Results 81-100 of 498 for speaker:Joe Cooney

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Insurance Industry (25 Sep 2025)

Joe Cooney: 26. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the engagement he has had with Government colleagues regarding insurance and reducing the cost of insurance for businesses; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50461/25]

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (25 Sep 2025)

Joe Cooney: 146. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection when he expects to publish the comprehensive review of means test across the social welfare system as committed in the Programme for Government; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50463/25]

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (25 Sep 2025)

Joe Cooney: 153. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection to provide a costing for increasing the carers allowance by two percent, in line with inflation, ten percent and 20 percent; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50462/25]

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture and Food: Nitrates Derogation: Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (24 Sep 2025)

Joe Cooney: I thank the witnesses for coming in today and making their presentation. Water quality is important and vital, as is protecting the farming community going forward. That is why it is important to try to see if it is at all possible to at least maintain what we have. On water quality in the EPA report, from 2024 to 2025, was there a massive change in water quality or was it small? The EPA...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture and Food: Nitrates Derogation: Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (24 Sep 2025)

Joe Cooney: Very good. The other side of it is the question of whether agriculture is totally responsible for the water quality issues. Could there be some other issues out there that are affecting water quality? We are well aware of wastewater. Could that be an issue, with the farmers maybe getting blamed for its effects? Will one of the witnesses respond to that?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture and Food: Nitrates Derogation: Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (24 Sep 2025)

Joe Cooney: It has a part to play but my belief is other organisations have a part to play as well to get water quality up to a good standard.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture and Food: Nitrates Derogation: Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (24 Sep 2025)

Joe Cooney: As regards the public consultation, when is that taking place? Is there a date for it and what way is it being done throughout the country?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture and Food: Nitrates Derogation: Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (24 Sep 2025)

Joe Cooney: So we are not exactly sure what measures are going out at the moment.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture and Food: Nitrates Derogation: Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (24 Sep 2025)

Joe Cooney: Is it going to be possible to maintain what we have - the 250 kg N/ha and 220 kg N/ha rates - as they are?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture and Food: Nitrates Derogation: Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (24 Sep 2025)

Joe Cooney: We know it is going to be important for the farming community going forward to try to maintain what we have. We do not want to see rural parts of the country suffering again because of more restrictions put on them. There are a lot of concerns among the farming community. I hope that will not be the situation going forward, so I hope we will be able to maintain what we have while keeping...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture and Food: Nitrates Derogation: Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (24 Sep 2025)

Joe Cooney: We are also well aware, in fairness, of what the stakeholders have invested in trying to the meet criteria that are required and the big investment that has gone in.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture and Food: Nitrates Derogation: Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (24 Sep 2025)

Joe Cooney: I thank the witnesses for taking the time to be here for this discussion. "Water quality" is the big term we are using here. Deputy Aird asked a question about cleaning rivers and I do not think he got a reply to it. The witnesses might give him a reply on that. I asked about this previously. My belief is more stakeholders are responsible for what is happening with water quality than...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture and Food: Nitrates Derogation: Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (24 Sep 2025)

Joe Cooney: I will add to that. It is my honest belief that wastewater is also a big issue throughout the country.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture and Food: Impact of Trade Deals on Agriculture: Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (24 Sep 2025)

Joe Cooney: I thank the witnesses for coming in. I wish Ms McPhillips the best of luck in her new role. She will need it. The first thing she might do is get rid of Mercosur. Any time there is change, there is a concern. I am 100% opposed to it because I have been listening to farmers up and down the country and can understand their concerns. I will not stay too long on this because Ms McPhillips...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture and Food: Impact of Trade Deals on Agriculture: Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (24 Sep 2025)

Joe Cooney: How will we determine how much will come into our country?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture and Food: Impact of Trade Deals on Agriculture: Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (24 Sep 2025)

Joe Cooney: Without going into much detail, what are the pluses and minuses that could affect us going forward?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture and Food: Impact of Trade Deals on Agriculture: Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (24 Sep 2025)

Joe Cooney: The most important thing is to protect agriculture and our farmers as much as possible. I hope to work with the witnesses to achieve that, if possible. I wish Ms McPhillips the best of luck in her new role.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture and Food: Impact of Trade Deals on Agriculture: Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (24 Sep 2025)

Joe Cooney: Does the Deputy have a farming background?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Affordable Housing: Discussion (23 Sep 2025)

Joe Cooney: I thank all the witnesses for coming in. I have a concern, as they know, about what we call people being caught between two stools. It is subjective; what is affordable for me is unaffordable for you, which can be natural enough. A one-size-fits-all system is not working and there is no point saying it is working. We have seen that over the last number of months. The challenges facing...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Affordable Housing: Discussion (23 Sep 2025)

Joe Cooney: Again, I can see where Ms Behan is coming from but I have directed people to the local authority where they find the criteria are something similar as if they had gone to the bank or wherever they were going to get their loan, unfortunately, so that is not a winner for them. We would all love to see them getting in the housing market. Could it come down to looking at the assistance side...