Results 8,841-8,860 of 11,359 for speaker:Matt Carthy

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Alleged Issues in the Horse Racing Industry: Discussion (Resumed) (20 Jul 2021)

Matt Carthy: I asked about the directors, in that they are essentially self-appointing. The industry appoints its own regulatory board. Does Dr. Smyth accept that is not best practice?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Alleged Issues in the Horse Racing Industry: Discussion (Resumed) (20 Jul 2021)

Matt Carthy: The taxpayer is paying for this. Should the taxpayer not be represented on the board?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Alleged Issues in the Horse Racing Industry: Discussion (Resumed) (20 Jul 2021)

Matt Carthy: Reference was made to the programme last night in terms of the quantity of Irish horses are slaughtered in Britain, and the circumstances in which that happens. Dr. Smyth or another witness stated that there was no inkling within the Department of this practice. It was referenced in a couple of cases that there were large stables in which one in six racehorses have died since 2015....

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Alleged Issues in the Horse Racing Industry: Discussion (Resumed) (20 Jul 2021)

Matt Carthy: I will move back to that then.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Alleged Issues in the Horse Racing Industry: Discussion (Resumed) (20 Jul 2021)

Matt Carthy: Okay. Going back to Dr. Smyth, we know HRI receives a substantial level of State funding and we know how important the horse racing sector is to many rural economies. This year there was an increase in HRI funding from the Department from €84 million to €96 million. That is a €12 million increase, which is substantial at a time when many sectors would have given their...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Alleged Issues in the Horse Racing Industry: Discussion (Resumed) (20 Jul 2021)

Matt Carthy: In 2014, Exchequer funding was €54 million. It went to €68 million in 2015, €74 million in 2016, €80 million in 2017 and €84 million in 2019 and 2020. The funding is increasing all the time. I accept there is an economic rationale for that but I am asking if the additional funding is matched with additional conditionality. I take it from Dr. Smyth's...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Alleged Issues in the Horse Racing Industry: Discussion (Resumed) (20 Jul 2021)

Matt Carthy: I accept there is an economic benefit. Are we sure it is the maximum economic benefit? We know from our previous hearings that HRI distributes that money largely through prize money. Almost pound for pound, the Exchequer funding is paid out in prize money. Look at how that money is distributed. In terms of the top ten trainers for flat all weather, it is about 50%; for national hunt, it...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Alleged Issues in the Horse Racing Industry: Discussion (Resumed) (20 Jul 2021)

Matt Carthy: The difficulty I have is when we talk about prize money, international practice such as the United States is put to us. When we talk about regulation, we should be looking at the United Stats model but we are not. If we will approach this from an international best practice point of view, we should do so across the board. The only question I have asked, and I have asked it repeatedly, is...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Alleged Issues in the Horse Racing Industry: Discussion (Resumed) (20 Jul 2021)

Matt Carthy: I will ask a question on doping. It touches on last night's programme but is relevant to the agenda. Last week, I asked a representative of the industry if it was possible for an animal that had been treated with bute to make it into the supply chain. The committee was told in categorical terms it was not. However, one finding of last night's documentary seemed to indicate this commonly...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Impact of Peat Shortages on the Horticultural Industry: Discussion (20 Jul 2021)

Matt Carthy: Members and the Department officials will know I have been concerned about this issue, as all of us have been, especially since the early part of 2020. I have to say I am getting to the point where I am frightened for the mushroom industry in my county, as has been referenced. It is hugely important to our local economy and I am frightened because the opening statements we have before us...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Impact of Peat Shortages on the Horticultural Industry: Discussion (20 Jul 2021)

Matt Carthy: I acknowledged that the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Impact of Peat Shortages on the Horticultural Industry: Discussion (20 Jul 2021)

Matt Carthy: I am sorry.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Impact of Peat Shortages on the Horticultural Industry: Discussion (20 Jul 2021)

Matt Carthy: Does Mr. Nugent think it is the sector's fault that the substitute consent was continuously struck down? To go back to my question, what are the proposals of the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications to resolve the short-term crisis we face?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Impact of Peat Shortages on the Horticultural Industry: Discussion (20 Jul 2021)

Matt Carthy: Does Mr. Nugent understand my point about the frustration of people listening? Regarding the sub-30 ha sites, is Mr. Nugent aware that stakeholders have indicated to us that unrelated bogs on which harvesting occurs, perhaps by the same operator, are being linked so that they are not considered to be sub-30 ha? That again is presenting a challenge in terms of getting peat to where it is needed.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Impact of Peat Shortages on the Horticultural Industry: Discussion (20 Jul 2021)

Matt Carthy: I understand that there are 17,000 jobs at risk and what I see in response to that from the Department is flippancy. That is why I am frustrated and angry. We have called this meeting to try to get solutions. Reading between the lines of the opening statements from the other two Departments, I sense that there is at least a recognition that something needs to be done. What I get from Mr....

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Impact of Peat Shortages on the Horticultural Industry: Discussion (20 Jul 2021)

Matt Carthy: Mr. Nugent referred to salami-slicing. Does he see how that would appear a bit strange when in some instances we are talking about several kilometres of a distance between one site and another, yet they are being linked and the analysis that has been carried out says they are essentially the same site? Nobody who is in the area would consider them anywhere close to the same site.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Impact of Peat Shortages on the Horticultural Industry: Discussion (20 Jul 2021)

Matt Carthy: Okay. Chair, could I ask Mr. Lucas a question?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Impact of Peat Shortages on the Horticultural Industry: Discussion (20 Jul 2021)

Matt Carthy: What can we do in the next month to provide a short-term solution, which is essentially where we need to see progress?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Impact of Peat Shortages on the Horticultural Industry: Discussion (20 Jul 2021)

Matt Carthy: Does Mr. Delany have any words of comfort in terms of the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine's interactions on these issues?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Impact of Peat Shortages on the Horticultural Industry: Discussion (20 Jul 2021)

Matt Carthy: I am not suggesting there are any easy solutions but can any of our three guests point to a resolution within the next number of weeks? As I said, this is a unique situation for me to be in. I have listened to several members and representative organisations tell us in very vocal terms for the past two years, and certainly for the past year, that an entire sector can and will be wiped out...