Results 121-140 of 417 for speaker:Michael Comiskey

Seanad: Address to Seanad Éireann by Ms Mairead McGuinness, MEP (29 Jan 2013)

Michael Comiskey: I welcome Ms Mairead McGuinness, MEP, to the House. We are delighted to have her here for this discussion on "Food for Thought - Ireland and the EU 40 years on". As she is aware, prior to its accession to the EU Ireland had a predominantly agriculture based economy, and society was heavily dependent on agriculture. We were mainly dependent on the UK market and struggling to shake off the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Burger Content Investigations: Discussion (5 Feb 2013)

Michael Comiskey: I thank the Minister for his attendance and Professor Alan Reilly for providing all the information. Coming from a farming background, I am aware of the regular and robust inspections conducted by Bord Bia and the Department and of the penalties imposed where there is a lack of compliance and wonder whether the same thing happens within the food industry. Is the Minister confident that all...

Seanad: Order of Business (12 Feb 2013)

Michael Comiskey: I wish to raise the upgrade of the N4 road from Drumfin to Castlebaldwin. Sadly, another death occurred on the road last night and I offer my condolences to the family of the young man who lost his life. I believe 30 people have died on the road. It is the worst stretch of road between Dublin and Sligo and it is time all efforts were made in this regard. I call on the NRA and the Minister...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Use of Commonage Lands: Discussion with Teagasc, NARGC and Golden Eagle Trust (12 Feb 2013)

Michael Comiskey: I welcome Ms Keena and Mr. Murphy and I thank Ms Keena for her presentation. I have a particular interest in this as a former chair of the IFA's hill committee from 2002 to 2005 when there was significant debate on this issue. I was involved from 1998 when destocking first took place. During this time some of these commonages have recovered to the degree that they are now undergrazed. In...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Use of Commonage Lands: Discussion with Teagasc, NARGC and Golden Eagle Trust (12 Feb 2013)

Michael Comiskey: I welcome Mr. Lorcán O'Toole, Mr. David Scallan and Mr. Seán Doris whose presentations were very interesting. I first met Mr. Lorcán O'Toole when he was setting up Golden Eagle Trust Limited. I also met Teagasc in the Boleybrack Mountain area and have a huge interest in the topic. There are many farmers who were in REPS and miss the payment of €7,000 or...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Irish National Stud: Discussion with Chairman Designate (14 Feb 2013)

Michael Comiskey: I welcome Mr. Dempsey and thank him for his presentation. I have known him for many years since my time with the IFA and the Irish Farmers' Journal. Some years ago, we were delighted to have Mr. Dempsey open the Manorhamilton show.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Irish National Stud: Discussion with Chairman Designate (14 Feb 2013)

Michael Comiskey: We would not have too many thoroughbreds in a county such as Leitrim. However, we do breed and have bred quite a number of Irish Draught horses. A neighbour of mine bred the all-Ireland draught horse champion last year. My colleague touched on the issue of limestone land. Will Mr. Dempsey explain the position on this? In the west, there is a significant amount of limestone land. It is...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Use of Commonage Lands: Discussion (Resumed) (19 Feb 2013)

Michael Comiskey: I welcome the delegates and thank them for their very interesting presentations. I have worked with all of them in the past on the commonage issue. While we have moved a good distance since, as they rightly said, there are still a number of commonages which are over-grazed and others that are under-grazed. The problem still persists and something has to be done, rightly so. It is very...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Pre-Council EU Developments: Discussion with Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (21 Feb 2013)

Michael Comiskey: I thank the witnesses for the presentation and welcome them to the committee. We must acknowledge that progress has been made. The budget is agreed and there has been a cut of 7% overall and 3% for CAP. We did not fare too badly in difficult times and must move on with what we have and distribute it fairly. It is very important that active farmers get the payment and that we do not have a...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Use of Commonage Lands: Discussion (Resumed) with UFA and IFA (26 Feb 2013)

Michael Comiskey: I welcome Mr. Wall and Mr. Guerin and thank them for their informative presentation. The committee has had a number of hearings and there has been a great deal of consultation. There are many problems, particularly in the context of destocking with the wheel having gone full circle since 1997 when we were asked to take our sheep off the hills first. Many farmers purchased green land, put...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Use of Commonage Lands: Discussion (Resumed) with UFA and IFA (26 Feb 2013)

Michael Comiskey: I welcome my former colleagues from the IFA and thank them for their submission. It was good to hear from them. Since this matter appeared in the Irish Farmers' Journal last November, there has been much talk and much fear among farmers that something would be imposed on them. Consequently, I welcome the opening of dialogue and that farmers will get an opportunity to get around the table....

Seanad: Order of Business (27 Feb 2013)

Michael Comiskey: I support my colleague, Senator Jim D'Arcy, in calling on the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, Deputy Deenihan, to extend the date for burning on commonages. The Oireachtas committee has discussed commonages a great deal in recent weeks. It is very important for the management of commonages that farmers are allowed to burn in a managed way until 15 April, as is the case with...

Seanad: Business of Seanad (28 Feb 2013)

Michael Comiskey: I join colleagues in welcoming the good news on the jobs front. More can and will be done as we enter spring. This will be a better year on the jobs front. In recent years, a number of local authority staff have retired and not been replaced. This is an opportunity for schemes similar to those run previously, for example, FÁS-type schemes. As my colleague, Senator Mooney, mentioned,...

Seanad: Order of Business (5 Mar 2013)

Michael Comiskey: I welcome the discussion paper produced by my colleague, Senator Mark MacSharry, on the issue of suicide. Every community has been affected by this very serious difficulty in recent years. I hope the discussion paper will provide some help for those affected and that it will solve the problem. I call for the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Deputy Leo Varadkar, to come into the...

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment) (Dáil Constituencies) Bill 2012: Second Stage (5 Mar 2013)

Michael Comiskey: I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy O'Sullivan, to the House. I thank the Minister, Deputy Hogan, and his departmental officials for their work in bringing this Bill forward and also their work with the Constituency Commission. As I am a representative from Leitrim I welcome the publication of the report and the reform of the European and parliamentary constituencies. This Bill will...

Seanad: Order of Business (13 Mar 2013)

Michael Comiskey: I support my colleague, Senator Mac Conghail, in his call for a debate on the sale of forest harvesting rights. It would be good to have that debate because it would enlighten all of us in considering what is the best way forward. I believe no decision has yet been made. Our forests provide many amenities, with walking and other activities taking place in them. We must consider that...

Seanad: Water Services Bill 2013: [Seanad Bill Amended by the Dáil] Report and Final Stages (13 Mar 2013)

Michael Comiskey: I welcome the Minister of State to the House. It is good to have him here. I have a couple of points on the contractors and assignment of contracts. We had problems in Border counties with contractors doing work for the councils over the past number of years and not paying subcontractors. We must be very careful that this does not happen. When the Minister, Deputy Hogan, was here the...

Seanad: Order of Business (20 Mar 2013)

Michael Comiskey: I welcome the news about the CAP reform deal agreed last night. It is good news for all farmers. It has been in progress for two years or more and I congratulate the Minister on it. There will be a redistribution of funds from farmers in receipt of very high payments to those with lower payments. This is welcome because we all know farmers who are struggling as in recent years they have...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Groceries Sector: Discussion with Musgrave Group and Tesco (26 Mar 2013)

Michael Comiskey: I thank the Musgrave Group representatives for their presentation. I also come from County Leitrim and we have a number of good SuperValu and Centra shops around the county. There is a new one in Manorhamilton, for example. The jobs provided by these shops are important. Ms Clancy said all the beef, chicken and lamb purchased by the group is Irish. Who decides the price the company pays?...

Seanad: Order of Business (27 Mar 2013)

Michael Comiskey: I join colleagues in wishing Jimmy Walsh well in his retirement. I have been a Senator for less than two years and those of us who are relatively new to the House have come to know Jimmy very quickly. He always has a friendly smile and is willing to offer advice. I welcome the news that the Minister for Justice and Equality, Deputy Shatter, has agreed to send helicopters to the aid of...