Results 1,881-1,900 of 4,052 for speaker:Cormac Devlin

Public Accounts Committee: 2020 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General
Chapter 3 - Central Government Funding of Local Authorities (23 Jun 2022)

Cormac Devlin: I thank Ms O'Donoghue.

Public Accounts Committee: 2020 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General
Chapter 3 - Central Government Funding of Local Authorities (23 Jun 2022)

Cormac Devlin: I thank Mr. Doyle.

Committee on Public Petitions: Consideration of Public Petition on a Ban on Herbicides in Public Areas: Discussion (Resumed) (23 Jun 2022)

Cormac Devlin: Ms Cahill and Mr. Callery are very welcome. I will focus first on their opening statement, which is welcome and represents great progress. I am from the neighbouring county council area of Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown. Since 2016 onwards, there have been many similarities between what my council and Wicklow County Council have been doing. I am familiar with the work of my council. It is...

Committee on Public Petitions: Consideration of Public Petition on a Ban on Herbicides in Public Areas: Discussion (Resumed) (23 Jun 2022)

Cormac Devlin: I hear our witnesses comments on the costs, which is understandable. I raise the issue of the use of glyphosate where there are large weeds growing on the kerb sides, footpaths or whatever. Over time, they can do damage. Ms Cahill mentioned invasive species doing damage to infrastructure, etc. She mentioned colleagues in departments like roads who may want these weeds removed sooner than...

Committee on Public Petitions: Consideration of Public Petition on a Ban on Herbicides in Public Areas: Discussion (Resumed) (23 Jun 2022)

Cormac Devlin: The chemicals being used for those-----

Committee on Public Petitions: Consideration of Public Petition on a Ban on Herbicides in Public Areas: Discussion (Resumed) (23 Jun 2022)

Cormac Devlin: I appreciate that. It is trial and error. Ms Cahill highlighted in her statement the sharing of information both between Departments and between local authorities. She mentioned Louth, Kildare and a few others. How frequent is that sharing of information? I have personal experience of Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown but others are further along the road - excuse the pun - and more aware of...

Committee on Public Petitions: Consideration of Public Petition on a Ban on Herbicides in Public Areas: Discussion (Resumed) (23 Jun 2022)

Cormac Devlin: So it has made the investment

Committee on Public Petitions: Consideration of Public Petition on a Ban on Herbicides in Public Areas: Discussion (Resumed) (23 Jun 2022)

Cormac Devlin: Ms Cahill said there was the appointment of an external contractor to carry out the mechanical weed removal, and it raised IR issues, which was inevitable I presume. Wicklow County Council will not be the only council with that issue. As the Chairman said, there are other options in terms of utilising or repurposing some of the council's equipment.

Committee on Public Petitions: Consideration of Public Petition on a Ban on Herbicides in Public Areas: Discussion (Resumed) (23 Jun 2022)

Cormac Devlin: I return to the "Do"s and "Don't"s the council has established, which Ms Cahill raised in her opening remarks. The third point concerned the use of alternative chemicals and glyphosate-free products. We have raised this here before and I raised it with the Department when it was before the committee. What is the process for the council to procure non-chemically-based products? There is...

Committee on Public Petitions: Consideration of Public Petition on a Ban on Herbicides in Public Areas: Discussion (Resumed) (23 Jun 2022)

Cormac Devlin: There is no bulk-buying of any particular chemical-free products.

Committee on Public Petitions: Consideration of Public Petition on a Ban on Herbicides in Public Areas: Discussion (Resumed) (23 Jun 2022)

Cormac Devlin: If a member of the outdoor staff decides to trial a product that is chemical-free, there will be a trial area and it might be found that it works. What happens then if the council wants to purchase the product on a large scale, given it has five municipal district areas?

Committee on Public Petitions: Consideration of Public Petition on a Ban on Herbicides in Public Areas: Discussion (Resumed) (23 Jun 2022)

Cormac Devlin: I presume it is more prominent in the north of the county than elsewhere. In saying that, what other methods are used? Is it mainly voluntary?

Committee on Public Petitions: Consideration of Public Petition on a Ban on Herbicides in Public Areas: Discussion (Resumed) (23 Jun 2022)

Cormac Devlin: It is really down to municipal district level. Would Mr. Callery be aware of the involvement of the Probation Service in regard to the removal of graffiti?

Committee on Public Petitions: Consideration of Public Petition on a Ban on Herbicides in Public Areas: Discussion (Resumed) (23 Jun 2022)

Cormac Devlin: Would this trial period be something the council could use to engage with the Probation Service? I am thinking in terms of cost and a process in which, right across the country, local authorities which are engaging in this could be helped to avail of some manual labour through the Probation Service?

Committee on Public Petitions: Consideration of Public Petition on a Ban on Herbicides in Public Areas: Discussion (Resumed) (23 Jun 2022)

Cormac Devlin: The witnesses will be aware of the new investment with the National Parks and Wildlife Service on the encouraging of biodiversity. We have to monitor where we are going with this to ensure what we are doing and the learnings Ms Cahill is talking about are monitored so we know how we are progressing. I will move to my final questions. I again thank both witnesses for their attendance...

Committee on Public Petitions: Consideration of Public Petition on a Ban on Herbicides in Public Areas: Discussion (Resumed) (23 Jun 2022)

Cormac Devlin: They are then registered with the Department as a matter of course.

Committee on Public Petitions: Consideration of Public Petition on a Ban on Herbicides in Public Areas: Discussion (Resumed) (23 Jun 2022)

Cormac Devlin: That is with a cohort who are compliant and who want to be compliant. The by-laws coming in could apply to the cohort who are not.

Committee on Public Petitions: Consideration of Public Petition on a Ban on Herbicides in Public Areas: Discussion (Resumed) (23 Jun 2022)

Cormac Devlin: That is a fight we will stay out of. I thank the witnesses.

Committee on Public Petitions: Consideration of Public Petition on a Ban on Herbicides in Public Areas: Discussion (Resumed) (23 Jun 2022)

Cormac Devlin: No, I have asked the questions I wanted to ask.

Committee on Public Petitions: Consideration of Public Petition on a Ban on Herbicides in Public Areas: Discussion (Resumed) (23 Jun 2022)

Cormac Devlin: If there are any other elements that our guests think could contribute to that report, they might engage with the committee. We certainly would welcome any feedback they encounter in the interim. It is important for all of us.