Results 5,061-5,080 of 7,789 for speaker:Michael Fitzmaurice

Comptroller and Auditor General (Amendment) Bill 2017: Second Stage [Private Members] (12 Feb 2019)

Michael Fitzmaurice: I welcome Deputy Calleary's Bill and I support it. I agree with giving more powers. The only thing I worry about is that we are mighty at looking back at the mistakes that have been made in this country but we do not know how to do a contract and stay in budget. That is a major problem. Every excuse has been given for that by Governments over the years. Be it renovating this building or...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Curriculum (12 Feb 2019)

Michael Fitzmaurice: 272. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the amount of time allocated in a school day for national school children to have their breaks; the portion of this time allocated for eating; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6838/19]

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Meat Processing Plant Inspections (12 Feb 2019)

Michael Fitzmaurice: 526. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the return to service protocol to be followed by the authorised officer to allow a mechanical grading machine to be returned to full service (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6412/19]

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Meat Processing Plant Inspections (12 Feb 2019)

Michael Fitzmaurice: 527. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of occasions in 2018 during the course of an unannounced inspection an FBO was asked to check and record the accuracy of the weighing scales used for the purposes of weighing a carcase in the presence of the authorised officer; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6413/19]

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Community Employment Schemes Supervisors (12 Feb 2019)

Michael Fitzmaurice: 707. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if supervisors and assistant supervisors of community employment schemes can transfer to another scheme operated by a different sponsoring organisation when a scheme closes; if they must be made redundant before taking up a new position; if the entitlements they have built up in their time on the initial schemes will be...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Live Exports: Discussion (12 Feb 2019)

Michael Fitzmaurice: I thank Mr. Scallan for his presentation. I presume the new rule is an EU rule.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Live Exports: Discussion (12 Feb 2019)

Michael Fitzmaurice: Yes.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Live Exports: Discussion (12 Feb 2019)

Michael Fitzmaurice: What has changed?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Live Exports: Discussion (12 Feb 2019)

Michael Fitzmaurice: Mr. Scallan asked a question about the problems in having cattle killed in Northern Ireland. I will answer it.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Live Exports: Discussion (12 Feb 2019)

Michael Fitzmaurice: Mr. Scallan spoke about the problems in having cattle killed in England and Northern Ireland.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Live Exports: Discussion (12 Feb 2019)

Michael Fitzmaurice: I will answer that question. There are certainly monopolies in those jurisdictions which are preventing the slaughter of Irish cattle. The same applies in respect of the guidelines on cattle younger than 30 months. If the factories are stuck for cattle, they will not give a damn if cattle are 40 months old, but if there are plenty of cattle available, they will find a problem with...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Live Exports: Discussion (12 Feb 2019)

Michael Fitzmaurice: Mr. Scallan mentioned that 2.4 million calves a year were born in Ireland and that 1.7 million were presented for slaughter. The reality, as the dogs on the street know, is that once the kill goes above the figure of 30,000 each week, we are in trouble. The factory can pull down one's trousers and the farmer is left with a lower price. They are the facts. Whether we like it, that is what...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Management (7 Feb 2019)

Michael Fitzmaurice: 121. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills his plans for national school principals who are struggling to address the need for one administration day per week (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6140/19]

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Meat Processing Plant Inspections (7 Feb 2019)

Michael Fitzmaurice: 200. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question No. 224 of 30 January 2019, if the factories will be named that had to revert to manual grading when their mechanical classification systems were found to be working outside the legally defined tolerances in 2017 and 2018; the dates on which these instances occurred;; and if he will make a...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Meat Processing Plant Inspections (7 Feb 2019)

Michael Fitzmaurice: 201. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question No. 224 of 30 January 2019, the number of beef carcasses rechecked by Departmental staff on days on which the mechanical classification system of a processing plant was found to be working outside the legally defined tolerances in 2017 and 2018; the length of time factories were instructed to...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Meat Processing Plant Inspections (7 Feb 2019)

Michael Fitzmaurice: 202. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of inspections of beef carcasses carried out by Departmental staff in processing factories in 2017 in relation to carcass presentation and carcass classification; if there were discrepancies in relation to the inspections; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6067/19]

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Rural and Community Development: Smart Community Initiative: Discussion (6 Feb 2019)

Michael Fitzmaurice: I thank the witnesses for their presentations. I agree fully with the concept of people being able to work from a hub or from home. As the Minister of State is aware, Internet access is poor in many areas, although in fairness some towns have been brought up to specification on that. I will be fairly brief. The Minister of State spoke about libraries and different facilities. There are...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs: Preservation of the Biodiversity and Ecosystems of Peatlands: Discussion (6 Feb 2019)

Michael Fitzmaurice: I am chairman of the Turf Cutters and Contractors Association.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs: Preservation of the Biodiversity and Ecosystems of Peatlands: Discussion (6 Feb 2019)

Michael Fitzmaurice: I will answer any questions that the Senator might have.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs: Preservation of the Biodiversity and Ecosystems of Peatlands: Discussion (6 Feb 2019)

Michael Fitzmaurice: I thank the witnesses for their presentations. My first question is for Mr. Lucas. I would like clarification because a damning allegation was made about someone engaging in illegal digging and hopper turf cutting on Slieve Tooey in Donegal. This is a blanket bog in Donegal and not one of the 53 bogs listed. My understanding is, and I ask Mr. Lucas to correct me if I am wrong, that it is...