Results 7,561-7,580 of 8,023 for speaker:Michael Fitzmaurice

Topical Issues: Beef Data Programme (12 May 2015)

Michael Fitzmaurice: Someone who bought a bull early this year or last year will have a three or four year old bull that they will have to send to the factory because the animal will not qualify for the scheme. It is as simple as that. If a person works a year for someone, the person's wages are based on that year's work. If farmers do it right year one, year two and year three, they should not be penalised...

Topical Issues: Beef Data Programme (12 May 2015)

Michael Fitzmaurice: I thank the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine for attending to take my matter on the beef data and genomics programmes. Farmers are receiving the forms to fill in and there is huge discontent in suckler areas. When one looks at the terms and conditions, it is clear that one has to sign up to a six-year contract. If something goes wrong within five years, one will be in trouble...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Misconduct Allegations (12 May 2015)

Michael Fitzmaurice: 405. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality if she will refer a Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission complaint, made by a person (details supplied) in County Roscommon, alleging that gardaí failed to adequately investigate an allegation of fraud, to the Independent Review Panel, consisting of two senior and five junior counsel; and if she will make a statement on the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Data (7 May 2015)

Michael Fitzmaurice: 192. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the reason applications to the National Council for Special Needs Education for resource teaching hours on behalf of students with special education needs, that miss the March 2015 deadline because schools are waiting for the relevant documentation from health care professionals, cannot be processed until October 2015; her views that in such...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications: General Scheme of Road Traffic Bill 2015: Discussion (Resumed) (6 May 2015)

Michael Fitzmaurice: I thank the representatives for their presentations. The numbers of people killed on the roads was mentioned. What percentage of heavy goods vehicles was involved in those deaths and what is the extent of alcohol consumption with regard to the cause of those deaths? Mr. John Twomey mentioned that mandatory alcohol testing was introduced in 2006. From what he said I understand that the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications: General Scheme of Road Traffic Bill 2015: Discussion (Resumed) (6 May 2015)

Michael Fitzmaurice: The witnesses is right about the trailers he mentioned. Someone could have four or five trailers on the premises. If one is hiring a trailer from someone they should have it tested; the employee should not be responsible.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications: General Scheme of Road Traffic Bill 2015: Discussion (Resumed) (6 May 2015)

Michael Fitzmaurice: Cracked spring.

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Felling Licences Applications (6 May 2015)

Michael Fitzmaurice: 209. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will provide a review of the utilisation of felling licences Nos. 15843 and 15842, with specific reference to the loss of growing stock as a result of windblow adjacent to wind turbine felling sites, focusing in particular on felling operations in Doughall Forest Sliabh Bán, having regard to the Code of Best Forest...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Service Provision (6 May 2015)

Michael Fitzmaurice: 505. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills in view of the glowing report the Government has given itself in its spring economic statement whether she will immediately reverse the 15% cut in resource teaching hours for students with special education needs that she imposed in 2012; if she will restore resource teaching hours for students with special education needs to the levels...

Spring Economic Statement (Resumed) (30 Apr 2015)

Michael Fitzmaurice: I thank the House for the opportunity to speak on this issue and understand that the Chair may have to call time on it shortly. The spring statement is a new idea in Ireland. I am not that long in this House, but from what I understand it had been circulated in recent years. It is basically a statement of where we are and a projection of where we are going. There are positive things in...

Order of Business (30 Apr 2015)

Michael Fitzmaurice: When will the apprenticeship Bill be introduced? Throughout the country there is a dire need for apprentices to be trained in different areas. The issue needs to be moved on rapidly for our nation to prosper because the more we train, the better it is for people getting back to work. The Minister will be able to give me a clear answer on the second issue, the energy (miscellaneous...

Other Questions: Turf Cutting Restrictions (30 Apr 2015)

Michael Fitzmaurice: 8. To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if she will confirm that her Department is prepared to introduce more and tighter restrictions on designated blanket bogs, such as Bragan Mountain and others in County Cavan, and countrywide; if her Department is planning to stop turf cutting on designated blanket bogs; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16851/15]

Other Questions: Turf Cutting Restrictions (30 Apr 2015)

Michael Fitzmaurice: It seems to me, having to spoken to some of the Minister's officials in different parts of Ireland, that preparations are being made to impose tighter restrictions on the blanket bogs in different parts of Ireland. One of the bogs in question is found on Bragan Mountain in the Minister's part of the country. Can the Minister confirm that the intention is to stop turf cutting on those bogs?...

Other Questions: Turf Cutting Restrictions (30 Apr 2015)

Michael Fitzmaurice: I take it that the person who wrote the Minister's reply was not looking at the question because it seems we are talking once more about special areas of conservation.

Other Questions: Turf Cutting Restrictions (30 Apr 2015)

Michael Fitzmaurice: I say that on the basis of the reply read by the Minister. We established earlier that while these areas might have legal importance, they are not yet special areas of conservation. I urge people to stop using the phrase "special areas of conservation" in this context because it is misleading.

Other Questions: Turf Cutting Restrictions (30 Apr 2015)

Michael Fitzmaurice: It seems from the Minister's reply that one's right to cut turf on a blanket bog will depend on where one is in Ireland. If one is lucky enough, one may be able to cut turf. If one is unlucky and the blanket bog is in one of the sensitive areas about which the Minister is talking - it could be any bog in any county in any part of Ireland - one may face restrictions. Would it be fair to say...

Other Questions: Turf Cutting Restrictions (30 Apr 2015)

Michael Fitzmaurice: I did not say we do not.

Other Questions: Turf Cutting Restrictions (30 Apr 2015)

Michael Fitzmaurice: I welcome what the Minister has said and I fully agree with her. As we have always said, there can be conservation while people make use of things in different parts of the country. There is no reason people cannot work together constructively. I often saw in Connemara that the biggest attraction for a busload of people might be to look at a fellow cutting a few sods with a sleá....

Other Questions: Turf Cutting Restrictions (30 Apr 2015)

Michael Fitzmaurice: Yes. I agree with the point made by the Minister when she spoke about finding archaeological evidence of roads, etc. Those who have worked on the bogs down through the years need a bit of clarity. I welcome what the Minister has said about trying to work constructively with people so that they can cut their turf on these blanket bogs while also preserving these locations. The final...

Other Questions: Special Areas of Conservation Designation (30 Apr 2015)

Michael Fitzmaurice: I have a good background in the whole designation process. I did not ask that question. The Minister talks about sites of community importance, SCIs, but from what she has said I take it there are no special areas of conservation, SACs in Ireland. There are SCIs with legal protection but I am asking are there or are there not SACs, legally designated, in Ireland? From that answer I...