Results 3,721-3,740 of 3,998 for speaker:Martin Kenny

Questions on Proposed Legislation (8 Dec 2016)

Martin Kenny: One element of the programme for Government is to ensure that there is an extension of credit for small and medium enterprises and people starting new businesses, in particular. The European Investment Bank is opening an office in Ireland tomorrow. While the Government and its agencies can access funds from the bank, people who are seeking funds through that source have to do so through...

Pension Equality and Fairness: Motion [Private Members] (7 Dec 2016)

Martin Kenny: More than anything else, this is about fairness for people who have worked all their lives and are required to retire on reaching 65 years of age. Most of us here are former members of local authorities and we are all aware that local authority members are required to go on jobseeker's benefit for a year before they get their pension. As stated earlier, when the pension age is extended...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Horse and Greyhound Racing Fund Regulations 2016: Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine (6 Dec 2016)

Martin Kenny: I thank the Minister for his comments. This situation goes back quite a while and our swords have crossed a number of times on the issue. I still have serious concerns with the amount of money Horse Racing Ireland, in particular, receives from the taxpayer and how it is being used. I understand the number of owners in the horse racing industry in Ireland has dropped by almost 50% in recent...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Horse and Greyhound Racing Fund Regulations 2016: Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine (6 Dec 2016)

Martin Kenny: Some sectors are lobbying to increase the betting tax as it would help to make the industry more self-sufficient. People can use their credit cards to bet online. In effect, this means they are borrowing to bet, including those with an addiction. We should look at this and stop it. People do not walk into betting shops and use their credit cards but they can do it online. It is a step in...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Horse and Greyhound Racing Fund Regulations 2016: Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine (6 Dec 2016)

Martin Kenny: To clarify, will there be further debate on the motion in the Dáil?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Effect of Bad Weather on Grain Harvest: Irish Farmers Association (6 Dec 2016)

Martin Kenny: I thank Mr. Joe Healy and all the representatives here today from the Irish Farmers' Association. This issue has been around for quite some time. We are all very conscious of it. I met with some of the growers from my own end of the world. On Sunday evening I was at a table with one of them. The reality is that it is not affecting every grower. It must be recognised that we are talking...

Other Questions: Forestry Sector (30 Nov 2016)

Martin Kenny: There are three.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Basic Payment Scheme Administration (30 Nov 2016)

Martin Kenny: 2. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his plans for the restoration of the national reserve for entitlements under the basic payments scheme for farmers, with particular reference to new entrants to farming, returning emigrants, farmers under 40 years of age who were not farming in reference years and old young farmers. [37869/16]

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Basic Payment Scheme Administration (30 Nov 2016)

Martin Kenny: Will the Minister outline his plans for the restoration of a national reserve for entitlements under the basic payment scheme, with particular reference to new entrants to farming, returning emigrants and what is generally termed the forgotten farmers? While there are a small number of them throughout the country, it is a very serious issue that must be dealt with. This year there is no...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Basic Payment Scheme Administration (30 Nov 2016)

Martin Kenny: The issue is not being dealt with. The Minister has set out the terms and conditions of it, but is there a reserve in place? Clearly, there is not and that is the issue we must discuss. A certain amount of money that will be unspent in various categories will come back to the Department and I cannot understand why there is a reluctance to put that to one side. If we are committed to the...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Basic Payment Scheme Administration (30 Nov 2016)

Martin Kenny: That is fair enough. We understand that and that it has been a difficult year for farmers. However, rather than top slicing everybody, my suggestion, which I believe would be acceptable to most people, is that we consider the top end. For example, almost 300 farmers in the country receive in excess of €100,000. If the Minister were to top slice them by 5% or 6%, it would create a...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Basic Payment Scheme Administration (30 Nov 2016)

Martin Kenny: My calculation is on the back of an envelope, but it must be assessed.

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Scheme Eligibility (30 Nov 2016)

Martin Kenny: 13. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his plans for the inclusion of young farmers that are new entrants to farming in the animal welfare sheep scheme as the payments are based on average ewe numbers possessed in 2014 and 2015; and when, in the case of an entrant to farming in 2016, they will be included in such a scheme. [37722/16]

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Scheme Payments (30 Nov 2016)

Martin Kenny: 15. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his views on whether, with the advent of digital mapping, that to penalise farmers for overclaims, which were not deemed to be overclaims in the past, by freezing their whole payment and not just the portion in question, is harsh at a time when many farmers are facing a cash crisis; and if he will make a statement on the matter....

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Commonage Framework Plans (30 Nov 2016)

Martin Kenny: 17. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason, under the GLAS scheme, common framework plan, farmers within GLAS are now expected to inform on their non-GLAS commonage neighbours with regard to stocking density or be penalised. [37695/16]

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Dairy Sector (30 Nov 2016)

Martin Kenny: 20. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his plans to deal with the forthcoming increase in stock in the dairy sector and its inevitable impact on the beef market. [37696/16]

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Live Exports (30 Nov 2016)

Martin Kenny: 36. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his plans to remove trade barriers to the live trade to Northern Ireland and Britain in the context of Brexit. [37697/16]

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Impact of UK Referendum on Membership of the European Union on Irish Agrifood and Fisheries Sectors: Discussion (29 Nov 2016)

Martin Kenny: I thank both witnesses for attending and for giving such a comprehensive presentation. The issue of Brexit is facing everyone and all sectors, but for the agriculture sector and farmers in particular, it is the big scare factor. Someone wrote a long time ago how trouble was only opportunity in work clothes. Is there an opportunity here for Ireland to start to look again at how we market our...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Issues: Discussion (29 Nov 2016)

Martin Kenny: I welcome the delegates. The issues the witnesses raised are raised with us regularly by people from all parts of the country. Land designation is an ongoing problem, particularly in the west of Ireland. It has a major impact on many farmers. I wonder about the forgotten farmers and the fact that we have had no money available and no possibility of anything being done for them. There is...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Issues: Discussion (29 Nov 2016)

Martin Kenny: Does that figure take into account new entrants and returning emigrants? There is no point in dealing with the existing group of forgotten farmers and then having a new group in the same situation next year.