Results 781-800 of 2,066 for speaker:Joe Flaherty

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Consolidation in Horticultural Grower Numbers: Discussion (28 Jun 2023)

Joe Flaherty: I thank the speakers for coming in, in particular Mr. Rushe for his very reasoned opening statement. I will concentrate on growers but have a couple of questions for Mr. Rushe first. On Lidl and Aldi, we all appreciate we need cheap food but they are in many respects a divisive force in the Irish supermarket sector, particularly when it comes to suppliers and producers. In 2021, Lidl...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Consolidation in Horticultural Grower Numbers: Discussion (28 Jun 2023)

Joe Flaherty: So the IFA cannot do any publicity around that-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Consolidation in Horticultural Grower Numbers: Discussion (28 Jun 2023)

Joe Flaherty: -----outside of this room, obviously.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Consolidation in Horticultural Grower Numbers: Discussion (28 Jun 2023)

Joe Flaherty: How divisive is and how big an impact has what Lidl and Aldi do? Call it what it is: false advertising, false Irish names and branding something as Irish that is not Irish.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Consolidation in Horticultural Grower Numbers: Discussion (28 Jun 2023)

Joe Flaherty: On peat, there was a court case in the midlands earlier in June where the EPA had taken three growers to court. It was a major win for the producers in that the court established that three boglands were not technically and hydrologically connected. The EPA has continued to contend its flawed claim that bogland is hydrologically linked but unfortunately for it, it was unable to produce any...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Consolidation in Horticultural Grower Numbers: Discussion (28 Jun 2023)

Joe Flaherty: I welcome Niall McCormack who is a near neighbour of mine in Longford. I am delighted to see several of his neighbours have come to support him here. There was a debate on the EPA in the Dáil earlier where farmers were again vilified but Mr. McCormack's neighbours are here to support him in the important role he plays both as a custodian of the land and also a keen environmentalist....

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Consolidation in Horticultural Grower Numbers: Discussion (28 Jun 2023)

Joe Flaherty: Would the new Bill and the Minister of State's commitment on the pilot for the first quarter of 2024 resolve the matter to the IFA's satisfaction and put the Irish sector on a par with what an employer can offer in Europe?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Consolidation in Horticultural Grower Numbers: Discussion (28 Jun 2023)

Joe Flaherty: So the biggest issue in horticulture is the availability of staff.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Consolidation in Horticultural Grower Numbers: Discussion (28 Jun 2023)

Joe Flaherty: The fruit grower's price now is reasonable but what about compared with five years ago?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Consolidation in Horticultural Grower Numbers: Discussion (28 Jun 2023)

Joe Flaherty: Has Mr. McCormack outsourced his packing or is it done on site?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Consolidation in Horticultural Grower Numbers: Discussion (28 Jun 2023)

Joe Flaherty: Is that producer group selling Mr. McCormack's product or is he selling it direct?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Consolidation in Horticultural Grower Numbers: Discussion (28 Jun 2023)

Joe Flaherty: Which of the multiples is Mr. McCormack selling to?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Consolidation in Horticultural Grower Numbers: Discussion (28 Jun 2023)

Joe Flaherty: We mentioned Lidl and Aldi. Are they buying strawberries in Ireland or where are their strawberries coming from?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Consolidation in Horticultural Grower Numbers: Discussion (28 Jun 2023)

Joe Flaherty: Has Mr. McCormack ever supplied them?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Consolidation in Horticultural Grower Numbers: Discussion (28 Jun 2023)

Joe Flaherty: I thank Mr. McCormack.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Further and Higher Education (28 Jun 2023)

Joe Flaherty: 176. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if tutors currently working in the further education sector will retain the right to receive social welfare payments during holiday breaks if they decide to stay as they are and not accept the adult educator contracts recently offered to them by his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31575/23]

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: National Development Plan (27 Jun 2023)

Joe Flaherty: 62. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform for an overview of the progress made to date under national strategic outcome No. 5 of the National Development Plan 2021-2030; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30884/23]

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: National Development Plan (27 Jun 2023)

Joe Flaherty: 79. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the estimated cumulative value of the investments to be made in counties Longford, Westmeath, Laois and Offaly, respectively, under the timeframe of the National Development Plan 2021-2030; the estimated funding drawdown to date in each county; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30883/23]

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Horse Sport Industry Strategy: Engagement with Horse Sport Ireland (21 Jun 2023)

Joe Flaherty: I welcome other speakers. I agree that the sport horse is a huge part of cultural and social identity right across rural Ireland. We are very proud of this, and this committee, in particular, takes it very seriously. While we will deal with the bones of the strategy and the issues the organisation is facing, this is a great chance to address something I have addressed several times with...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Horse Sport Industry Strategy: Engagement with Horse Sport Ireland (21 Jun 2023)

Joe Flaherty: I will send it through the secretariat and Mr. Duggan can respond directly on it. Mr. Duggan alluded to the Indecon report in his opening statement. As he rightly said, it has been a turbulent time for Horse Sport Ireland. The organisation was marred with multiple crises within the industry and on the board itself. I appreciate that a new board has been put in place and we wish all the...