Results 1,821-1,840 of 2,564 for speaker:Christopher O'Sullivan

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: General Scheme of the Circular Economy Bill 2021: Discussion (7 Oct 2021)

Christopher O'Sullivan: At this point we will take questions from members. As this meeting is confined to a maximum of three hours, I propose that each member is given two minutes to ask their question in order to ensure all members get an opportunity. Is that agreed? Agreed. We will be able to be liberal with the two-minute timeframe considering we have three hours available. There should, therefore, be no...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: General Scheme of the Circular Economy Bill 2021: Discussion (7 Oct 2021)

Christopher O'Sullivan: I thank Deputy Bruton. Mr. Carberry or any of the other witnesses who wish to respond to or comment on Deputy Bruton's questions, please feel free.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: General Scheme of the Circular Economy Bill 2021: Discussion (7 Oct 2021)

Christopher O'Sullivan: I thank Mr. Carberry. Deputy Bruton, do you want to come back in?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: General Scheme of the Circular Economy Bill 2021: Discussion (7 Oct 2021)

Christopher O'Sullivan: I thank Deputy Bruton. As I said, if any of the other witnesses wants to jump in at any point, he or she should feel free to do so. I call Senator Higgins.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: General Scheme of the Circular Economy Bill 2021: Discussion (7 Oct 2021)

Christopher O'Sullivan: We will now move to Senator Lynn Boylan.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: General Scheme of the Circular Economy Bill 2021: Discussion (7 Oct 2021)

Christopher O'Sullivan: I thank Mr. Carberry.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: General Scheme of the Circular Economy Bill 2021: Discussion (7 Oct 2021)

Christopher O'Sullivan: The next speaker is Deputy Cronin.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: General Scheme of the Circular Economy Bill 2021: Discussion (7 Oct 2021)

Christopher O'Sullivan: Before we start the second round I have some questions. The heads of the Bill the Department have brought forward present a huge opportunity to transform the consumer culture that has got us to where we are at the moment and the amount of waste that we see. As Senator Boylan said, it is a huge opportunity to clean up our oceans and clean up our countryside, about which we are all very...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: General Scheme of the Circular Economy Bill 2021: Discussion (7 Oct 2021)

Christopher O'Sullivan: Where does the Department stand on anaerobic digestion? Is it something it sees a place for in the future and would it like to see it expanded?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: General Scheme of the Circular Economy Bill 2021: Discussion (7 Oct 2021)

Christopher O'Sullivan: I would certainly like to see it looked at and explored. The food loss prevention roadmap is included in the heads of the Bill. Again, this comes down to the idea of anaerobic digestion and the smaller scale digesters that are used in some hotels or in some more industrial sized kitchens, whereby peelings and food waste is used to create gas to cook. Is this something that could be part of...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: General Scheme of the Circular Economy Bill 2021: Discussion (7 Oct 2021)

Christopher O'Sullivan: Another initiative, which seemed to be a pretty big thing a couple of years back, but seems to have stopped in its tracks, was where larger supermarket chains worked with local communities and food that was near its sell-by date or guideline date was used in the community for different schemes. This was to avoid waste and to help those people who were more vulnerable or on low incomes and...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: General Scheme of the Circular Economy Bill 2021: Discussion (7 Oct 2021)

Christopher O'Sullivan: Mr. O'Donoghue is in the hot seat, so I will just keep going while I am on a roll. I just have two quick questions. Deputy O'Rourke brought up an excellent question about resources. He mentioned the Environmental Protection Agency and the local authorities in particular. Many of us have sat on local authorities and we saw how under-resourced their litter-response teams were, including...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: General Scheme of the Circular Economy Bill 2021: Discussion (7 Oct 2021)

Christopher O'Sullivan: That is an excellent point. Two things were happening there. People were walking the feet off themselves during those two lockdowns and probably walking in beauty spots to which they had never been and were noticing these things. We also had those great summers during which people were flocking to the beaches. That obviously caused an issue. At least there was a response to that. We...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: General Scheme of the Circular Economy Bill 2021: Discussion (7 Oct 2021)

Christopher O'Sullivan: There are no other members indicating to speak. Do the witnesses have anything to add?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: General Scheme of the Circular Economy Bill 2021: Discussion (7 Oct 2021)

Christopher O'Sullivan: I thank members for their questions and comments and the witnesses for attending today and for answering to the best of their abilities.

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Enterprise Support Services (5 Oct 2021)

Christopher O'Sullivan: 56. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht her plans to provide supports to assist the cost burden of nightclubs reopening; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47932/21]

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Tourism Industry (5 Oct 2021)

Christopher O'Sullivan: 47. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht her strategies to address labour supply and skills requirements in the tourism and hospitality sector; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47931/21]

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Inland Fisheries (5 Oct 2021)

Christopher O'Sullivan: 88. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if additional funding will be made available to continue the Go Fishing outreach service to educational settings until December 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48330/21]

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Eligibility (5 Oct 2021)

Christopher O'Sullivan: 425. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she will investigate the possibility of increasing the income limit for pensioners when considering the fuel allowance in the context of increasing energy costs; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [48374/21]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Accommodation (5 Oct 2021)

Christopher O'Sullivan: 497. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the steps that are being taken to address the current student accommodation crisis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48339/21]