Results 1,781-1,800 of 4,771 for speaker:Claire Kerrane
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Challenges Facing the Fruit and Vegetable Industry: Discussion (Resumed) (18 Oct 2023)
Claire Kerrane: I thank the witnesses for attending and their detailed opening statement. With regard to the horticultural support scheme, obviously the witnesses are surprised at the omissions from the scheme. They have not received feedback on the omissions. As stated, the committee can follow up on that. Why have mushrooms and strawberries been excluded from the scheme?
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Challenges Facing the Fruit and Vegetable Industry: Discussion (Resumed) (18 Oct 2023)
Claire Kerrane: As regards the charter with retailers, maybe the committee should consider the issue of retailers. There is a thread running through the contributions of all the witnesses who have come before us. It comes down to price and the specification on which the supermarkets tend to insist even though most people are probably not overly fussy. I find Irish people are not overly fussy when it comes...
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Challenges Facing the Fruit and Vegetable Industry: Discussion (Resumed) (18 Oct 2023)
Claire Kerrane: Is that coming from the retailers?
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Challenges Facing the Fruit and Vegetable Industry: Discussion (Resumed) (18 Oct 2023)
Claire Kerrane: Yes, it is still a carrot. Obviously, the education piece is really important. There is a job of work for Bord Bia and others in that regard. I ask our guests to flesh that out a bit. What is the best way to come at this in terms of educating our young people and then bring it all the way through?
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Challenges Facing the Fruit and Vegetable Industry: Discussion (Resumed) (18 Oct 2023)
Claire Kerrane: Does Mr. McCormack think retailers would be willing to sign up to a charter? How much of a challenge would that be?
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Challenges Facing the Fruit and Vegetable Industry: Discussion (Resumed) (18 Oct 2023)
Claire Kerrane: Obviously, that is really important work. Mr. McCormack is on the ground. He has talked about the challenges. Weather is obviously a bib one, as well as running costs and a reduction in yields. How much have the input costs for growers increased in the last year or two?
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Challenges Facing the Fruit and Vegetable Industry: Discussion (Resumed) (18 Oct 2023)
Claire Kerrane: We met with a couple of professors from Food Vision last week, which was really interesting. They were really pushing for a focus on what they considered to be a major priority, which was research and data. They spoke about the lack of same and the need to get a lot more information in order to better inform ourselves on how to grow and develop the sector. I asked them about the agrifood...
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Challenges Facing the Fruit and Vegetable Industry: Discussion (Resumed) (18 Oct 2023)
Claire Kerrane: I want to come back to the issue of workers. There is obviously a major challenge in this regard. It is up there with price for the sector. It is so important that the permit issue is sorted out. In terms of the horticultural courses that people go through, is there an on-the-ground element to them? We want to try to promote and expand those courses, but is there an on-the-ground element...
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Challenges Facing the Fruit and Vegetable Industry: Discussion (Resumed) (18 Oct 2023)
Claire Kerrane: Anything that can be done at second level to encourage students to go on would be good. Schools do a lot in that regard, particularly in transition year. Many actually grow fruit and vegetables on site. Getting young people involved at an early age is really important. Educating them at that point is essential and anything that can be done at that level for young people, before they even...
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Challenges Facing the Fruit and Vegetable Industry: Discussion (Resumed) (18 Oct 2023)
Claire Kerrane: I thank all our guests for coming in and for their very detailed opening statements. My first question is for the departmental officials. It is welcome that the horticulture support scheme is now open. It is needed. Mushroom and strawberry growers are being left out of this scheme. All the key challenges listed by the officials also impact on those growers, but I appreciate what the...
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Challenges Facing the Fruit and Vegetable Industry: Discussion (Resumed) (18 Oct 2023)
Claire Kerrane: Is there a possibility the scheme could be oversubscribed? If it is, what will happen to applicants in those cases? Will there be a cap? I presume there will be if no extra money can be put into it.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Challenges Facing the Fruit and Vegetable Industry: Discussion (Resumed) (18 Oct 2023)
Claire Kerrane: I will move on to the national strategy. The budget allocation of €1.35 million that has been announced was mentioned. What is the overall cost of implementing that strategy in its entirety?
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Challenges Facing the Fruit and Vegetable Industry: Discussion (Resumed) (18 Oct 2023)
Claire Kerrane: I will put two other points to the Department. I then have a couple of questions for Teagasc. It has been raised with us, and I am asking whether the Department is aware of this, that inspections has increased. Growers are getting more inspections around commercial rates. That has been raised as an issue with us. Given that many of these growers are already struggling, that is a matter...
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Challenges Facing the Fruit and Vegetable Industry: Discussion (Resumed) (18 Oct 2023)
Claire Kerrane: It was just to flag it. I thank Ms Byrne.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Challenges Facing the Fruit and Vegetable Industry: Discussion (Resumed) (18 Oct 2023)
Claire Kerrane: Turning to the representatives from Teagasc, data and research are very much missing and needed for the sector, and Teagasc does very valuable work in the work it has undertaken and the reports it produces regarding input costs, which is important. Nevertheless, the data and research aspect is one of the strategic actions and there is a lot more work to be done on that. Organisations and...
- Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: EU Regulations (18 Oct 2023)
Claire Kerrane: 220. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his Department has carried out a review or impact assessment on the potential implications the changes to the current Sustainable Use of Pesticides Regulation may have on agricultural sectors in the State; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45652/23]
- Funding for Persons with Disabilities: Motion [Private Members] (17 Oct 2023)
Claire Kerrane: I have raised many times in this House the number of children in my constituency of Roscommon-Galway who are on waiting lists for therapies and psychology services. It is very clear, right around the country, that the numbers are getting worse and the waiting lists are getting longer. Children and others on whatever lists they are on - and there are many - are waiting longer and longer and...
- Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (17 Oct 2023)
Claire Kerrane: 218. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if a school transport case (details supplied) can be responded to; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44710/23]
- Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (17 Oct 2023)
Claire Kerrane: 262. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills when outstanding reps for school transport queries (details supplied) will be issued; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45244/23]
- Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Pesticide Use (17 Oct 2023)
Claire Kerrane: 411. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will report on the amount of pesticide used in the State in the years 2020 to date and any Government targets or commitments to reduce usage, both in terms of percentage and overall quantity, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44632/23]