Results 121-140 of 595 for speaker:William Aird
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture and Food: Challenges Facing the Tillage Industry: Discussion (1 Oct 2025)
William Aird: I thought I had Deputy Cleere on board, but I obviously did not. There is a lot of grain in Kilkenny.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture and Food: Challenges Facing the Tillage Industry: Discussion (1 Oct 2025)
William Aird: I go to the mart in Cillin Hill. A lot of grain farmers have gone out of business.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture and Food: Challenges Facing the Tillage Industry: Discussion (1 Oct 2025)
William Aird: They have gone into grain and the Deputy knows that.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture and Food: Challenges Facing the Tillage Industry: Discussion (1 Oct 2025)
William Aird: Of course. I have my six minutes. I make the point that we want to be very clear here today. I do not have to ask the witnesses questions. I asked questions a fortnight ago and I know all of the answers. We want to ensure that, as politicians elected by the people, we adhere to the election manifestoes that both Deputy Cleere and I bought in to. Deputy Cleere bought in to a manifesto...
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture and Food: Challenges Facing the Tillage Industry: Discussion (1 Oct 2025)
William Aird: So is the Deputy's brother.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture and Food: Challenges Facing the Tillage Industry: Discussion (1 Oct 2025)
William Aird: Do they come up in the same car?
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture and Food: Challenges Facing the Tillage Industry: Discussion (1 Oct 2025)
William Aird: I propose that the members who did not get an opportunity to contribute [last time be given the opportunity to speak first.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture and Food: Challenges Facing the Tillage Industry: Discussion (1 Oct 2025)
William Aird: I welcome the witnesses. Earlier a group was before the committee pleading with us for ring-fenced money for five years for the tillage sector. They were looking for that in advance of the budget and they were here because they are in a very serious situation. I do not think the witnesses have answered the question given that they say the area will be increased to 400,000 ha but I...
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture and Food: Challenges Facing the Tillage Industry: Discussion (1 Oct 2025)
William Aird: This year?
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture and Food: Challenges Facing the Tillage Industry: Discussion (1 Oct 2025)
William Aird: It is now October. Does Ms Byrne think that is progress?
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture and Food: Challenges Facing the Tillage Industry: Discussion (1 Oct 2025)
William Aird: How is the Department going to stop people going out of tillage? I know three people leaving tillage. They are finished after this year. Does the Department realise the reality? The witnesses have said that the bigger person is getting bigger. The only way I know this is because when farms come up for sale, if they are not bought by dairy farmers, they are bought by the likes of Coolmore...
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture and Food: Challenges Facing the Tillage Industry: Discussion (1 Oct 2025)
William Aird: I am not blaming the witnesses individually. I am just giving them the facts. Please read the history of agriculture.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture and Food: Challenges Facing the Tillage Industry: Discussion (1 Oct 2025)
William Aird: He is in government too.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture and Food: Challenges Facing the Tillage Industry: Discussion (1 Oct 2025)
William Aird: The Deputy and his brother are part of the Government.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture and Food: Challenges Facing the Tillage Industry: Discussion (1 Oct 2025)
William Aird: If the Chair has a second, can I ask one question very quickly? It is not even a question.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture and Food: Challenges Facing the Tillage Industry: Discussion (1 Oct 2025)
William Aird: Yes. I will only be one second, that is all. The Department must have been taken by surprise when the previous Minister for agriculture had to announce €30 million at such short notice to encourage people to put seeds in the ground, as he said himself. That was the crisis situation. If he did not do that, there was going to be maybe hundreds of acres of land left idle. It was just...
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture and Food: Challenges Facing the Tillage Industry: Discussion (1 Oct 2025)
William Aird: That is what I am saying.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture and Food: Challenges Facing the Tillage Industry: Discussion (1 Oct 2025)
William Aird: Absolutely.
- An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (30 Sep 2025)
William Aird: The Irish tillage sector is in crisis. Two weeks ago, I attended a meeting of more than 1,000 farmers in Naas. They gathered not to protest but to plead for the survival of the tillage sector. Their message was loud and clear: they cannot continue without urgent, targeted financial support. Poor grain prices, soaring input costs, reduced margins, regulation and the flooding of the...
- An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (30 Sep 2025)
William Aird: We cannot let this essential sector go the way of sugar beet. The upcoming budget is the next time to act before it is too late.