust.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Fixed-Price Milk Contracts: Irish Co-operative Organisation Society (13 Apr 2022)

Michael Fitzmaurice: I am not talking about them.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Fixed-Price Milk Contracts: Irish Co-operative Organisation Society (13 Apr 2022)

Michael Fitzmaurice: Mr. Flanagan did not listen to what I said. I am saying that ICOS's biggest buyer which has X amount locked in should be looking at the situation. It would be happy days if there was no war and it would probably be buying milk at 40 cent per litre but as the goalposts move every week you have to go according to plan. It is like cattle, sheep or anything; you have to move up if they are...