Results 341-360 of 595 for speaker:William Aird

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Small and Medium Enterprises (19 Jun 2025)

William Aird: 33. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the specific timelines and performance indicators that will be used to measure the effectiveness of the recently announced small business unit, in simplifying access to grants and supports, ensuring SME input into legislation through the SME test, and enhancing Local Enterprise Office resourcing; and if he will make a statement on...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Eligibility (19 Jun 2025)

William Aird: 184. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection to extend the winter fuel allowance to people with physical disabilities to a year round free fuel allowance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32780/25]

Select Committee on Agriculture and Food: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 30 - Agriculture, Food and the Marine (Further Revised) (18 Jun 2025)

William Aird: I thank the Minister for coming today and I welcome Ms Dowling, Ms Hanlon and especially Gordon Conroy. It is not often we have two people from the one town. We will leave that as it is. First, as regards the €3,000 ceiling for the cows, many farmers out there are owed north of €3,000 and I think it is the Minister's responsibility to pay them. I have been at a couple of...

Select Committee on Agriculture and Food: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 30 - Agriculture, Food and the Marine (Further Revised) (18 Jun 2025)

William Aird: Would the Minister want €120 million this year?

Select Committee on Agriculture and Food: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 30 - Agriculture, Food and the Marine (Further Revised) (18 Jun 2025)

William Aird: On the beef scheme then-----

Select Committee on Agriculture and Food: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 30 - Agriculture, Food and the Marine (Further Revised) (18 Jun 2025)

William Aird: But the Minister will get the money. We know that. The beef scheme-----

Select Committee on Agriculture and Food: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 30 - Agriculture, Food and the Marine (Further Revised) (18 Jun 2025)

William Aird: Is that going forward for this year?

Select Committee on Agriculture and Food: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 30 - Agriculture, Food and the Marine (Further Revised) (18 Jun 2025)

William Aird: Will the sheep scheme be the same?

Select Committee on Agriculture and Food: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 30 - Agriculture, Food and the Marine (Further Revised) (18 Jun 2025)

William Aird: It is awfully heartbreaking to see that more than 150,000 suckler farmers have gone out of the equation and more are leaving. Even though we are giving this, it is obviously not enough and it will have a huge imbalance in the whole agricultural sector. I wanted to make that point. The sheep scheme is the very same. Those schemes need to be beefed up, if the Minister can do that.

Select Committee on Agriculture and Food: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 30 - Agriculture, Food and the Marine (Further Revised) (18 Jun 2025)

William Aird: In fairness, that is up to the Minister.

Select Committee on Agriculture and Food: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 30 - Agriculture, Food and the Marine (Further Revised) (18 Jun 2025)

William Aird: He is making it-----

Select Committee on Agriculture and Food: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 30 - Agriculture, Food and the Marine (Further Revised) (18 Jun 2025)

William Aird: He can tell his officials to make it easy.

Select Committee on Agriculture and Food: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 30 - Agriculture, Food and the Marine (Further Revised) (18 Jun 2025)

William Aird: Absolutely. I am a farmer. I understand.

Select Committee on Agriculture and Food: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 30 - Agriculture, Food and the Marine (Further Revised) (18 Jun 2025)

William Aird: I disagree with the Minister on that. If they were making a reasonable, decent living and profit out of suckler cows, you would not have lost 150,000 suckler farmers.

Select Committee on Agriculture and Food: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 30 - Agriculture, Food and the Marine (Further Revised) (18 Jun 2025)

William Aird: Sorry, I do not have the time. Could the Minister dwell for me on the tillage sector?

Select Committee on Agriculture and Food: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 30 - Agriculture, Food and the Marine (Further Revised) (18 Jun 2025)

William Aird: Is there money ring-fenced in the tillage sector?

Select Committee on Agriculture and Food: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 30 - Agriculture, Food and the Marine (Further Revised) (18 Jun 2025)

William Aird: Was there not a Government commitment to ring-fence €60 million?

Select Committee on Agriculture and Food: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 30 - Agriculture, Food and the Marine (Further Revised) (18 Jun 2025)

William Aird: Is that not right?

Select Committee on Agriculture and Food: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 30 - Agriculture, Food and the Marine (Further Revised) (18 Jun 2025)

William Aird: But it is not guaranteed?