Results 321-340 of 4,571 for speaker:Trevor Sargent

Fisheries Council: Statements (9 Dec 2008)

Trevor Sargent: Deputy Ferris raised the issue of cod recovery measures agreed at the November Fisheries Council. Under the cod recovery plan agreed at the Council, a limit on time at sea will apply to vessels targeting whitefish. The time at sea, established through Ireland's fishing vessels track record in the area, will, for the first time, be administered by each member state. Our officials have been...

Fisheries Council: Statements (9 Dec 2008)

Trevor Sargent: I have had a number of opportunities to address this House and the Seanad on fisheries matters of late in a challenging time for our fishermen. I have welcomed each of these opportunities as it is my firm belief that it is our collective duty to engage in informed debate to enlighten the policy formulation process for the betterment of the industry. The subject of this debate is the December...

Recall of Irish Pork and Bacon Products: Statements (9 Dec 2008)

Trevor Sargent: Up Longford.

Financial Services Regulation. (4 Dec 2008)

Trevor Sargent: Ar dtús báire, ba mhaith liom a rá gur oth liom nach bhfuil an tAire Airgeadais, an Teachta Brian Lenihan, i láthair. D'iarr sé orm an freagra seo a thabhairt don Teachta Bannon. I wish to start by addressing the Deputy's concerns on the need for supports for those who may fall into arrears on their mortgages and I will later address the issue of how mortgage providers deal with such...

Social Welfare Benefits. (4 Dec 2008)

Trevor Sargent: Is olc liom a rá nach bhfuil mo chomhghleacaí, an tAire Gnóthaí Sóisialacha agus Teaghlaigh, an Teachta Mary Hanafin, i láthair. Táim cinnte go mbeidh sí ag léamh an Tuairisc Oifigiúil. I thank Deputy Durkan for raising a clear example of a difficulty of which I know the Minister, Deputy Mary Hanafin, will be very much aware. The supplementary welfare allowance scheme provides for...

Social Welfare Benefits. (4 Dec 2008)

Trevor Sargent: Her weekly income after paying the full amount of mortgage interest due is over €360 per week in respect of herself and one child. If she is not satisfied with the decision of the community welfare officer, it is open to her to appeal against the decision to the executive's designated appeals office.

Social Welfare Benefits. (4 Dec 2008)

Trevor Sargent: I ask the Deputy to take up the matter with the Minister for Social and Family Affairs, Deputy Hanafin.

Agriculture: Motion (Resumed) (3 Dec 2008)

Trevor Sargent: I thank all who took part in the debate yesterday and today. Regrettably, most of the contributions from the other side of the House failed to have any serious regard for the real state of the public finances.

Agriculture: Motion (Resumed) (3 Dec 2008)

Trevor Sargent: It has changed. Only yesterday we saw the November Exchequer returns show a further deterioration in tax revenues.

Agriculture: Motion (Resumed) (3 Dec 2008)

Trevor Sargent: No Minister could take any pleasure from having to reduce payments to farmers or suspend various schemes but difficult times demand difficult decisions. What the Opposition will not acknowledge is that our Department will still be supporting farming with €3.26 million next year. Unsurprisingly, not one Opposition Deputy referred to the fact that spending on REPS is increasing by 7% next...

Agriculture: Motion (Resumed) (3 Dec 2008)

Trevor Sargent: I have to fill in some of the gaps in the debate.

Agriculture: Motion (Resumed) (3 Dec 2008)

Trevor Sargent: Several speakers suggested that income cuts would be made to the suckler cow welfare scheme. As the Minister made clear last night, however, this is a misleading and disingenuous representation. The partnership agreement states in regard to the introduction of a new suckler scheme that funding of €250 million will be allocated from the rural development funding package.

Agriculture: Motion (Resumed) (3 Dec 2008)

Trevor Sargent: The Minister has ensured this commitment will be honoured in full and it is about time that the Members opposite stopped misrepresenting the position. This is a new stream of income for Irish farmers, with the first payments only now being made, and it cannot therefore be regarded as a cut in farm incomes in 2009.

Agriculture: Motion (Resumed) (3 Dec 2008)

Trevor Sargent: By the end of this month, €33 million will have been paid and a further €44 million is being paid in the early months of 2009. In regard to installation aid and early retirement schemes, the Minister has repeatedly stated that he is anxious to revisit the decision to suspend their entry as soon as circumstances permit. He indicated this during his contribution to last night's debate and...

Agriculture: Motion (Resumed) (3 Dec 2008)

Trevor Sargent: I am clarifying our position.

Agriculture: Motion (Resumed) (3 Dec 2008)

Trevor Sargent: The Minister has secured national discretion in the CAP health check for the operation of specific supports funded from the single payment ceiling. Last night he stated: I have previously expressed my concern for the sheep sector in particular and have repeatedly acknowledged that this sector needs support, given its importance. . . The sector remains a priority and is one that needs...

Agriculture: Motion (Resumed) (3 Dec 2008)

Trevor Sargent: Despite the current economic difficulties, a growth rate of 14% was achieved up to October 2008 according to Bord Bia research.

Agriculture: Motion (Resumed) (3 Dec 2008)

Trevor Sargent: The outcome of the CAP health check presents a real opportunity to position our world class dairy sector to take advantage of the abolition of milk quotas in 2015. The securing of an increase in production capacity of 9.3% by 2014 is a considerable negotiating achievement and a tribute to the Minister and his team. The Minister has undertaken to revisit the decisions as soon as circumstances...

Agriculture: Motion (Resumed) (3 Dec 2008)

Trevor Sargent: He will be.

Fisheries Protection. (3 Dec 2008)

Trevor Sargent: The very poor state of many whitefish stocks targeted by the Irish fishing fleet is clearly reflected in the decreases in annual total allowable catch, TAC, and quota allocations that Ireland receives, and in the landings of the fishing fleet over the past decade. The levels of TAC and, ultimately, the quotas for Ireland are determined each year at the December Fisheries Council following...