Results 3,981-4,000 of 7,789 for speaker:Michael Fitzmaurice

Written Answers — Department of Health: Primary Medical Certificates (3 Mar 2021)

Michael Fitzmaurice: 858. To ask the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) will be called for an assessment for a primary medical certificate in counties Roscommon or Galway; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11544/21]

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Schemes (3 Mar 2021)

Michael Fitzmaurice: 1046. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if those farmers who at the inception of the young farmer scheme were farming in their own right for over five years and therefore not eligible and who are now over 40 years of age and without a green certificate will have a chance of entry into a new scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11224/21]

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Rewetting of Peatland and its Impact on Farmers: Discussion (2 Mar 2021)

Michael Fitzmaurice: I do not know what is wrong. I am in my office in Dublin but there is nothing on my screen. There is some technical issue.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Rewetting of Peatland and its Impact on Farmers: Discussion (2 Mar 2021)

Michael Fitzmaurice: I do not have the Chairman's pretty face in front me, whatever problem is occurring. I welcome the witnesses. I had a Zoom meeting with Bord na Móna one week ago. There are concerns around the country about drains that have been deepened and pumps are operating, boundary or mairning drains between farmers and drains that go through land to a river. There are places near Ballinasloe...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Rewetting of Peatland and its Impact on Farmers: Discussion (2 Mar 2021)

Michael Fitzmaurice: Will the farming organisations be pushing for a written agreement for the future? Will they be working together to try to achieve this? At my meeting with them, while they were very co-operative, they were not jumping out through the fence to provide a written agreement. This needs to be a red line issue for the farming community.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Rewetting of Peatland and its Impact on Farmers: Discussion (2 Mar 2021)

Michael Fitzmaurice: There are a few points I want to come back to there. From the meeting I had with them, a lot of the bogs at issue were raised bogs once but a lot of the peat would be off them now. We have bogs around us, 3,000 ha that were re-wetted by the NPWS years ago and to be honest, there has not been a problem, provided it is done right. That is the bottom line. The ecologists I spoke to are...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Rewetting of Peatland and its Impact on Farmers: Discussion (2 Mar 2021)

Michael Fitzmaurice: I want to straighten out one matter for the record. Deputy Carthy was behind me last Thursday when the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications stated that we would be importing horticultural peat rather than harvesting it. Am I right Deputy Carthy? We need clarification from the Green Party one way or the other on what will be done.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Rewetting of Peatland and its Impact on Farmers: Discussion (2 Mar 2021)

Michael Fitzmaurice: I thank Dr. Wilson for his submission. I come from an area where the National Parks and Wildlife Service rewetted a bog. What is the tonnage of carbon sequestered on 1 ha of rewetted bog. Studies conducted by the service show that the active raised bog habitat of this bog grew by 45%, even though turf was cut on the edge of the bog. I want to hear the tonnage so that people will...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Rewetting of Peatland and its Impact on Farmers: Discussion (2 Mar 2021)

Michael Fitzmaurice: I think it is.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Rewetting of Peatland and its Impact on Farmers: Discussion (2 Mar 2021)

Michael Fitzmaurice: To clarify, is the Chairman saying we are not to discuss milled peat or turf cutting on Bord na Móna grounds? I know Deputy Guirke wants to speak on that issue. Are members to stay away from those issues today? Can we bring in a representative of Bord na Móna to discuss those issues on another day?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Rewetting of Peatland and its Impact on Farmers: Discussion (2 Mar 2021)

Michael Fitzmaurice: I want to make it clear that we badly need a meeting on that issue to be held rapidly. I thank the representatives of Bord na Móna. I met them a week ago and I spoke to Ms King. Mr. Breen referred to reducing the risk to adjoining farms. It is about eliminating risk. I understand rewetting. It has been done for 15 years near me and it is okay. I have one simple question. Is Bord...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Rewetting of Peatland and its Impact on Farmers: Discussion (2 Mar 2021)

Michael Fitzmaurice: There is another issue to be considered if the committee is going to bring in other representatives of Bord na Móna. Many farmers have been left high and dry in the context of willow at the moment. They do not know where they are going. They got into this in good faith. I ask that we get representatives in to deal with turf cutting, peat and willow because we need answers for farmers...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Rewetting of Peatland and its Impact on Farmers: Discussion (2 Mar 2021)

Michael Fitzmaurice: Is Bord na Móna prepared to enter into a written agreement with them? That was the question I asked. With the best will in the world, it is probably the case that no one at this meeting will be in the same job in 15 years' time. Jobs change. Is Bord na Móna prepared to sit down with the farming organisations, sign a written agreement, get that issue out of the way and get...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (25 Feb 2021)

Michael Fitzmaurice: Over the past six or eight months, a court case was resolved regarding people who are entitled to a primary medical certificate. Following a lot of the usual spin doctoring from the HSE and Department of Health, this is open but people are not getting appointments. The HSE and Department are prioritising Covid and leaving people with disabilities unable to get a primary medical certificate....

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (25 Feb 2021)

Michael Fitzmaurice: Peat is coming into Ireland from five countries around Europe. This situation is meant to be the same for everyone in Europe, but here in Ireland people cannot stir because of the environmental impact assessment, EIA, requirement for 30 ha. This situation must be addressed.

Health (Amendment) Bill 2021: Second Stage (Resumed) (25 Feb 2021)

Michael Fitzmaurice: Meanwhile, there were about 22 infections with the virus in the construction sector. Have we lost the courage to make decisions because we got a bite on the arse at Christmas? I was one of those people who said we should then open up things. I put my hand up in that regard. However, I ask the Government to not lose courage and for its members to stand up and be counted. Getting one bite...

Health (Amendment) Bill 2021: Second Stage (Resumed) (25 Feb 2021)

Michael Fitzmaurice: I welcome the opportunity to speak on this Bill. First, I wish to say that it is regrettable and a sad thing to hear that the Minister for Health had to erect a security fence around his house.

Health (Amendment) Bill 2021: Second Stage (Resumed) (25 Feb 2021)

Michael Fitzmaurice: We stand in solidarity with the Minister. There is no place for that in Irish society. We can have our differences in here but respect must be shown to people's families and children-----

Health (Amendment) Bill 2021: Second Stage (Resumed) (25 Feb 2021)

Michael Fitzmaurice: -----and to people themselves. We live in an Ireland where people are coming in and going out. I spoke last night to a young couple in Donegal. They are living in a caravan that is damp and are expecting a baby on 1 April next. They cannot get an electrician for two days to finish their house out in the countryside in order that they can live in it. We live in a country where a person...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Young Farmers Scheme (25 Feb 2021)

Michael Fitzmaurice: 352. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when payment under the young farmers scheme 2020 will issue to a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10654/21]