Results 4,301-4,320 of 9,160 for speaker:Thomas Pringle

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Peatlands Restoration and Rehabilitation: Discussion (23 Oct 2019)

Thomas Pringle: I thank the contributors. Unfortunately, I was not here for the opening statements as I had to speak in the Dáil. Some of my questions may have been covered already. Our guests will forgive me if that is the case. Can Dr. Renou-Wilson tell the committee more about the impact of the Government's proposed afforestation plan on peaty soils? Can she explain how the current policies of...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Peatlands Restoration and Rehabilitation: Discussion (23 Oct 2019)

Thomas Pringle: Just a couple of questions. A meeting on climate policy was organised by the ICMSA recently. A scientist who attended stated unequivocally that Ireland was likely to be a net emitter by 2030 under LULUCF regulations as we are losing carbon through deforestation and the continued destruction of peatlands. Does Mr. Lucas agree with this assessment? What steps is the Department taking as...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Peatlands Restoration and Rehabilitation: Discussion (23 Oct 2019)

Thomas Pringle: What does that mean in overall percentages or amounts of land? We have spoken about 11 million tonnes of carbon here, then 5,500 tonnes there. It is a fair difference. I want a picture of the total cost rather than just the existing programmes. Has Mr. Lucas any idea of that?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Peatlands Restoration and Rehabilitation: Discussion (23 Oct 2019)

Thomas Pringle: Does the 28 megatonne figure refer to 28,000 tonnes?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Peatlands Restoration and Rehabilitation: Discussion (23 Oct 2019)

Thomas Pringle: There was mention of 11 million tonnes.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Peatlands Restoration and Rehabilitation: Discussion (23 Oct 2019)

Thomas Pringle: The programme is matched to the budget, which is fair enough, but if the budget was not a constraint, how much would it cost to do what needs to be done with the lot?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Peatlands Restoration and Rehabilitation: Discussion (23 Oct 2019)

Thomas Pringle: Would those 27 bogs equate to 100,000 tonnes of carbon, which is still short of 11 million tonnes of carbon?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Peatlands Restoration and Rehabilitation: Discussion (23 Oct 2019)

Thomas Pringle: I am not trying to give the witness a hard time or catch him out. I am just wondering what it would take to deal with the extent of the problem. It seems we are tinkering with this. There is no doubt this is very worthwhile work.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Peatlands Restoration and Rehabilitation: Discussion (23 Oct 2019)

Thomas Pringle: Whose job is to look at that? Is anybody looking at it? What is happening in the special areas of conservation is grand, but overall it will do nothing in terms of what we must do.

Child Maintenance: Motion (22 Oct 2019)

Thomas Pringle: I always wonder why the Government continues to target lone parents as if they had wronged State in some way. Why are there no support services or State agencies to intervene when child maintenance is not paid, even when it is one of the strongest determinants of child poverty and even when child poverty persists despite is the so-called economic upturn? The only conclusion I can come to is...

Developments in Spain: Statements (22 Oct 2019)

Thomas Pringle: Two years after democratically elected Catalan ministers, politicians and civil activists held a peaceful referendum on the question of self-determination for Catalonia, severe penalties were handed down by the Spanish Supreme Court to former Catalan leaders. Penalties ranged between nine and 13 years for the leaders, under trumped up charges, including sedition, disobedience and the misuse...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Teagasc Administration (22 Oct 2019)

Thomas Pringle: 458. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his plans to amend and update the Agriculture (Research, Training and Advice) Act 1988 to ensure that Teagasc has the necessary expertise and mandate to consider mitigation strategies from the agriculture and food sectors here in view of the recent UN IPCC special report on land and climate change 2019. [43416/19]

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Teagasc Funding (22 Oct 2019)

Thomas Pringle: 459. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the percentage of the research budget of Teagasc that is dedicated to climate mitigation activities; and his views on the adequacy of resources available to his Department towards climate mitigation in view of the recent study by the CSO on environmentally damaging subsidies. [43417/19]

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: National Raised Bog Management Plan (22 Oct 2019)

Thomas Pringle: 483. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the dedicated resources and expertise in relation to paludiculture available within his Department or State agencies under his remit; his plans to implement the recommendation regarding paludiculture research in chapter 8 of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action report; his views on the potential for paludiculture in the...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agrifood Sector (22 Oct 2019)

Thomas Pringle: 484. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the names of the 400 stakeholders and delegates invited to attend the open policy debate on a strategy for the agrifood sector to 2030 arranged for 16 October 2019. [43528/19]

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Renewable Energy Generation Targets (22 Oct 2019)

Thomas Pringle: 491. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the progress towards meeting the renewable heat obligation of Ireland under EU directives for 2020; if Ireland is on course to meet the target; the budget for the support scheme for renewable heat in 2019 and 2020; the number of applications received under the scheme to date; the number of grants awarded for 2019; the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Harnessing Ireland's Ocean Wealth: Marine Co-ordination Group (22 Oct 2019)

Thomas Pringle: I thank the witnesses for their very detailed presentation regarding our ocean wealth and the work done with regard to it. There was very little mention of climate change in it. It was only mentioned three times. Surely climate change will be a major factor in terms of what we do with our ocean wealth. Where are the figures in the meetings and discussions? How do the witnesses believe...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Harnessing Ireland's Ocean Wealth: Marine Co-ordination Group (22 Oct 2019)

Thomas Pringle: It will probably be the end of next year before the Bill is enacted.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Harnessing Ireland's Ocean Wealth: Marine Co-ordination Group (22 Oct 2019)

Thomas Pringle: It will be published in quarter 4 of this year.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Harnessing Ireland's Ocean Wealth: Marine Co-ordination Group (22 Oct 2019)

Thomas Pringle: Are we not beyond that stage?