Results 2,961-2,980 of 4,399 for speaker:Martin Browne

Cost of Living: Motion [Private Members] (26 Jan 2022)

Martin Browne: Last year, Sinn Féin launched its online survey about the impact the increase in the cost of living was having on people's lives. Some 76% of people who responded to our survey said they were very concerned about the impact while 95% said they believed the Government was not doing enough. We have heard that the Government intends to take €100 off electricity bills in March at...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Nitrates Action Programme: Discussion (Resumed) (26 Jan 2022)

Martin Browne: I welcome our guests. I apologise but I was speaking in the Dáil so I missed some of the meeting. Perhaps some of the points I will raise have already been covered. Am I to take it that our guests are taking issue with the closed period during which spreading is prohibited? Are they saying the system is too simplistic and not practical at farm level? They have also pointed out that...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Nitrates Action Programme: Discussion (Resumed) (26 Jan 2022)

Martin Browne: Have our guests engaged with the EPA on that matter or is it one of the organisations that has not brought our guests in for discussions?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Nitrates Action Programme: Discussion (Resumed) (26 Jan 2022)

Martin Browne: Looking through our guests' statements, they also believe that the GLAS grant aid scheme should be extended to all farmers to allow them use the low-emission slurry spreading, LESS, system that is operated by the Forestry Contractors of Ireland, FCI. That would cost the Government less and would result in less slurry being spread. Have our guests analysed how much less it would cost the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Nitrates Action Programme: Discussion (Resumed) (26 Jan 2022)

Martin Browne: Our guests have also talked about more education for farmers on slurry management rather than investing in and purchasing slurry spreading machinery. The conditions on 40% of Irish farms are not suitable for spreading slurry using the dribble bar and trailing shoe system. Could it reduce blockages and save money?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Nitrates Action Programme: Discussion (Resumed) (26 Jan 2022)

Martin Browne: I will return to what Mr. Moroney said earlier about not being included in discussions. I understand our guests have not been in touch with the EPA. Have they had discussions with other agencies, such as Teagasc, and the Department? I understand they have been in touch with the Department about suggestions. It seems to me that the proposal is for a centralised way of providing farm...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Nitrates Action Programme: Discussion (Resumed) (26 Jan 2022)

Martin Browne: Could the farm advisers Mr. Moroney is talking about and the Association of Farm & Forestry Contractors in Ireland, in terms of the role that each can play in the area of the provision of services and advice, work together with what is available? Does Mr. Moroney think there is a reluctance on the part of some of the advisers?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Nitrates Action Programme: Discussion (Resumed) (26 Jan 2022)

Martin Browne: Mr. Moroney said that he believes training is needed in order for people to understand the forest operational plans and how to identify the risks to water that might arise. He also mentioned the maintenance of machinery and knowing what actions to take in case of a pollution incident in a forest. Can he indicate on what basis that starts on? Can he tell us whether the Department has a...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Nitrates Action Programme: Discussion (Resumed) (26 Jan 2022)

Martin Browne: Mr. Moroney answered what I was going to ask him next. He spoke about the increase in the price of tyres and all of that. Over the last couple of weeks we have discussed the price of fuel and energy costs. I imagine that the increase in the price of fuel has had a massive effect on contractors. Have they seen an impact on the farmers for whom they work? Will the energy price increases...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Nitrates Action Programme: Discussion (Resumed) (26 Jan 2022)

Martin Browne: I thank the witnesses.

Violence against Women: Statements (Resumed) (25 Jan 2022)

Martin Browne: I send my deep condolences and those of the people of Tipperary to the family of Ashling Murphy and to her boyfriend Ryan. The horrific events that happened in Tullamore served as a wake-up call to all of us in this country about how the scourge of gender-based violence continues and the need for adequate measures to address it. This is why it is important that we have been discussing this...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (25 Jan 2022)

Martin Browne: 381. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if high-efficiency particle arrestor filters will be installed as standard during the construction of the new school in Cahir, County Tipperary which will see the amalgamation of a school (details supplied); if consideration will be given to the provision of such filters in all new school builds; and if she will make a statement on the matter....

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (25 Jan 2022)

Martin Browne: 392. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if there are plans to install a HEPA filtration system in the new primary school being built in Cahir. County Tipperary. [3406/22]

Written Answers — Department of Health: Covid-19 Pandemic (25 Jan 2022)

Martin Browne: 637. To ask the Minister for Health if the €1,000 bonus for healthcare workers will include agency staff. [3412/22]

Written Answers — Department of Health: Covid-19 Pandemic (25 Jan 2022)

Martin Browne: 638. To ask the Minister for Health if the €1,000 bonus for healthcare workers will be paid to healthcare workers who worked in the public sector during the pandemic but who are no longer employed as public sector healthcare workers. [3413/22]

Written Answers — Department of Health: Covid-19 Tests (25 Jan 2022)

Martin Browne: 645. To ask the Minister for Health the reason the HSE is only counting positive PCR tests for primary students despite guidance issued to the schools advising principals to treat positive antigen tests the same as positive PCR tests [3466/22]

Committee on Public Petitions: Business of Joint Committee (20 Jan 2022)

Martin Browne: I welcome everyone to this public virtual meeting using Microsoft Teams. Apologies have been received from Senator Fintan Warfield. The Ceann Comhairle, Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl, and the Cathaoirleach, Senator Mark Daly, have appealed to everybody in the parliamentary community to continue to follow public health advice, wear masks and maintain social distancing. The Ceann...

Committee on Public Petitions: Annual Reports from 2017 to 2020 and Related Matters: Ombudsman for the Defence Forces (20 Jan 2022)

Martin Browne: I thank Mr. Justice Mahon for the presentation. There are several questions that all the members wish to ask. I will start with a couple and then let others contribute. I congratulate Mr. Justice Mahon on clearing the backlog. It is unusual to see such a backlog being cleared in such a short space of time. Was it a case of judicial resources allocated to the office for that purpose?

Committee on Public Petitions: Annual Reports from 2017 to 2020 and Related Matters: Ombudsman for the Defence Forces (20 Jan 2022)

Martin Browne: Congratulations on clearing the backlog without new resources. Can we talk about lessons that may have been learned in light of the RTÉ documentary "Women of Honour"? The allegations of gender-based discrimination and violence in our Defence Forces were appalling and extremely worrying. Without mentioning any names, did Mr. Justice Mahon ever consider or make findings of any...

Committee on Public Petitions: Annual Reports from 2017 to 2020 and Related Matters: Ombudsman for the Defence Forces (20 Jan 2022)

Martin Browne: Yes, I appreciate that.