Results 1,541-1,560 of 4,207 for speaker:Jennifer Whitmore

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Wildlife Protection (7 Mar 2023)

Jennifer Whitmore: 686. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if there is currently a plan in place to develop the research on the impacts to farmland birds regarding the loss of winter stubbles; when such research is due to be initiated; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10864/23]

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Wildlife Protection (7 Mar 2023)

Jennifer Whitmore: 687. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if there will be data available on the impacts to farmland birds regarding the loss of winter stubbles, to inform the Interim Review of the Nitrates Action Programme in 2023; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10865/23]

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Wildlife Protection (7 Mar 2023)

Jennifer Whitmore: 688. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine in the event of insufficient evidence on the effects of the loss of winter stubbles on farmland birds at the time of the Interim Review, if the requirement to shallow cultivate is to be withdrawn until such a time as there is data to show that this measure is not adversely impacting farmland birds; and if he will make a statement...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Climate Action Plan 2023: Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine (2 Mar 2023)

Jennifer Whitmore: I have a question.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Climate Action Plan 2023: Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine (2 Mar 2023)

Jennifer Whitmore: I thank the Minister for coming in today. It is really worthwhile having him in as there are a lot of questions we could ask and engage on. I would like to focus on the issue of controlled burning. The Climate Change Advisory Council was reported yesterday as saying that 1.9 million tonnes of carbon dioxide are released annually in Ireland through wildfires and wildfire practices. Some of...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Climate Action Plan 2023: Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine (2 Mar 2023)

Jennifer Whitmore: Does the Minister think it is time to review it? There are other mechanisms to deal with it. I wonder whether there has been enough oversight of the permits and the monitoring of them?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Climate Action Plan 2023: Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine (2 Mar 2023)

Jennifer Whitmore: Are the emissions from those fires incorporated into and accounted for in the Department's targets?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Climate Action Plan 2023: Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine (2 Mar 2023)

Jennifer Whitmore: On the basic farm payment, I know that when illegal burning occurs, it can be withheld, but it is only withheld for one year. The reality is that if you burn your land, it takes many years for it to recover and get back to full environmental health. Has the Minister considered extending that fine, so that it is not just for a single year, and that the fine is withheld until the land has...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Climate Action Plan 2023: Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine (2 Mar 2023)

Jennifer Whitmore: The basic farm payment is not an environmental measure. It is purely a question of whether you farm it, or not.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Climate Action Plan 2023: Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine (2 Mar 2023)

Jennifer Whitmore: I thank the Minister.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Climate Action Plan 2023: Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine (2 Mar 2023)

Jennifer Whitmore: I thank the Minister.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Climate Action Plan 2023: Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine (2 Mar 2023)

Jennifer Whitmore: Turning to the area of the marine, it was welcome that the Minister mentioned it earlier and that it has been incorporated into the climate action plan. It is one area on which we have not focused enough when it comes to climate action and general environmental health. One of the main areas where the marine can assist with climate action relates to acting as a carbon store, but it is clear...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Climate Action Plan 2023: Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine (2 Mar 2023)

Jennifer Whitmore: I would love to see the Marine Institute being funded to carry out significant research into the carbon capture capabilities of seabeds. I know it has done work on seagrasses and salt marshes but we need to look more broadly than that. Is it correct that Ireland will determine what activities will happen in its MPAs rather than it being an EU responsibility? That would be to say whether...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Climate Action Plan 2023: Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine (2 Mar 2023)

Jennifer Whitmore: We tend to ignore fish from a carbon capture perspective but they are integral to the ecosystem. I know there is a bit of a campaign to look at fish as carbon engineers. To maintain healthy fish stocks, it needs to be ensured that fishermen are not taking out more than the fish are able to reproduce themselves. One of the calls from NGOs on that, and in recognition of the importance of...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Climate Action Plan 2023: Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine (2 Mar 2023)

Jennifer Whitmore: I do want to congratulate the Minister on the RV Tom Crean. I love the name as well. I do have a soft spot for the RV Celtic Voyager though because that was the one I was on but it was great to see the new boat out.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Climate Action Plan 2023: Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine (2 Mar 2023)

Jennifer Whitmore: No, it is fine.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Climate Action Plan 2023: Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine (2 Mar 2023)

Jennifer Whitmore: I want to talk about fish with the Minister again. With regard to the different species we have, including our iconic native species and the pressures that are being put on them, whether it is from climate change or overfishing, the Atlantic salmon is one that has been highlighted frequently and it is one that a lot of people would have serious concerns on. Inland Fisheries Ireland has been...

Future of Regional Pre-Hospital Emergency Care: Motion [Private Members] (1 Mar 2023)

Jennifer Whitmore: I thank the Regional Group for the opportunity to discuss this important issue. The Social Democrats are fully supportive of all the calls being made today. It is telling that there are two motions on the NAS this week. Related issues were also discussed at the Joint Committee on Health. Pre-hospital emergency care is a vital cog in our healthcare services. Paramedics and other workers...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: School Accommodation (1 Mar 2023)

Jennifer Whitmore: Unfortunately, I did not hear any new information from the Minister of State there. It is true that the school has completely pared back its requirements for temporary accommodation to the point where it is just refurbishing four Portakabins and putting in two new ones. Despite that, there is still no indication that this will be in place for September 2023 when it is needed. The school...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: School Accommodation (1 Mar 2023)

Jennifer Whitmore: This morning I would like to discuss Blessington Community College and its accommodation needs, not just for the upcoming school year but also in the future. Blessington Community College is the only secondary school in Blessington. It has 627 students currently enrolled. The number has doubled in the past nine years. It is an incredibly popular and successful school. Its projected...