Results 7,761-7,780 of 9,160 for speaker:Thomas Pringle

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Maximising the Usage and Potential of land (Resumed): Bord na Móna and UCD (13 May 2014)

Thomas Pringle: Is the economic viability only in terms of a refit tariff? Is it just not economically viable?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Maximising the Usage and Potential of land (Resumed): Bord na Móna and UCD (13 May 2014)

Thomas Pringle: I thank the representatives of Bord na Móna for their presentations. I have two questions, one of which relates to what Deputy Ó Cuív said about the biodiversity element of future land use. Is Bord na Móna obliged to commercialise that or how does it see that developing in the future? It was said that ecosystem services have an economic value. Where does it see that...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Beef Industry (8 May 2014)

Thomas Pringle: 13. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his attention has been drawn to concerns in relation to the new specifications regarding young bull production; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20352/14]

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Beef Industry (8 May 2014)

Thomas Pringle: 21. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his Department has made any decision regarding the possibility of a beef price watch online service being provided to farmers; the information that would be included in the service; the way it would be delivered to farmers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20343/14]

Children First Bill 2014: Second Stage (Resumed) (7 May 2014)

Thomas Pringle: May I share time with Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan? I might take up to ten minutes and the Deputy can have the rest.

Children First Bill 2014: Second Stage (Resumed) (7 May 2014)

Thomas Pringle: I welcome the opportunity to contribute on Second Stage of the Children First Bill. The Bill aims to make further and better provision for the protection of children and places the Children First guidelines on a statutory footing 11 years after they were published. It provides for an obligation to make reports to the Child and Family Agency on children in certain circumstances. It requires...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agri-Environment Options Scheme Appeals (7 May 2014)

Thomas Pringle: 163. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the position regarding an agri-environment options scheme appeal in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Donegal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20395/14]

Water Charges: Motion [Private Members] (6 May 2014)

Thomas Pringle: I welcome the opportunity to contribute to this debate on water charges. Some people may say that we have to pay for water usage and that we cannot continue to have free water, but we never had free water in this country. The €1.2 billion cost of producing water across the country has been paid for all along by central taxation, so there has never been free water. Car tax...

Europe Week: Statements (6 May 2014)

Thomas Pringle: When I first saw this item on the agenda, it was entitled, Statements on Europe Day, but now I see it has been amended to read, "Statements on Europe Week". I notice that two Europe Days are being celebrated this week. The Council of Europe marks Europe Day on 5 May. The Council of Europe is an international organisation that promotes co-operation between all the countries of Europe in the...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Renewable Energy Generation Issues (6 May 2014)

Thomas Pringle: It is interesting that the plant in Yorkshire has signed contracts for the delivery of biomass from New England. It will be shipped there and transported inland to the plant. Moneypoint is on the coast, so one could ship biomass directly to that plant which would be significantly cheaper than what is happening in Yorkshire. There is also the potential to develop our own indigenous...

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission Bill 2014: Committee Stage (6 May 2014)

Thomas Pringle: I understand what the Minister has said but we would probably have thought, six or seven years ago, that it would be rather embarrassing for the CEOs of banks to have to come before an Oireachtas committee to explain how they destroyed the country but they do it quite happily and pay scant regard to the process. I believe it is important to strengthen the positive duty to ensure that public...

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission Bill 2014: Committee Stage (6 May 2014)

Thomas Pringle: I move amendment No. 11: In page 34, between lines 22 and 23, to insert the following: “(9) Where a public body has failed to comply with section 42(1) and (2), the Commission shall issue a notice requiring that the public body shall—(a) comply with the duty, and (b) supply the Commission, within 30 days from receipt of the notice, with a submission detailing progress to be made...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Renewable Energy Generation Issues (6 May 2014)

Thomas Pringle: I thank the Minister of State for his response and welcome the fact that a strategy is due to be published. I look forward to seeing it and examining its proposals. It is very important to consider electricity generation from biomass in the strategy. There is a project under way in Yorkshire at the moment to convert the largest coal-fired generating plant in Europe to biomass, which is...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Renewable Energy Generation Issues (6 May 2014)

Thomas Pringle: 110. To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources in view of the advances in the technology for generating electricity from biomass, if his Department has considered reviewing the renewable energy policy to focus on biomass rather than wind to achieve our renewable targets and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19989/14]

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Renewable Energy Generation Issues (6 May 2014)

Thomas Pringle: At the time when the renewable energy strategy was devised, wind energy generation was probably the easiest way to achieve the 2020 targets required to meet our EU commitments. However, technological developments in recent years have meant that the use of biomass has become very attractive, particularly convection. Has the Department considered reviewing the policy and refocusing it? While...

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission Bill 2014: Committee Stage (6 May 2014)

Thomas Pringle: May I speak?

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission Bill 2014: Committee Stage (6 May 2014)

Thomas Pringle: I would like to know who decides.

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission Bill 2014: Committee Stage (6 May 2014)

Thomas Pringle: I understand that. I would like some clarity on how the decision is arrived at.

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission Bill 2014: Committee Stage (6 May 2014)

Thomas Pringle: I move amendment No. 7: In page 23, line 1, after "rights"" to insert ", for the purpose of sections 36to 39inclusive and section 41,".

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission Bill 2014: Committee Stage (6 May 2014)

Thomas Pringle: I have already indicated that it was withdrawn. We will come back to it on Report Stage.