Results 8,821-8,840 of 9,471 for speaker:Hildegarde Naughton

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Policy Issues arising from the Exploration and Extraction of Onshore Petroleum Bill 2016 and the EPA report on Hydraulic Fracturing: Discussion (31 Jan 2017)

Hildegarde Naughton: I wish to explain that we are looking at the policy issues here. Policy is always considered by the joint Oireachtas committee, which includes Senators. That is the process. I will move on to our witnesses. I ask our first witness, Mr. Matthew Collins, assistant secretary for natural resources from the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Policy Issues arising from the Exploration and Extraction of Onshore Petroleum Bill 2016 and the EPA report on Hydraulic Fracturing: Discussion (31 Jan 2017)

Hildegarde Naughton: Very briefly. Is it on the same issue?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Policy Issues arising from the Exploration and Extraction of Onshore Petroleum Bill 2016 and the EPA report on Hydraulic Fracturing: Discussion (31 Jan 2017)

Hildegarde Naughton: This committee-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Policy Issues arising from the Exploration and Extraction of Onshore Petroleum Bill 2016 and the EPA report on Hydraulic Fracturing: Discussion (31 Jan 2017)

Hildegarde Naughton: I am sorry. I wish to explain. This committee decided to consider the EPA report. It was a decision made by this committee. I know that Deputy Scanlon is not a member and I will explain. It was a decision made by this committee to consider the EPA report. That is what we were doing here today. I return to our first witness, Mr. Matthew Collins. He has five minutes.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Policy Issues arising from the Exploration and Extraction of Onshore Petroleum Bill 2016 and the EPA report on Hydraulic Fracturing: Discussion (31 Jan 2017)

Hildegarde Naughton: I thank Mr. Collins and appreciate his brevity. We will hear from our second witness from the Geological Survey of Ireland, Ms Monica Lee, principal geologist.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Policy Issues arising from the Exploration and Extraction of Onshore Petroleum Bill 2016 and the EPA report on Hydraulic Fracturing: Discussion (31 Jan 2017)

Hildegarde Naughton: Thank you. We will hear from our third witness, Dr. Matt Crowe from the Environmental Protection Agency, EPA.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Policy Issues arising from the Exploration and Extraction of Onshore Petroleum Bill 2016 and the EPA report on Hydraulic Fracturing: Discussion (31 Jan 2017)

Hildegarde Naughton: I thank Dr. Crowe. I invite Mr. Alan Hooper of CDM Smith to address the joint committee.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Policy Issues arising from the Exploration and Extraction of Onshore Petroleum Bill 2016 and the EPA report on Hydraulic Fracturing: Discussion (31 Jan 2017)

Hildegarde Naughton: I thank the witnesses for their brief statements this evening. I will start with a question for the Department on its position versus that contained in the EPA's report. The conclusion of the EPA report is that there are concerns that can be mitigated by certain measures, whereas the Department's position is there is sufficient evidence to maintain the ban. What are the problems that the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Policy Issues arising from the Exploration and Extraction of Onshore Petroleum Bill 2016 and the EPA report on Hydraulic Fracturing: Discussion (31 Jan 2017)

Hildegarde Naughton: I will bring in Deputy Ryan.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Policy Issues arising from the Exploration and Extraction of Onshore Petroleum Bill 2016 and the EPA report on Hydraulic Fracturing: Discussion (31 Jan 2017)

Hildegarde Naughton: I ask those in the Public Gallery not to applaud or make commentary during this session.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Policy Issues arising from the Exploration and Extraction of Onshore Petroleum Bill 2016 and the EPA report on Hydraulic Fracturing: Discussion (31 Jan 2017)

Hildegarde Naughton: I will revert to the witnesses before I take the next three members' questions. The witnesses might have those questions banked. I call the EPA or the Department, whichever wants to go first.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Policy Issues arising from the Exploration and Extraction of Onshore Petroleum Bill 2016 and the EPA report on Hydraulic Fracturing: Discussion (31 Jan 2017)

Hildegarde Naughton: Did Deputy Brian Stanley have a question for Mr. Hooper?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Policy Issues arising from the Exploration and Extraction of Onshore Petroleum Bill 2016 and the EPA report on Hydraulic Fracturing: Discussion (31 Jan 2017)

Hildegarde Naughton: That is no problem. The debate will all be on the record.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Policy Issues arising from the Exploration and Extraction of Onshore Petroleum Bill 2016 and the EPA report on Hydraulic Fracturing: Discussion (31 Jan 2017)

Hildegarde Naughton: Not at all.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Policy Issues arising from the Exploration and Extraction of Onshore Petroleum Bill 2016 and the EPA report on Hydraulic Fracturing: Discussion (31 Jan 2017)

Hildegarde Naughton: I will explain to members the process regarding the referral of a Private Members' Bill to the select committee. It is up to the select committee and this committee to engage in detailed scrutiny of the provisions of the Bill, after which we report back to the Dáil prior to Committee Stage. I say this just in case there is any confusion as to what we are doing. It is agreed that we...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Policy Issues arising from the Exploration and Extraction of Onshore Petroleum Bill 2016 and the EPA report on Hydraulic Fracturing: Discussion (31 Jan 2017)

Hildegarde Naughton: Does Ms Ryan wish to come in on that point?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Policy Issues arising from the Exploration and Extraction of Onshore Petroleum Bill 2016 and the EPA report on Hydraulic Fracturing: Discussion (31 Jan 2017)

Hildegarde Naughton: I will bring in Deputy McLoughlin. We will finish up soon but I am conscious that this is Deputy McLoughlin's Bill.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Policy Issues arising from the Exploration and Extraction of Onshore Petroleum Bill 2016 and the EPA report on Hydraulic Fracturing: Discussion (31 Jan 2017)

Hildegarde Naughton: Are there any final comments from the witnesses before we finish up? No. I thank the witnesses for attending the meeting and for their patience. We had a long agenda. It was a worthwhile engagement. I propose that the committee publishes the submissions received in relation to this meeting and the letter received from the Minister. Is that agreed? Agreed.

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Immigrant Investor Programme Administration (31 Jan 2017)

Hildegarde Naughton: 90. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality when the recent rule changes to the immigrant investor programme became applicable; when the public was made aware of these changes; when her Department ceased taking applications under the scheme in 2016; if the public was made aware that such applications would be rejected; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3825/17]

Select Committee on the Future of Healthcare: Health Service Reform: Dr. Brian Turner (25 Jan 2017)

Hildegarde Naughton: I thank Dr. Turner for coming before us this morning. I am particularly interested in his comments that the health service is under-resouced in terms of consultant numbers and the number of hospital beds per 1,000 of population. Dr. Turner gave the OECD average bed capacity per 1,000 of population as 4.85 compared with 2.8 in Ireland. The Department of Health is carrying out a bed capacity...