Results 1,441-1,460 of 7,978 for speaker:Michael Fitzmaurice
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Ireland's Forestry Programme and Strategy: Discussion (4 Oct 2023)
Michael Fitzmaurice: Let us call a spade a spade. The industry tells us at the moment that it expects about 15% of it. If it has not applied in three or four years, it will not all of a sudden get wings and start to.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Ireland's Forestry Programme and Strategy: Discussion (4 Oct 2023)
Michael Fitzmaurice: The industry should know.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Ireland's Forestry Programme and Strategy: Discussion (4 Oct 2023)
Michael Fitzmaurice: All right, but I would imagine they would have started by now. If I have approval, I apply for financial approval or the grant and it is rejected, can I plant the trees if I feel like it?
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Ireland's Forestry Programme and Strategy: Discussion (4 Oct 2023)
Michael Fitzmaurice: There is no environmental rule. If I am a big company, I can head off and plant wherever I want. I do not have to worry.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Ireland's Forestry Programme and Strategy: Discussion (4 Oct 2023)
Michael Fitzmaurice: No tree can be planted without a licence, even if the landowner is not applying for the money.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Ireland's Forestry Programme and Strategy: Discussion (4 Oct 2023)
Michael Fitzmaurice: That is not the question I asked. I asked if I was refused the financial support so I did not get the licence and I said I would not bother with the grant. I am a big company. I have plenty of money. I can go and plant. There is nothing stopping me.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Ireland's Forestry Programme and Strategy: Discussion (4 Oct 2023)
Michael Fitzmaurice: Why not? Who said that?
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Ireland's Forestry Programme and Strategy: Discussion (4 Oct 2023)
Michael Fitzmaurice: It is not illegal to plant a tree without a licence.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Ireland's Forestry Programme and Strategy: Discussion (4 Oct 2023)
Michael Fitzmaurice: Okay, that is perfect. Am I right in saying that from 2014 to 2020, the 15-year programme comprised 12 years of state aid and then three years of de minimisaid?
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Ireland's Forestry Programme and Strategy: Discussion (4 Oct 2023)
Michael Fitzmaurice: Why is there no de minimisaid in the new scheme?
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Ireland's Forestry Programme and Strategy: Discussion (4 Oct 2023)
Michael Fitzmaurice: I know that. I am talking about the new scheme.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Ireland's Forestry Programme and Strategy: Discussion (4 Oct 2023)
Michael Fitzmaurice: Am I correct that it was outlined that 12 years of it was-----
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Ireland's Forestry Programme and Strategy: Discussion (4 Oct 2023)
Michael Fitzmaurice: I put it to Mr. Delany that under de minimisaid, grants of more than €200,000 per year were not possible, off the top of my head. With no de minimisaid, it is now open to landowners to draw down whatever money they want for 15 years, which suits the big corporations. Am I correct that, up to now, in the three years of de minimisaid, if you drew down X amount from the Department of...
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Ireland's Forestry Programme and Strategy: Discussion (4 Oct 2023)
Michael Fitzmaurice: There is no de minimisaid now so it is giving the big corporations the chance to draw down whatever they want.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Ireland's Forestry Programme and Strategy: Discussion (4 Oct 2023)
Michael Fitzmaurice: In the last scheme, between 2014 and 2020, there were three years of de minimisaid and 12 years the other way. Now there is no de minimisaid so there is no block to the amount of money a big cartel or big company can draw down under the two schemes. Is that correct?
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Ireland's Forestry Programme and Strategy: Discussion (4 Oct 2023)
Michael Fitzmaurice: I beg your pardon.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Ireland's Forestry Programme and Strategy: Discussion (4 Oct 2023)
Michael Fitzmaurice: Is there a fear there? Since 2016, we are down a lot because of the different problems that arose. In the last four years, we will have done only one year of 8,000 ha. The amount of timber that is cut, in tonnage or cubic metres, is published on the dashboard every week. When are we going to go into negative in the sense of cutting more than we are planting and what will be the...
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Ireland's Forestry Programme and Strategy: Discussion (4 Oct 2023)
Michael Fitzmaurice: I know that but it takes a while.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Ireland's Forestry Programme and Strategy: Discussion (4 Oct 2023)
Michael Fitzmaurice: So will we ever be in the minus?
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Ireland's Forestry Programme and Strategy: Discussion (4 Oct 2023)
Michael Fitzmaurice: I seek clarification on a question. My understanding, and what we learned in Europe, is that Coillte can draw the grants. Is that correct?