Results 3,521-3,540 of 7,789 for speaker:Michael Fitzmaurice

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Impact of Peat Shortages on the Horticultural Industry: Discussion (20 Jul 2021)

Michael Fitzmaurice: Has Mr. Lucas gone to the various authorities in Brussels?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Impact of Peat Shortages on the Horticultural Industry: Discussion (20 Jul 2021)

Michael Fitzmaurice: Could Mr. Lucas repeat what he said about the limited exceptions?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Impact of Peat Shortages on the Horticultural Industry: Discussion (20 Jul 2021)

Michael Fitzmaurice: Mr. Lucas is familiar with Brussels and with DG 11. He is also familiar with going back to the officials there to talk about different matters. Would it not have been a good thing for the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications especially, to go to DG 11 and outline the serious situation we are in and also to outline a just transition system that we would be prepared to put...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Impact of Peat Shortages on the Horticultural Industry: Discussion (20 Jul 2021)

Michael Fitzmaurice: Has anyone from the three groups represented here looked at the German model and other European models whereby they are able to export it to our country?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Impact of Peat Shortages on the Horticultural Industry: Discussion (20 Jul 2021)

Michael Fitzmaurice: Okay. Am I correct in saying that the dual consent system is only in operation in Ireland?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Impact of Peat Shortages on the Horticultural Industry: Discussion (20 Jul 2021)

Michael Fitzmaurice: Does that not tell us something is wrong?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Impact of Peat Shortages on the Horticultural Industry: Discussion (20 Jul 2021)

Michael Fitzmaurice: I asked a question. When we look at Germany and other countries that are able to send peat here, the working group has stated that dual consent does not apply to them. Is that correct?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Impact of Peat Shortages on the Horticultural Industry: Discussion (20 Jul 2021)

Michael Fitzmaurice: Could the witnesses come back to us on that?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Impact of Peat Shortages on the Horticultural Industry: Discussion (20 Jul 2021)

Michael Fitzmaurice: Okay. I thank Mr. Lucas.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Independent Mink Farms: Discussion (15 Jul 2021)

Michael Fitzmaurice: I welcome the witnesses. My understanding, from some documents I have looked at, is that some of them have licences until 2024. Those licences were given by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine. Have the witnesses spoken to the Department about that? I have two quick-fire questions, because I do not want to hold the witnesses all day.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Independent Mink Farms: Discussion (15 Jul 2021)

Michael Fitzmaurice: Just to be clear, does Mr. Curran accept that a prohibition is in front of him?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Independent Mink Farms: Discussion (15 Jul 2021)

Michael Fitzmaurice: Mr. Curran mentioned asbestos. He mentioned that there is a cost of €50 per square metre to dispose of asbestos. I presume to get rid of the asbestos it has to go to Germany or somewhere, just as in the case of material from buildings around the country. Is that correct? That is an expensive game.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Independent Mink Farms: Discussion (15 Jul 2021)

Michael Fitzmaurice: I am not an expert on mink by any means. Can Mr. Curran take me through how a determination is made as to when the mink is ready to kill? How do the witnesses kill them? Do they do it themselves on-site?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Independent Mink Farms: Discussion (15 Jul 2021)

Michael Fitzmaurice: Mr. Curran, therefore, has his own type of abattoir and can kill the animals. How many would be killed in a day?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Independent Mink Farms: Discussion (15 Jul 2021)

Michael Fitzmaurice: What would be the average?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Independent Mink Farms: Discussion (15 Jul 2021)

Michael Fitzmaurice: From the documents I read, I understand that, as with other types of farming, there is a seven-year cycle. There could be a few good years and a few bad ones. That is why the witnesses are going for the ten-year system. That way, they can pick up a couple of good years in the middle, along with the bad seven years. Is there an investment or allocation from the Department of Agriculture,...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Independent Mink Farms: Discussion (15 Jul 2021)

Michael Fitzmaurice: I understand that fully. Ms Heffernan has a massive amount of work done, from what she has said. My question is whether there is an allowance in the compensation the Department is offering for people who are left in that situation because they would not have the money in their back pocket to do such enormous work.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: General Scheme of Animal Health and Welfare (Amendment) Bill 2021: Discussion (15 Jul 2021)

Michael Fitzmaurice: I thank the Minister and all his officials for attending today as I know the Minister was busy this morning. It is also appreciated that we undertake pre-legislative scrutiny in this committee but unfortunately over the past week we have seen too much legislation not being looked at. I ask either the Minister, Mr. Greally or Mr. Kinsella to deal with the offer that is on the table of 35...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: General Scheme of Animal Health and Welfare (Amendment) Bill 2021: Discussion (15 Jul 2021)

Michael Fitzmaurice: No matter what approach the Minister is taking, with all due respect to Mr. Greally, if 400 animals are killed in a day, with the money that the Department is offering, this would not even pay the wages of a person. It would be unbelievable for a person to work for that kind of money. Where is the discrepancy then?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: General Scheme of Animal Health and Welfare (Amendment) Bill 2021: Discussion (15 Jul 2021)

Michael Fitzmaurice: Yes, I would like Mr. Greally to comment on the asbestos issue and on the redundancy arrangements for the workers, if he can.