Results 1,581-1,600 of 8,978 for speaker:Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Weighing of Fisheries Products: Discussion (18 May 2022)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: I have here a copy of correspondence sent to Mr. Hayes on 5 May from the SFPA consultative committee, which exists under the same legislation as the SFPA. It has grave concerns about how this has been handled and the lack of consultation with it. It asks, if the ownership of the flow scales on the pier in Killybegs is transferred to systems not operated or owned by the industry, whether the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Weighing of Fisheries Products: Discussion (18 May 2022)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: Fair enough. I am happy to give way.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Weighing of Fisheries Products: Discussion (18 May 2022)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: I request that we suspend for 15 minutes for a vote in the Dáil. There will be another vote shortly thereafter.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Weighing of Fisheries Products: Discussion (18 May 2022)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: Deputy Pearse Doherty asked about the approach taken to landings in the North. There is no control plan with the North of Ireland or Great Britain but very substantial numbers of landings have come through the North over the years. My understanding is that since 1983, there have been around 5,000 per annum. The SFPA has been in existence since 2006. How many licences for permits for...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Weighing of Fisheries Products: Discussion (18 May 2022)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: That is not the question I asked. I asked how many times the SFPA has withdrawn the permit from an operator for landings that came through the North. The SFPA has been in existence since 2006.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Weighing of Fisheries Products: Discussion (18 May 2022)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: Does Mr. Hayes not understand why it is difficult for this committee to comprehend why after all those years when landings through the North were taking place - thousands every year since 1983 while the SFPA has been existence as a regulator since 2006 - it is only now in this high-profile scenario where processors have challenged the SFPA that the SFPA is ruling on permits. Perhaps it has...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Weighing of Fisheries Products: Discussion (18 May 2022)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: It is very peculiar. I am sure Mr. Hayes will accept that this committee finds it peculiar that it is only now that a weighing permit is being removed. Thousands of landings are happening every year, and as Deputy Doherty confirmed, the Department in the North is responsible for doing that anyway. I will leave it at that.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Weighing of Fisheries Products: Discussion (18 May 2022)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: Go ahead.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Weighing of Fisheries Products: Discussion (18 May 2022)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: Okay. I understand the authority uses terminology in correspondence with companies including "outside Ireland". Does Mr. O'Mahony find it regrettable that the authority describes Derry as "outside Ireland"?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Weighing of Fisheries Products: Discussion (18 May 2022)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: In general is it regrettable to say Derry is "outside Ireland"?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Weighing of Fisheries Products: Discussion (18 May 2022)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: I am sticking to it. It is the weighing issue and it is connected to it. Is it regrettable that an agency-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Weighing of Fisheries Products: Discussion (18 May 2022)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: How is it? It is connected to the topic completely. It is directly connected to the weighing controversy in Killybegs.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Weighing of Fisheries Products: Discussion (18 May 2022)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: It is totally connected.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Weighing of Fisheries Products: Discussion (18 May 2022)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: I must accept the Vice Chairman's ruling but the question was not answered anyway. My next question relates to the weighing system on the pier at Killybegs. I have said, and all the public representatives understand, that the industry is very eager to hand this to non-industry control in order to address concerns. Will the witnesses define what is "non-industry control" in this respect?...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Weighing of Fisheries Products: Discussion (18 May 2022)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: Okay. Will Mr. Hayes define "non-industry control"? Would it involve a charity or the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine? What is non-industry control?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Weighing of Fisheries Products: Discussion (18 May 2022)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: Yes, but will Mr. Hayes define "non-industry"? I think "non-industry" in this case would be an independent or community organisation in Killybegs or the Department. Is that agreeable to the authority?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Weighing of Fisheries Products: Discussion (18 May 2022)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: Mr. Hayes cannot define what is "non-industry".

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Weighing of Fisheries Products: Discussion (18 May 2022)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: The European Commission has indicated, resulting from its negotiations with the authority, which were peculiar, that it wants this to be "non-industry" but what is that?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Weighing of Fisheries Products: Discussion (18 May 2022)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: It strikes me as a weighing system that a High Court judge has said should be brought into being and I do not believe you can get a better system than that. The issue is putting it into the control of somebody who is not part of the industry. In my simple brain, it seems quite straightforward to resolve if the authority has the will to do so. I hope it does because we should not be here...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Weighing of Fisheries Products: Discussion (18 May 2022)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: I am not asking the witnesses if the authority has done so but if it was felt to be necessary, can the authority do joint operations with the Garda and Revenue Commissioners in respect of phone surveillance? Could it carry out covert surveillance? Is that in the authority's power when done jointly with An Garda Síochána and the Revenue Commissioners?