Results 541-560 of 766 for speaker:Pippa Hackett

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (16 Dec 2021)

Pippa Hackett: I echo the Christmas wishes to the staff of the Houses of the Oireachtas, including my Senator colleagues, their staff, families and friends. I hope they have a good one. Last week, I had the opportunity to visit my home county of Mayo thanks to an old national school friend from Ballindine, Sabina Trench, who is now the CEO of South West Mayo Development Company. We have known each other...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Forestry Sector (9 Dec 2021)

Pippa Hackett: I do not have the specific figures to hand. We are a massive net exporter of timber products. I think we export 90% of what we produce in Ireland. That is a credit to the sawmill and the wider sector, and the landowners and farmers who grow the trees and produce them. I will get the employment and value figures sent on to the Deputy.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Forestry Sector (9 Dec 2021)

Pippa Hackett: The supply of timber this time last year was a very significant worry for the sector. There was deep concern among sawmills about where their supply would come from. I am pleased to say that in the past 12 months we have worked really hard to make significant improvements in that regard. Each week the Department publishes extensive information on forestry licensing and forestry-related...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Forestry Sector (9 Dec 2021)

Pippa Hackett: Certainly, that is the intent. As the years will progress, we know there will be a significant volume of timber to come onto the market. We have to match our licensing capabilities with that to be able to deliver that. We sometimes hear the discussion of Coillte felling licences versus the private side. As a note for this year, Coillte tends to submit its felling licences in batches,...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Climate Action Plan (9 Dec 2021)

Pippa Hackett: We absolutely accept that there are significant issues with regard to licensing and getting licences out there. It may be worth noting that in the region of 5,000 ha are currently licensed for planting that are not being planted, for whatever reason. It is important that we understand those reasons and find out why landowners who have been issued with licences to plant have chosen not to....

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Climate Action Plan (9 Dec 2021)

Pippa Hackett: There were 50 licences for afforestation.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Climate Action Plan (9 Dec 2021)

Pippa Hackett: The 4,000 refers to all licences.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Climate Action Plan (9 Dec 2021)

Pippa Hackett: There is no doubt but that there are some significant challenges ahead in getting farmers and landowners engaged in planting. We are looking at incentivising small-scale planting. These would be non-commercial plantations of native species. These could be counted towards our carbon inventory. I am hopeful that we will have something on that very soon and that we will be able to roll out...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Climate Action Plan (9 Dec 2021)

Pippa Hackett: I do not have a date for the annex. I hope it will be published in the coming weeks.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Climate Action Plan (9 Dec 2021)

Pippa Hackett: The climate action plan 2021 highlights the importance of forestry in removing from and storing carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Ireland's forests are a net sink of carbon dioxide and the timber produced also stores carbon in long-lived harvested wood products. It is for this reason that the climate action plan recognises the importance of maintaining our forest areas, preventing...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Forestry Sector (9 Dec 2021)

Pippa Hackett: The target is 4,000 licences by the end of the year. It was originally 4,500 at the start of the year, but a statutory instrument introduced for the Department out of the blue in the middle of the year set us back by about two months during the summer. We were on course up to June with a sizeable increase in licensing output. It was low in July and August but we picked up the pace again in...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Forestry Sector (9 Dec 2021)

Pippa Hackett: With regard to the Deputy's last point, any land that is felled is replanted so it is not a net loss of area planted unless there are circumstances in which the land must not be planted, perhaps if it was planted in the wrong location originally. On the whole, the vast majority of lands that are felled are replanted. I accept and agree with the Deputy that a joined-up policy is needed...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (25 Nov 2021)

Pippa Hackett: "Do not be despondent." So began a recent email to me from Mr. Fergal Monaghan, project manager of the Hen Harrier Project, which is supported by my Department. He was referring to this year's provisional breeding results of this protected bird, which were disappointing, to say the least. However, he went on to say that all of these things have ups and downs, good years and bad years, but...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Agriculture Industry (24 Nov 2021)

Pippa Hackett: I thank the Deputy. As I indicated in my original response, the topical issue submitted did not give the detail that would have allowed me to respond to the Deputy’s questions. Had he given it, perhaps I could have had a more wholesome reply for him. I take his point, however, on snails being classified as animals. Certainly, a gastropod is not the same as a mammal or a vertebrate...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Agriculture Industry (24 Nov 2021)

Pippa Hackett: I thank the Deputy for raising this Topical Issue matter, and I convey the apologies of the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Deputy McConalogue, who cannot be here to respond. Snail farming, also known as heliciculture, is a niche market in Ireland, but one that has been growing in recent years, as the Deputy said. Climatic conditions in Ireland are suitable for year-round...

Forestry Sector: Motion (11 Nov 2021)

Pippa Hackett: If I have to be less calm, I can be but certainly, I wish to reassure all the Deputies that this is being taken highly seriously. As I said, since taking up this role this issue has been on my desk and has been spoken about in my Department every single day. Progress, despite what people might think, is being made. This time last year, the crisis on the table was a supply of timber into...

Forestry Sector: Motion (11 Nov 2021)

Pippa Hackett: -----and not just recently, that we only ever plant about 40% of what we have licensed. That is an issue because the resources used to generate and issue those licences are essentially going to waste. I encourage forestry companies to get in touch with their clients to try to encourage them to plant those trees because we need them planted in the ground. Deputy Carthy referred to the...

Forestry Sector: Motion (11 Nov 2021)

Pippa Hackett: -----in order that we can plant native trees. Deputy O’Connor stated he was here to represent and push for the commercial sector and I admit that small areas are not necessarily going to be commercial. They can, however, be accounted for in our carbon inventory and are good for biodiversity, water quality and so forth. That is important. Deputy Boyd Barrett highlighted quite clearly...

Forestry Sector: Motion (11 Nov 2021)

Pippa Hackett: I will share four minutes with Deputy O'Connor. As Members will be aware, the issues impacting the forestry sector have been a priority of mine since taking on this brief. I welcome the interest and engagement from the members of the Joint Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine and the other Deputies in the Chamber. The committee's report of March 2021 on issues impacting the...

Forestry Sector: Motion (11 Nov 2021)

Pippa Hackett: Am I sharing time?