Results 5,721-5,740 of 9,160 for speaker:Thomas Pringle

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Disability Allowance Applications (11 Jul 2017)

Thomas Pringle: 748. To ask the Minister for Social Protection the status of an application for disability allowance by a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32524/17]

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: GLAS Administration (4 Jul 2017)

Thomas Pringle: 483. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will allow an extension of time for persons that have been unable to plant native hedging as part of their GLAS measures due to a shortage of native hedging plants with horticultural suppliers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31323/17]

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Marine Institute (4 Jul 2017)

Thomas Pringle: 484. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if the Marine Institute plans to recommence the blue fin tuna tag and release scientific scheme off County Donegal; the results to date; his views on the possibility of applying for a quota to allow the development of a recreational fishery; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31324/17]

Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Second Stage (Resumed) (29 Jun 2017)

Thomas Pringle: It has been baffling and quite embarrassing the way issues relating to this Bill have been played out both inside and outside this House. I stress that if there is such a sense of urgency to reform the judicial appointments system, why has it only taken place after the Taoiseach and the Government appointed the former Attorney General to the Court of Appeal? Much has been made of the fact...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Road Improvement Schemes (28 Jun 2017)

Thomas Pringle: 37. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the funding programme under which the renovation of two bridges (details supplied) in County Donegal has been approved; the timeframe for completion; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30144/17]

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Road Improvement Schemes (28 Jun 2017)

Thomas Pringle: 65. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the status of the non national road specific improvement grants programme; the way in which local authority prioritisation of projects influences funding decisions; the criteria used to fund projects without local authority prioritisation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30145/17]

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: CLÁR Programme (28 Jun 2017)

Thomas Pringle: 162. To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the reason a school (details supplied) was not successfully awarded CLÁR funding despite meeting the necessary requirements; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30211/17]

Local Government (Establishment of Town Councils Commission) Bill 2017: Second Stage [Private Members] (27 Jun 2017)

Thomas Pringle: I support this Bill. When the previous Government decided to abolish town councils, people on this side of the House who opposed the legislation providing for their abolition made the point that it was a regressive step. It is good to hear that the Labour Party has realised the error of its ways. Deputy Howlin has outlined that his party now recognises that it was a mistake to support the...

Other Questions: National Mitigation Plan (27 Jun 2017)

Thomas Pringle: 69. To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the timeframe for publication of the national mitigation plan; if the plan will be debated in both Houses of the Oireachtas before it is enacted in view of the fact it will be a vital document which will solidify the State's response to climate change for future generations; and if he will make a statement on the matter....

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Fossil Fuel Divestment Bill 2016: Discussion (27 Jun 2017)

Thomas Pringle: This is my first time sitting on this side of the room, so it seems a bit strange. I thank the members of this committee for the opportunity to speak today and for the members' openness and willingness to engage with the important issue of fossil fuel divestment. There has been much criticism of the so-called new politics in the current arrangements and, in some ways, rightly so. Without...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Fossil Fuel Divestment Bill 2016: Discussion (27 Jun 2017)

Thomas Pringle: This arose on Second Stage and is one of the concerns that arose in drafting, particularly with regard to Bord na Móna and the ESB. It is vital that there be a transition plan and active transitioning, such that any investment may be clearly delineated to support implementation of the plan. That is something at which we probably could arrive and it would probably be acceptable. The...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Fossil Fuel Divestment Bill 2016: Discussion (27 Jun 2017)

Thomas Pringle: There should not be the offsetting of other investments. It should not be possible to continue to invest in fossil fuels by finding another source of funding, for example. The fund would have to be clearly accountable. That is very important.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Fossil Fuel Divestment Bill 2016: Discussion (27 Jun 2017)

Thomas Pringle: I do not have information on the fund's direct investments in Ireland. The Bill is important in that respect. The argument was made on Second Stage that the ISIF should be able to retain the possibility of investing in fossil fuels externally, if necessary. Retaining the possibility would, however, undermine the whole purpose of the Bill and divestment. Therefore, it is important to send...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Fossil Fuel Divestment Bill 2016: Discussion (27 Jun 2017)

Thomas Pringle: For example, Bord na Móna has spoken about creating wetlands, with cut-out bogs, as part of its climate mitigation plan and the carbon sequestration process. If it requires investment for that transitional purpose and provided it was not allowing it to continue pumping money into other schemes, we should be able to come up with amendments, if required, to provide for these developments....

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Fossil Fuel Divestment Bill 2016: Discussion (27 Jun 2017)

Thomas Pringle: By the same token, one can not invest in an offshore wind farm because the same infrastructure will be used that is already in place in the State. Electricity is generated at the Moneypoint plant, by wind farms and peat-burning stations in the midlands. By the same token, one could make the argument that electricity supplies generated by an offshore wind development on the Arklow Bank or in...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Fossil Fuel Divestment Bill 2016: Discussion (27 Jun 2017)

Thomas Pringle: Yes.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Fossil Fuel Divestment Bill 2016: Discussion (27 Jun 2017)

Thomas Pringle: The definition, as it stands, does not include marketing, but it does cover storage. If there was a need to include marketing, it is something we could look at relatively easy on Committee Stage. There is a provision dealing with pooled resources and that the ISIF have a bundle of investments. This relates to the first part of the Deputy’s question. It may legally be tied to a...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Fossil Fuel Divestment Bill 2016: Discussion (27 Jun 2017)

Thomas Pringle: Ultimately ISIF would have to decide if it meets the obligations that are contained within the legislation. It can be provided for that SMEs up to a certain size could be exempted from the responsibilities under it. It depends on where one sets that size. It has to be set at a level that continues to maintain the impact of the Bill and its intent. That would have to be considered in...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Fossil Fuel Divestment Bill 2016: Discussion (27 Jun 2017)

Thomas Pringle: It could present difficulties but we are presuming the ISIF would be the only source of funding available to a company in that position. It is something that has to be taken into account in the future in the transition from fossil fuels and the movement away from their use. Depending on the size of the SME, they might come in under the exemptions that could be included in the Bill. It...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Fossil Fuel Divestment Bill 2016: Discussion (27 Jun 2017)

Thomas Pringle: Yes. I have a couple of questions. Regarding the cluster munitions Act, Mr. Bristow stated ISIF identified 19 companies in which it will not invest. He said there was some discussion about whether aircraft companies should be included. I presume that is a company like Boeing, which might make a bomber aircraft that will actually drop the bombs. ISIF has not excluded Boeing as an...