Results 7,961-7,980 of 11,353 for speaker:Matt Carthy

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (25 Nov 2021)

Matt Carthy: I wanted to ask whether we have written to the Department of Health regarding the value for money review that is referenced in this correspondence. The Department will be before us in the coming weeks and I suggest we write to request a briefing on the Nursing Homes Ireland correspondence and the national children's hospital, advising that we will raise those issues on the day.

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (25 Nov 2021)

Matt Carthy: Can we let the Department know that we will be raising it at the meeting and that it would be useful to have some written correspondence on it beforehand?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Horse and Greyhound Racing Fund Regulations 2016: Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine (24 Nov 2021)

Matt Carthy: I thank the Minister for being here. Like a Dublin bus, we have had two visits from the Minister in succession, so I thank him for that.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Horse and Greyhound Racing Fund Regulations 2016: Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine (24 Nov 2021)

Matt Carthy: No problem. How is the allocation to the Horse and Greyhound Racing Fund arrived at? We are all on the record in this committee in agreeing that both sectors are incredibly important. The figure brought before us this year is a reduction on last year, but it in itself was a substantial increase on 2020 and the reason cited was the Covid emergency. The figure is still a €4 million...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Horse and Greyhound Racing Fund Regulations 2016: Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine (24 Nov 2021)

Matt Carthy: That essentially is my question. Obviously, both organisations would make claims in terms of what they would like to get but I assume there is more depth in terms of the consideration given as to what is actually provided. Am I correct in saying that it would be rare that both organisations would get exactly what they want?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Horse and Greyhound Racing Fund Regulations 2016: Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine (24 Nov 2021)

Matt Carthy: How is it that on an annual basis the agreed funding to the greyhound board is precisely 20% of the overall funding? I would imagine that both the HRI and Greyhound Racing Ireland would have different priorities in different years. In that context, is it not an unusual circumstance that the funding is divided in such a precise way, regardless of the mitigating factors in one sector or the other?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Horse and Greyhound Racing Fund Regulations 2016: Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine (24 Nov 2021)

Matt Carthy: It is set in regulation.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Horse and Greyhound Racing Fund Regulations 2016: Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine (24 Nov 2021)

Matt Carthy: The Minister has, under the Horse and Greyhound Racing Act, the power vary the percentages that are specified by way of regulation. Is that correct:?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Horse and Greyhound Racing Fund Regulations 2016: Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine (24 Nov 2021)

Matt Carthy: Is the Minister satisfied that the 80:20 ratio should be considered a foregone conclusion on an annual basis?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Horse and Greyhound Racing Fund Regulations 2016: Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine (24 Nov 2021)

Matt Carthy: I am not disputing the fact that prize money makes an impact. What I am asking is whether this level of funding could make a greater impact or a more positive impact. No matter what way we set out the figures and the numbers, the facts speak for themselves. A huge proportion of the prize money goes to a very small number of players. I was stunned in recent weeks, when this was raised by...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Horse and Greyhound Racing Fund Regulations 2016: Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine (24 Nov 2021)

Matt Carthy: It seems strange to me that the system is such that if, for example, the horse racing sector managed to bring forward a really good proposal, another organisation would get the benefit of that on a pro ratabasis as standard. I would argue that we need to move away from the set percentages and actually allocate funding on the basis of merit. That is not to say that either organisation's...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Nitrates Action Programme: Discussion (Resumed) (24 Nov 2021)

Matt Carthy: I again thank the Minister for being here. One point of clarity that has raised concern is that the Minister mentioned that the vote on Ireland's derogation has been postponed until March when it expires on 31 December. Am I correct in saying that the derogation will be extended to the new vote in March?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Nitrates Action Programme: Discussion (Resumed) (24 Nov 2021)

Matt Carthy: I thank Mr. Nolan. I will reiterate what others have said. The one area that we cannot blame on anyone else, and I have mentioned this at previous meetings, is our water quality. We are an island and, once we operate and co-ordinate on an all-Ireland basis, which we should do, then we have no one else to blame for failings. The truth is that there have been failings. It is not good...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Nitrates Action Programme: Discussion (Resumed) (24 Nov 2021)

Matt Carthy: I thank Mr. Nolan. I do not know if he or the Minister will answer my next question. We had a bit of a debate on the previous occasion Mr .Nolan appeared before the committee in respect of the section of the consultation document that referred to the need for all farmers, including non-derogation farmers, to fence off water courses. I refer to the particular anomaly in respect of those...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Nitrates Action Programme: Discussion (Resumed) (24 Nov 2021)

Matt Carthy: Okay, but there is an element of risk. It might be a small one, but is there not a risk with that particular strategy?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Nitrates Action Programme: Discussion (Resumed) (24 Nov 2021)

Matt Carthy: While we are talking about slurry and all the rest of it, the Minister has stated previously that the position in respect of the use of anaerobic digestion is very poor, even by European standards. I think we are 20th in terms of the development of that sector. How important will the development of anaerobic digestion be in terms of addressing the issues of storage and energy generation?...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Horse and Greyhound Racing Fund Regulations 2016: Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine (24 Nov 2021)

Matt Carthy: If it is a lottery, then it is the taxpayer who pays for all of the tickets. As a result, we need to ensure that taxpayers get the best value for money. Every time I have raised this issue with the Minister, I have been struck by what has been said people in the industry who contacted me. They have stated that there has to be a better way to ensure that all parts of the industry receive...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Nitrates Action Programme: Discussion (Resumed) (24 Nov 2021)

Matt Carthy: That is the point I am trying to make in terms of the requirement, per se, in terms of how imaginative it is possible to be in its framing. If people are not in compliance by the end of this period, incentives will be needed to get them there. To return to the point made by Deputy Fitzmaurice in respect of farm contractors, I find it bizarre that there is no problem grant-aiding people in...

Climate Action Plan 2021: Statements (23 Nov 2021)

Matt Carthy: The climate action plan, essentially, is a reflection of this Government. It is very high on rhetoric, but low in terms of detail and how we deliver upon it. I have heard the impassioned speeches from the Government benches. I want to deal with one area that is hugely important in terms of how we will deliver or not. That area is forestry, which is unique in this document in that it is...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Curriculum (23 Nov 2021)

Matt Carthy: 72. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills when she last met with an association (details supplied); and if she proposes to amend the new syllabus for agricultural science. [57322/21]