Results 501-520 of 1,798 for speaker:Joe Flaherty

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Ireland's Water Quality: Discussion (5 Jul 2023)

Joe Flaherty: With the indulgence of the Chair, I have one final question for Mr. Callanan. I do not think it is a case of farmers saying they want to get their house in order. Farmers are the first to say that they are aggressively taking on this challenge. It is not a case of them getting their house in order. Farmers are working very hard to resolve this issue.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Ireland's Water Quality: Discussion (5 Jul 2023)

Joe Flaherty: That is okay. I am trying to go through the report. Science was probably my worst subject in school. It is very laborious for me to read the report but, in fairness, I am trying to get through it. Going back to my school days, I was struck by one point, namely, that statistics and science are all about interpretation. One man can interpret 50% as very good and another man can interpret...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Ireland's Water Quality: Discussion (5 Jul 2023)

Joe Flaherty: As Mr. Callanan says, the decision is going to be made on an environmental basis. The key point, as highlighted in figure 2, is that the mean nitrate concentration in one of the monitoring sites was greater than 50 mg. This site was used to supply drinking water. The crucial line states that it has an appropriate water treatment system in place to ensure the provision of safe drinking...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Ireland's Water Quality: Discussion (5 Jul 2023)

Joe Flaherty: Let us look at the 12-year period outlined on page 6. Had we made sufficient investment in water security over that period, would we not be in a significantly different position than we are now? Right now, to the world at large, the Irish farmer is the bogeyman. Can the case be made, that if we had invested sufficiently in water security, we would not be where we are today?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Ireland's Water Quality: Discussion (5 Jul 2023)

Joe Flaherty: It would not be as costly as wiping out an industry. If we had made that investment-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Ireland's Water Quality: Discussion (5 Jul 2023)

Joe Flaherty: I thank the witnesses.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Healthcare Infrastructure Provision (5 Jul 2023)

Joe Flaherty: 186. To ask the Minister for Health if he will detail in tabular form the health infrastructure projects currently underway in CHO8; the projects completed since June 2020; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32889/23]

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Building Energy Rating (4 Jul 2023)

Joe Flaherty: 360. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the BER which rating that is acceptable in the terms of the new croí cónaithe scheme to refurbish derelict and vacant rural houses, given that a number of local authorities are insisting on a BER 1 certification on completion but others are satisfied with a BER 2 rating. [32340/23]

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Energy Prices (29 Jun 2023)

Joe Flaherty: 33. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment for an update on the development and implementation of a scheme to assist businesses which have been impacted by significant increases in the cost of kerosene heating oil. [31389/23]

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Regional Development (29 Jun 2023)

Joe Flaherty: 46. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment for a report on progress being made to acquire an IDA Ireland purpose built facility in Longford town; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31388/23]

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Schemes (29 Jun 2023)

Joe Flaherty: 462. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development if an extension can be given to an organisation (details supplied) to draw down is Clár funding for a new bus as the bus supplier has informed the organisation that the bus will not be ready in time for its end-of-June deadline, and the organisation is hoping that it can be given an extension for drawdown to 30 September 2023....

Environmental Protection Agency Water Quality Report 2022: Statements (28 Jun 2023)

Joe Flaherty: I commend the Minister of State on the fantastic work he is doing. It is much appreciated in my constituency where he has been supportive of a number of projects. I have a several issues I wish to cover in the few minutes I have. Orphan estates are obviously a big issue. We have a small estate in Longford called Radharc na Coille with six houses, all of which are privately owned. The...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Consolidation in Horticultural Grower Numbers: Discussion (28 Jun 2023)

Joe Flaherty: I thank the speakers for coming in, in particular Mr. Rushe for his very reasoned opening statement. I will concentrate on growers but have a couple of questions for Mr. Rushe first. On Lidl and Aldi, we all appreciate we need cheap food but they are in many respects a divisive force in the Irish supermarket sector, particularly when it comes to suppliers and producers. In 2021, Lidl...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Consolidation in Horticultural Grower Numbers: Discussion (28 Jun 2023)

Joe Flaherty: So the IFA cannot do any publicity around that-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Consolidation in Horticultural Grower Numbers: Discussion (28 Jun 2023)

Joe Flaherty: -----outside of this room, obviously.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Consolidation in Horticultural Grower Numbers: Discussion (28 Jun 2023)

Joe Flaherty: How divisive is and how big an impact has what Lidl and Aldi do? Call it what it is: false advertising, false Irish names and branding something as Irish that is not Irish.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Consolidation in Horticultural Grower Numbers: Discussion (28 Jun 2023)

Joe Flaherty: On peat, there was a court case in the midlands earlier in June where the EPA had taken three growers to court. It was a major win for the producers in that the court established that three boglands were not technically and hydrologically connected. The EPA has continued to contend its flawed claim that bogland is hydrologically linked but unfortunately for it, it was unable to produce any...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Consolidation in Horticultural Grower Numbers: Discussion (28 Jun 2023)

Joe Flaherty: I welcome Niall McCormack who is a near neighbour of mine in Longford. I am delighted to see several of his neighbours have come to support him here. There was a debate on the EPA in the Dáil earlier where farmers were again vilified but Mr. McCormack's neighbours are here to support him in the important role he plays both as a custodian of the land and also a keen environmentalist....

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Consolidation in Horticultural Grower Numbers: Discussion (28 Jun 2023)

Joe Flaherty: Would the new Bill and the Minister of State's commitment on the pilot for the first quarter of 2024 resolve the matter to the IFA's satisfaction and put the Irish sector on a par with what an employer can offer in Europe?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Consolidation in Horticultural Grower Numbers: Discussion (28 Jun 2023)

Joe Flaherty: So the biggest issue in horticulture is the availability of staff.