Results 701-720 of 5,550 for speaker:Martin Ferris

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Organic Farming Scheme: Bord Bia (1 Dec 2015)

Martin Ferris: Beautiful. There is nothing like it. That is a good start anyway. The witnesses stated that 1% of the total production is down to organic in the agriculture sector and that there had been an increase of 9% from 2014 to 2015. We had a debate here on the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership, TTIP, part of which would be to do with genetically modified, GM, produce and...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Sea-Fisheries Sustainability Impact Assessment: BirdWatch Ireland (1 Dec 2015)

Martin Ferris: I thank Ms Egan for her presentation. There would be huge potential in the industry if it was properly regulated and if resources were more equitably distributed, not only nationally but within the European Union. The way that some of the quotas have been allocated nationally has not been equitable. It is very difficult for people who are on the edge trying to survive, which is probably...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Horse Racing Industry Funding (25 Nov 2015)

Martin Ferris: I understand that of the 7,000 or so registered breeders, 70% to 80% have only two or three mares. Many of them are small farmers. Would it not be far more equitable if breeders were to pay the foal levy based on the invoice price, that is, the actual cost of covering the mare, rather than the advertised price? The latter might be two or three times greater than what a small breeder is...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Horse Racing Industry Funding (25 Nov 2015)

Martin Ferris: I thank the Minister for his reply. Is it not the case that other EU member states do not impose a foal levy? If so, are there implications for the regime in this country in the context of competition law and so forth? I have a list, which I presume came from the Department, which shows some breeders at the higher end paid a levy at 0.14% while some at the other end paid 3.3%. That is a...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Horse Racing Industry Funding (25 Nov 2015)

Martin Ferris: 5. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his views that the imposition of a foal levy based on the advertised value of the nomination fee of a stallion means that when the actual fee paid is less than the advertised price and breeders are unfairly penalised [41418/15]

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Horse Racing Industry Funding (25 Nov 2015)

Martin Ferris: I would like to hear the Minister's views on the imposition of a foal levy based on the advertised value of the nomination fee of stallion which means that when the actual fee is paid, it is less than the advertised price. Are breeders being unfairly penalised?

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Milk Quota (25 Nov 2015)

Martin Ferris: What was the advice of the Chief State Solicitor?

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Milk Quota (25 Nov 2015)

Martin Ferris: Did the Chief State Solicitor say that prosecution would not be successful?

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Milk Quota (25 Nov 2015)

Martin Ferris: 2. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the person who made the decision not to prosecute anyone in relation to the milk quota irregularities involving Glanbia, Clongowes Wood College and a person in County Tipperary, which were investigated by his Department; if An Garda Síochána was made aware of the details of this case; and if he will waive his legal...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Milk Quota (25 Nov 2015)

Martin Ferris: I am returning to the Minister with a question regarding milk quota irregularities involving Glanbia, Clongowes Wood school and a farmer in County Tipperary, which have been investigated by the Minister's Department. Was the Garda made aware of the details of this case, and will the Minister waive legal privilege in order to disclose the opinion of the Office of the Chief State Solicitor on...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Milk Quota (25 Nov 2015)

Martin Ferris: The person in question did not resign willingly. He resigned as a result of the issue being raised in this House and raised continuously with the Department. I find it difficult to comprehend how somebody in a very prominent position on the board of Glanbia, with a milk quota being allocated to Clongowes Wood, was able to use that milk quota without the knowledge of Glanbia, thereby...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Milk Quota (25 Nov 2015)

Martin Ferris: Why was the matter not referred to the Garda? This was blatant attempted fraud at the very least. A major milk processing company, Clongowes Wood College and the farmer were all involved, and this matter was not referred to the Garda. Why not? Most people would be of the opinion that if somebody else had been involved the matter would have been referred to the Garda.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Milk Quota (25 Nov 2015)

Martin Ferris: But it did.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Milk Quota (25 Nov 2015)

Martin Ferris: This was not initiated, to my knowledge, until an article appeared in a newspaper. That is what sparked this investigation, because the matter was in the public domain. This did not just come down through the system. That is my knowledge of it.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Milk Quota (25 Nov 2015)

Martin Ferris: Also, I have reason to believe, from information I have been given - whether it is true or otherwise - that the Chief State Solicitor recommended that this matter be referred to the Garda. In the interest of members of the public, we need to know whether that is the case. Did the Chief State Solicitor make a recommendation that this matter be investigated by the Garda? If that...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Milk Quota (25 Nov 2015)

Martin Ferris: Who gave the Minister that advice?

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Dairy Sector (25 Nov 2015)

Martin Ferris: 26. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his interaction with the European Union regarding an increase in the intervention price of dairy products; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41251/15]

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Fisheries Protection (25 Nov 2015)

Martin Ferris: 30. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if the Sea Fisheries Protection Authority monitored the Margiris supertrawler fishing off the County Donegal coast recently; if the vessel was boarded by the authority; if its catch was examined; and if not, the reason. [41252/15]

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Targeted Agricultural Modernisation Scheme (25 Nov 2015)

Martin Ferris: 37. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will address the injustice around the anomaly which results in young-old farmers being denied payments which are available to young farmers after 2009. [41250/15]

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Horse and Greyhound Racing Fund Regulations 2015: Motion (18 Nov 2015)

Martin Ferris: Since I came to this House in 2002, I have fully recognised the contribution of both horse racing and greyhound racing to rural communities, particularly greyhound racing, which is very prominent in my area. I have always argued that the share of the pot for greyhound racing was significantly smaller than the allocation to Horse Racing Ireland. A sum of €963,990,000 – almost...