Results 1,121-1,140 of 17,012 for speaker:Paul Kehoe

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

Paul Kehoe: Mr. Rushe stated: The farm-gate value of the horticulture sector is currently valued at €529 million. The national strategy for horticulture anticipates that the farm-gate value of the sector will increase by 30% to €688 million, if the necessary actions in the report are implemented. Can the witnesses see that happening? If the necessary actions are not implemented, where...

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

Paul Kehoe: Yes.

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

Paul Kehoe: I compare potato farmers to sheep farmers. When a father retires or passes away, the young fellow just gives it up. That is the way it is. For potatoes it is the price. I trained and worked in horticulture in Kildalton Agricultural College and I also spent a few years in England. How does the Irish horticultural sector compared to that of the rest of Europe? Spanish strawberries are...

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

Paul Kehoe: I am familiar with fruit growing and fruit growers in County Wexford. Their costs have gone through the roof. Are the Flynn's strawberries in - I am not sure whether it is Aldi or Lidl - at the moment, Irish strawberries?

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

Paul Kehoe: They still package them as Flynn's Irish strawberries coming into season and going out of season in September or October.

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

Paul Kehoe: What percentage of Irish mushrooms are exported and what percentage are sold domestically? How are we able to successfully produce and export many of our mushrooms? A mushroom grower might not agree with my statement. They are probably better off than many in the sector, such as some of the fruit and vegetable growers such as potato growers.

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

Paul Kehoe: Has the IFA spoken to the Department about the reintroduction horticulture exceptional payment, HEP, and what kind of feedback is it getting?

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

Paul Kehoe: On biogroups, there have been huge savings in the agricultural sector on sprays, veterinary products and so on. Has better value been seen in packaging and plastics in the fruit sector?

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

Paul Kehoe: Compared to the agricultural sector.

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

Paul Kehoe: Does the sector use more liquid fertiliser?

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

Paul Kehoe: The storage of potatoes has been a big issue for me in County Wexford. There is a huge number of large potato growers, as Mr. Ryan will be aware. Their energy costs have gone through the roof. One or two of them could have gone to the wall last year. I cannot blame them for exporting when the market was there. They went to a depleted market financially. They took the risk. They wanted...

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

Paul Kehoe: The weather last weekend did a lot of damage to cereal crops-----

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

Paul Kehoe: -----and to horticultural crops.

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

Paul Kehoe: I was interested in what Mr. McCormack said on the staffing issue. During Covid we were speaking about bringing in foreign workers to pick strawberries and other fruit because no Irish person wants to pick strawberries any more-----

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

Paul Kehoe: I will not say that Irish people are afraid to do hard work but that is hard work.

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

Paul Kehoe: The scheme was an absolute disaster because it stopped a lot of permits from being issued. I argued against it. I told people they should visit any fruit farmer in County Wexford and see how difficult it is. It is a very difficult job to harvest fruit. It is very labour-intensive job. Twenty years ago when strawberries were picked, they were processed for jam. That is not the case now....

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

Paul Kehoe: With regard to permits and the dairy sector, I have spoken to the Minister about the farm relief service. We are making progress. In the fruit and vegetable sector how many more workers are required? Many people are not growing as much because they do not have the staff.

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Services (28 Jun 2023)

Paul Kehoe: 21. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade whether documentation was lost for a passport application (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31527/23]

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Assisted Decision-Making (28 Jun 2023)

Paul Kehoe: 47. To ask the Minister for Finance if he will consider extending the six-month expiration on section 24 arrangements under the Credit Union Act 1997, as the required documentation, medical assessment and court appearance required under the Assisted Decision Making (Capacity) Act 2015 is not achievable in the given timeframe, let alone the high costs; and if he will make a statement on the...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Medicinal Products (28 Jun 2023)

Paul Kehoe: 142. To ask the Minister for Health the annual cost of providing adult incontinence pants and inserts; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31413/23]