Results 3,181-3,200 of 7,404 for speaker:Mick Wallace

Written Answers — Department of Health: Health Services Funding (1 Dec 2016)

Mick Wallace: 104. To ask the Minister for Health further to Question No. 61 of 18 October 2016, and in view of County Wexford's high suicide rate, if he will consider expediting the introduction of the peer-to-peer support worker positions in acute care in Wexford and Waterford mental health services, which have already been advertised in the three remaining CH05 counties, Carlow, Kilkenny and south...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Medicinal Products Supply (1 Dec 2016)

Mick Wallace: 213. To ask the Minister for Health if a company (details supplied) which makes Orthotics is available as a service provider via the long-term HSE scheme or medical card scheme; if it was ever available and was removed from either scheme, when it was removed; and the reason it was removed [38096/16]

Written Answers — Department of Health: Long-Term Illness Scheme Coverage (1 Dec 2016)

Mick Wallace: 226. To ask the Minister for Health the status of the work of the clinical nutritional expert group on new applications for additions to the reimbursement list, particularly in relation to phenylketonuria sufferers and free or discounted rate foods. [38127/16]

Secure Rents and Tenancies Bill 2016: Second Stage [Private Members] (30 Nov 2016)

Mick Wallace: I also support the Bill. We have an uncontrolled rental sector and it will stay uncontrollable until there is proper legislation around the rental market. The Government insists this is linked to the housing crisis and it is certainly a major factor. What are we doing about the housing crisis? It is amazing that the problems we have with the housing crisis and rental market have been with...

Other Questions: Climate Change Policy (30 Nov 2016)

Mick Wallace: 12. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his Department will create a roadmap for achieving the agriculture aspect of the 2050 carbon emission targets, as recommended in the first report of the Climate Change Advisory Council; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37568/16]

Other Questions: Climate Change Policy (30 Nov 2016)

Mick Wallace: It was disappointing to read the sections on agriculture in the first report of the Climate Change Advisory Council. It is not clear that there is a strong appetite among the members of the advisory council to address the rising levels of greenhouse gases in the sector. The council's approach is summed up by the following sentence from its report, "an approach to carbon neutrality in the...

Other Questions: Climate Change Policy (30 Nov 2016)

Mick Wallace: If we wanted to deal with food security, we would lean a lot more towards tillage because we can feed many more people through tillage than through beef. Beef is feeding the rich world but it is not feeding anything like the same numbers elsewhere. With the same resources that go into producing 1 kg of beef, we can produce 24 kg of food from tillage. Consequently, there is no comparison. ...

Other Questions: Climate Change Policy (30 Nov 2016)

Mick Wallace: I am interested in food production. Ireland should have an educational programme promoting less consumption of red meat and a healthier diet. This notion that we will continue to produce more and more beef for the export market does not make any sense.

Other Questions: Greenhouse Gas Emissions (30 Nov 2016)

Mick Wallace: 9. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his views on the recent figures released by the Environmental Protection Agency, which indicate that Ireland's agriculture emissions increased by 1.5% in 2015, largely due to a 7.7% increase in dairy cow numbers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37567/16]

Other Questions: Greenhouse Gas Emissions (30 Nov 2016)

Mick Wallace: This is a different perspective on the beef industry. Red meat is one of the most unsustainable sources of protein on earth and the Government's policy seems to ignore that. Increased consumption of red meat is a threat to global food security and according to the peer-reviewed journal, Science, at least 4 billion people could be fed with the crops we currently devote to fattening...

Other Questions: Greenhouse Gas Emissions (30 Nov 2016)

Mick Wallace: I love red meat.

Other Questions: Greenhouse Gas Emissions (30 Nov 2016)

Mick Wallace: The Minister's argument ignores the fact that rearing cattle for beef is, in itself, a destructive practice. It is like arguing we should burn coal, peat or oil in an efficient way while ignoring the fact that we must stop burning fossil fuels if we are interested in protecting the environment. Research from Bard College in New York indicates that beef's environmental impact dwarfs that of...

Other Questions: Greenhouse Gas Emissions (30 Nov 2016)

Mick Wallace: I have never suggested we dismantle the industry but I am saying we should manage it a little better. It is a great industry and I am not saying otherwise. We are nonetheless heading in a direction where, currently, we are probably overproducing. I can guarantee the Minister that the beef price will be lower this time next year because of increasing numbers. An Taisce stated recently...

Other Questions: Greenhouse Gas Emissions (30 Nov 2016)

Mick Wallace: The Minister is ignoring my points.

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Business of Select Committee (30 Nov 2016)

Mick Wallace: Perhaps I have forgotten it but I do not remember the Deputy saying that pre-legislative scrutiny was required. It is very unfair to say that Deputy O’Callaghan’s work has fallen well short because any Bill that any of us puts forward will require tinkering of some kind. He has put a lot of work into the Bill. This smacks of very dishonest work. It really calls into...

Other Questions: Natural Heritage Areas Designation (29 Nov 2016)

Mick Wallace: The 2011 bogland report by the Environmental Protection Agency noted 10 million tonnes of annual emissions from peatland degradation and burning, equivalent to Ireland's annual car emissions. We all know that there are many jobs tied up in peat and turf in the midlands now but we will not be able to continue burning peat like we are now. Is there any Government plan to start a job creation...

Other Questions: Natural Heritage Areas Designation (29 Nov 2016)

Mick Wallace: The Minister did not really answer my question about job creation. Currently, Bord na Móna harvests 4 million tonnes per year. It was originally set up to look after the bogs but it is destroying them. Since 2011, we have subsidised peat-fired power generation to the tune of €500 million, which is a lot of money. Surely there must be some long-term planning to get away from...

Other Questions: Natural Heritage Areas Designation (29 Nov 2016)

Mick Wallace: 28. To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the reasons for the planned de-designation of 46 raised bog natural heritage areas; her views on the potential environmental impacts of the de-designation, as highlighted by environmental groups such as An Taisce; if she will provide details of her Department's role in carbon sequestration in peatland areas; and if she will make a...

Other Questions: Natural Heritage Areas Designation (29 Nov 2016)

Mick Wallace: Despite the notable lack of prominence given to environmental matters in the programme for Government, there was a promise to publish new legislation to de-designate 39 raised bogs in natural heritage areas and partially re-designate seven raised bogs. The legislation, as I understand it, is formulated in such a way as to enable turf cutters to move from more important bogs to less important...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Arts Funding (29 Nov 2016)

Mick Wallace: 47. To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if any research was carried out by her Department into international best practice in relation to arts policy; if her Department has studied the example of Finland which, since independence, has placed central importance on cultural policy and has invested hugely in arts infrastructure; her views on the centralisation of arts...