Results 4,601-4,620 of 7,670 for speaker:Jackie Cahill

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

Jackie Cahill: I would like to welcome Dr. David Wilson of Earthly Matters environmental consultants, who is appearing remotely. In organising this meeting, the committee agreed to invite an expert on the rewetting of peatlands to give the environmental perspective on the topic. Unfortunately, our time is limited due to Covid-19 restrictions so there is not enough time for a full question and answer...

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

Jackie Cahill: We would like Dr. Wilson to give us a briefing on the environmental benefits he sees in the rewetting of bogs so I invite him to do so in whatever way he sees as being most beneficial.

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

Jackie Cahill: That was a very knowledgeable briefing for the committee on the benefits of rewetting. I thank Dr. Wilson.

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

Jackie Cahill: A number of members have indicated they wish to ask Dr. Wilson questions. I ask them to be mindful that Bord na Móna officials are also due to appear. I am in the hands of members but I do not want them screaming at me that they do not have enough time to speak to the Bord na Móna officials.

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

Jackie Cahill: We have 25 minutes left for Bord na Móna officials. If Senator Daly and Deputy Browne want to ask Dr. Wilson a question, I will permit it but it will eat into Bord na Móna's time. I will leave it up to them. I will let them in first with Bord na Móna. Dr. Wilson has a lot of interesting information. It is up to the members but we will be caught for time with Bord na Móna.

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

Jackie Cahill: I thank Dr. Wilson. We could have had a prolonged discussion with him. He had a very informative briefing for us. We will suspend for a few minutes to allow other witnesses to join the call.

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

Jackie Cahill: From Bord na Móna, I welcome Mr. Ger Breen, head of land and habitats; Dr. John MacNamara, regulatory affairs manager, Mr. Mark McCorry, rehab and biodiversity lead; and Ms Doreen King, project manager of the peatlands climate action scheme. All witnesses are appearing remotely. We have received their opening statement which has been circulated to members. We are limited in our time...

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

Jackie Cahill: I will just let in Deputy Carthy and then I will go back to the Bord na Móna officials.

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

Jackie Cahill: We are going to stick to the rewetting of bogs as we are short of time. If we need to bring in Bord na Móna on another subject, we will do that.

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

Jackie Cahill: I will let Deputy Carthy ask his question and we might get the response in writing.

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

Jackie Cahill: I will go to the officials now to see whoever wants to respond to the questions from Senator Daly and Deputy Carthy.

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

Jackie Cahill: We will move to Deputy Fitzmaurice, then Deputy Martin Browne and Deputy Guirke, who has been in attendance since the start of the meeting. We are under pressure for time.

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

Jackie Cahill: If we need another meeting with Bord na Móna, we will organise that but we will stay with the issue of rewetting today.

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

Jackie Cahill: That is okay. I call Deputy Guirke.

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

Jackie Cahill: I said that this meeting is solely concerned with the rewetting of bogs. I ask the witnesses to answer Deputy Guirke's question in writing.

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

Jackie Cahill: The committee will have a meeting in private session on Monday during which we can set out a work programme to address those issues. We will stick to the issue of rewetting today. Deputy Nolan is indicating. I ask her to be brief. I will then go back to the officials before we close the meeting.

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

Jackie Cahill: From everything we have heard today, an agreement with landowners that will stand the test of time is what is really being looked at here. That point has been made by many committee members and by the stakeholders the committee met earlier. With Covid restrictions, we have to finish the meeting very quickly. If there are issues arising, we may need to reopen the discussion. I ask one of...

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

Jackie Cahill: A couple of other questions were asked of officials, including by Deputy Nolan. Unfortunately, I must close the meeting because of the Covid restrictions. The witnesses might respond to those questions in writing.

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

Jackie Cahill: Is that okay? The witnesses might provide us with an email address to which we could send questions that we did not have time to ask.

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

Jackie Cahill: I am sorry, but the Covid restrictions are placing major constraints on us. There is a great deal of concern about the subject matter of this meeting and we might return to it in the near future. We thank the witnesses for their engagement with us. I hope that there will be a satisfactory outcome, one that will keep the environmentalists and adjoining landowners happy, meet the challenges...