Results 4,321-4,340 of 7,789 for speaker:Michael Fitzmaurice

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Impact of Covid-19 on the Agriculture Sector and Priorities for CAP and Brexit: Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine (6 Oct 2020)

Michael Fitzmaurice: I have a few quick questions. Why has the Department not got somebody like Dr. Frank Mitloehner to do studies on grass sequestration, as the agriculture sector remains a whipping boy in this regard? There is propaganda and I started looked at the RTÉ programme the other evening but I just turned it off. People are being paid to say that we should not drink milk or eat meat. It is pure...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Speech and Language Therapy (1 Oct 2020)

Michael Fitzmaurice: 175. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if external services to schools such as speech and language therapists during Covid-19 will be allowed to resume; if not, when the services will resume; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27789/20]

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Meat Processing Plants (1 Oct 2020)

Michael Fitzmaurice: 406. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his attention has been drawn to a company (details supplied) offering advice or representing persons or bodies from the meat processing industry or their subsidiaries in a capacity on transfer pricing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28020/20]

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Teagasc Activities (1 Oct 2020)

Michael Fitzmaurice: 407. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if Teagasc has verified and qualified the science involved in the Bord Bia approved grass-fed standard; the tests Teagasc carried out on behalf of him to validate the standard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28021/20]

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Bord Bia (1 Oct 2020)

Michael Fitzmaurice: 408. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the correspondence or consultation that has taken place between An Bord Bia and the retailers, a group (details supplied) and the farm organisations regarding the PGI application; if copies of same can be provided; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28022/20]

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Beef Industry (1 Oct 2020)

Michael Fitzmaurice: 409. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if the retailers have been invited to participate in the beef market task force regarding the PGI application; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28023/20]

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Immigrant Investor Programme (1 Oct 2020)

Michael Fitzmaurice: 410. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the doubts his Department reportedly expressed to the immigrant investor programme evaluation committee over the strategic value of a development (details supplied) as reported in the media; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28024/20]

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Immigrant Investor Programme (1 Oct 2020)

Michael Fitzmaurice: 411. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the person or body that authorised communications (details supplied) to the Department of Justice; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28025/20]

Forestry (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2020: Committee and Remaining Stages (30 Sep 2020)

Michael Fitzmaurice: When farmers are applying for the single farm payment, they must do so before a certain date. If an inspector comes out and finds something wrong with an application, the farmer can appeal the decision by a certain date. In every other instance one can think of, things have to be done by a particular date. However, the Minister is saying that when it comes to the forestry appeals system,...

Forestry (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2020: Committee and Remaining Stages (30 Sep 2020)

Michael Fitzmaurice: To be quite frank, we are getting nowhere. When someone applies for planning permission or lodges an appeal in that area, a decision is made within a certain period. We are now bringing in new legislation that allows the deciding authority to sit on a case for a year. I know of decisions that have been awaited for 730 days, 531 days and 623 days. We are wasting our time here if we will...

Forestry (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2020: Committee and Remaining Stages (30 Sep 2020)

Michael Fitzmaurice: I move amendment No. 1: In page 4, between lines 5 and 6, to insert the following: "(7) The Forestry Appeals Committee would give their decision on an appeal within eight weeks of receipt or, in the case of an oral hearing taking place, the decision would be four weeks after oral hearing date.".". This amendment proposes that the forestry appeals committee would be obliged to give a...

Forestry (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2020 [Seanad]: Second Stage (Resumed) (30 Sep 2020)

Michael Fitzmaurice: I wish the Minister of State luck in her new position. I will support this Bill but to be clear, it will not solve the problem. It might solve the problem with applications going forward but it will not solve the problem of the 2,000 applications that are caught in the trap at the moment. As the Minister of State is aware, 12,000 jobs are at stake. In my neck of the woods we have...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Health Services Staff (29 Sep 2020)

Michael Fitzmaurice: 773. To ask the Minister for Health when the anomaly of inferior terms and conditions offered to consultants in public health in comparison to the conditions of hospital consultants will be addressed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26323/20]

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Regional Airports (24 Sep 2020)

Michael Fitzmaurice: 5. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the supports being put in place to ensure the economic viability of regional airports, such as Ireland West Airport Knock, which are facing enormous economic challenges as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic. [25863/20]

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Regional Airports (24 Sep 2020)

Michael Fitzmaurice: What supports are being put in place to ensure the economic viability of the regional airports around the country? There is a perfect example near the Minister of State's constituency, namely, Ireland West Airport Knock, which is facing enormous economic challenges as a result of Covid-19.

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Regional Airports (24 Sep 2020)

Michael Fitzmaurice: The Minister of State referred to loans being available. The sad reality is that for airports such as Ireland West Airport Knock, income is €4 million less this year. One can borrow money but how can one repay it if there is no income? There has been a 50% reduction in the workforce. There is a focus on many things. The Minister of State has met people in Dublin Airport. Has she...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Regional Airports (24 Sep 2020)

Michael Fitzmaurice: The only problem with capital investment is that it does not help with the day-to-day running costs of an airport. I am asking the Minister of State to be very mindful that everything has focused on Dublin Airport. There is a danger for Cork, Shannon and Ireland West that if things continue as they are, they will not survive and we will lose the regional airports. Will the Minister of...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Road Projects (24 Sep 2020)

Michael Fitzmaurice: 54. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if funds for the road infrastructure budget for projects such as the Cork, Mallow, Galway outer bypass, N4 and N5 will be ring-fenced in order that the projects can proceed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16461/20]

Defence (Amendment) Bill 2020: Second Stage (Resumed) (23 Sep 2020)

Michael Fitzmaurice: I welcome this opportunity to speak on the Bill, which I support. It is important that we put it into law as soon as possible. We must make sure our troops are protected. I note that under the Bill a captain from another jurisdiction, by agreement, can give an instruction. That is okay but we must make sure we keep our unique identity. Irish troops have gone all over the world. They...

Written Answers — Department of Trade, Enterprise and Employment: Local Authority Funding (22 Sep 2020)

Michael Fitzmaurice: 124. To ask the Minister for Trade, Enterprise and Employment when funding will be issued to local authorities to allow them to distribute the restart grant plus scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25292/20]