Results 4,021-4,040 of 7,985 for speaker:Michael Fitzmaurice

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Farm Plastics Recycling: Discussion (18 May 2021)

Michael Fitzmaurice: Athlone Institute of Technology is doing a lot of research on polymers and plastics. It would be worthwhile talking to them. To synopsise, to solve this Mr. Fitzgerald has stated there are three different things the committee will want to look at. I was jotting them down. Should the legislation be looked at? Should we look at an amber to green system instead of vice versa? Should the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Farm Plastics Recycling: Discussion (18 May 2021)

Michael Fitzmaurice: We could look at areas such as the just transition in the midlands. There could be an opportunity in the midlands, under the just transition, to create employment and to have a facility, as referred to by Deputy Flaherty earlier, so we can recycle our own plastics instead of talking about it. Setting up something like that, with the funding that would be there, could be a great opportunity...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Farm Plastics Recycling: Discussion (18 May 2021)

Michael Fitzmaurice: I thank the witnesses for coming in. I will ask a couple of quick-fire questions. Could the witnesses clarify that, from our understanding, the group gets approximately €1.5 million to €2 million per year from levies? Is that correct?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Farm Plastics Recycling: Discussion (18 May 2021)

Michael Fitzmaurice: When new plastic comes into Ireland, does that include both sides of it, such as when it is collected also?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Farm Plastics Recycling: Discussion (18 May 2021)

Michael Fitzmaurice: Right. Different people around the country are making us aware of things. Is there an intention to reduce the number of bring centres around the country this year? Are there large stockpiles with the IFFPG's collectors around the country?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Farm Plastics Recycling: Discussion (18 May 2021)

Michael Fitzmaurice: Has the IFFPG sought exclusive arrangements with farm plastic processors with a view to preventing, say, private, independent collectors from operating in the market?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Farm Plastics Recycling: Discussion (18 May 2021)

Michael Fitzmaurice: Has the amber to green been a problem, as the previous witness stated earlier? It was changed from amber to green. Would it be an advantage to the likes of the IFFPG, or any other body, if that were changed back again?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Farm Plastics Recycling: Discussion (18 May 2021)

Michael Fitzmaurice: There is basically no statutory remit under the legislation for the charges imposed on farmers. We must understand that, going by figures from the last ten years, at least €30 million or €40 million, maybe more, has been paid upfront by farmers in this. This was supposed to be a case of pay upfront and have it collected free. On what basis does the IFFPG claim to be able to...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Farm Plastics Recycling: Discussion (18 May 2021)

Michael Fitzmaurice: Under the agreements, the IFFPG gets 100% of the levy to collect 70% of the plastic, which is not a bad deal I must say. How come that if there is a private operator there that has collected plastic that it can give the numbers because I am a contractor myself and we know on a line of baling one must have the number to give at the different centres? If that plastic is legitimate why is that...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Farm Plastics Recycling: Discussion (18 May 2021)

Michael Fitzmaurice: I thank the Chairman.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Farm Plastics Recycling: Discussion (18 May 2021)

Michael Fitzmaurice: I have a few quick questions. Mr. Dunne spoke about public money. Let us be very clear that it is farmers who have paid for this scheme. The organisation should not regard itself as a hero. It is farmers who pay at the beginning and the end. I am a contractor. I know that when they one buys plastic, there is a levy on it. When that farmer, for whom we go baling, goes to the bring...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Farm Plastics Recycling: Discussion (18 May 2021)

Michael Fitzmaurice: Am I correct in saying that the Irish Farm Film Producers Group refers to the process of tramelling, where plastics are put into a machine, as recycling?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Farm Plastics Recycling: Discussion (18 May 2021)

Michael Fitzmaurice: So that is recycling, is it?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Farm Plastics Recycling: Discussion (18 May 2021)

Michael Fitzmaurice: Is that the recycling that material got?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Farm Plastics Recycling: Discussion (18 May 2021)

Michael Fitzmaurice: What happens then? Is is then regarded as green waste?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Farm Plastics Recycling: Discussion (18 May 2021)

Michael Fitzmaurice: Once it gets that treatment?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Farm Plastics Recycling: Discussion (18 May 2021)

Michael Fitzmaurice: I have a question on plastics. The witnesses have talked about 70% and 80% of plastics being collected. What tallying has been done in respect of the plastics coming in from Northern Ireland? Does the Irish Farm Film Producers Group know how much comes in?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Farm Plastics Recycling: Discussion (18 May 2021)

Michael Fitzmaurice: I did not ask about a problem; I asked about a figure.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Farm Plastics Recycling: Discussion (18 May 2021)

Michael Fitzmaurice: So, the witnesses cannot say, hand on heart, that the Irish Farm Film Producers Group has recycled 80% of the plastics used in Ireland? It could be 50%. I can tell the witnesses that vast amounts of plastics have been coming across the Border for years.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Farm Plastics Recycling: Discussion (18 May 2021)

Michael Fitzmaurice: So, as Senator Lombard stated earlier, we do not know the amount of plastics that is in the country in total. The Irish Farm Film Producers Group is working on figures that it has compiled with the industry. We are turning a blind eye to everything else. It is using those figures because it looks good for the organisation. However, in fact, in respect of recycling and the amount of...