Results 41-60 of 7,129 for speaker:Michael Fitzmaurice

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (11 Apr 2024)

Michael Fitzmaurice: Talk to the Attorney General and the National Parks and Wildlife Service-----

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (11 Apr 2024)

Michael Fitzmaurice: -----because that emergency legislation, you can bring it in.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (11 Apr 2024)

Michael Fitzmaurice: I thank you for your answers but ask you to please talk to them and get it in on Tuesday.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (11 Apr 2024)

Michael Fitzmaurice: This will be a bit different and not the usual spat at Leaders' Questions. I thank Deputies Naughten and Kerrane. We are here as Roscommon-Galway TDs, joined together and above all we are here united with the people of Lough Funshinagh in County Roscommon. The Tánaiste will be aware of the situation with Lough Funshinagh in County Roscommon, where the water is getting higher and...

Future Ireland Fund and Infrastructure, Climate and Nature Fund Bill 2024: Second Stage (10 Apr 2024)

Michael Fitzmaurice: I welcome the opportunity to speak on the nature fund. Luckily for Irish farmers, the nature restoration law is being opposed because it has not been thought out. It is a damnable day, one I never thought I would see, that I would be thanking someone in Italy, Poland or, I think, Türkiye or wherever that Orbán fella is, for not supporting the nature restoration law being applied....

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Antitrust Guidelines for Sustainability Agreements in Agriculture: Discussion (10 Apr 2024)

Michael Fitzmaurice: I thank Ms Jany-Roskova for coming. As she pointed out, we have some producer groups in Ireland. Why have producer groups in Ireland not been successful? Particularly in the beef sector, the groups that they have gone to would not recognise them or work with them. Obviously, a producer group would be more interested in someone who had 1,000 lambs than someone who had one lamb. It has not...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Antitrust Guidelines for Sustainability Agreements in Agriculture: Discussion (10 Apr 2024)

Michael Fitzmaurice: Ms Jany-Roskova's presentation stated: What objectives may be covered under the sustainability agreements to benefit from the exclusion? The objectives are laid down in Article 210a and involve: climate change mitigation and adaptation, as well as environmental protection; reduction of pesticide use and antimicrobial resistance; and animal health and welfare. Some of the stuff done in...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Antitrust Guidelines for Sustainability Agreements in Agriculture: Discussion (10 Apr 2024)

Michael Fitzmaurice: By whom?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Antitrust Guidelines for Sustainability Agreements in Agriculture: Discussion (10 Apr 2024)

Michael Fitzmaurice: On the sustainability side, Ms Jany-Roskova is aware of the nature restoration law, which is thankfully on hold at the moment in Brussels. If a farmer in the west of Ireland was producing beef on a peat-type soil that under the nature restoration law should be rewetted, would that be viewed as not sustainable and would that farmer be at a disadvantage under this?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Antitrust Guidelines for Sustainability Agreements in Agriculture: Discussion (10 Apr 2024)

Michael Fitzmaurice: Ms Jany-Roskova talked about the MEPs. Is it not the Commission that does up all of this first, and then puts it to the Parliament?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Antitrust Guidelines for Sustainability Agreements in Agriculture: Discussion (10 Apr 2024)

Michael Fitzmaurice: I also notice, as part of these undesignated areas, there would be more restrictions under this. Is that correct?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Antitrust Guidelines for Sustainability Agreements in Agriculture: Discussion (10 Apr 2024)

Michael Fitzmaurice: There are certain areas in our country designated under environmental law, and there would be more regulation on them in terms of pesticides. SACs are one type of designation. An NHA is another type of designation. Am I correct to say there would be more regulation with regard to pesticides and use of those lands?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Antitrust Guidelines for Sustainability Agreements in Agriculture: Discussion (10 Apr 2024)

Michael Fitzmaurice: I apologise for interrupting. In Ireland, we happen to own the land, thank God, but it might be moving away. It is different from most of Europe in that we have private property rights. All the farmers own their land, but it is designated because of things like the habitats directive and the nature restoration law is another piece of legislation coming from Europe. However, regulation is...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Antitrust Guidelines for Sustainability Agreements in Agriculture: Discussion (10 Apr 2024)

Michael Fitzmaurice: I have a final question and I thank Ms Jany-Roskova for her time. In Ireland at the moment a new sustainable agreement is being done. The European Commission has given the go ahead. It is for grass-fed beef. It is coming in as a new offering. There will be certain restrictions. I cannot think of the name of the group, but it is where farmers have agreements with the co-ops. It would be...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Antitrust Guidelines for Sustainability Agreements in Agriculture: Discussion (10 Apr 2024)

Michael Fitzmaurice: I thank Ms Jany-Roskova for her time.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Bord Bia: Chairperson Designate (10 Apr 2024)

Michael Fitzmaurice: I welcome Mr. Murrin and wish him the best of luck. I was listening to his submission. He has a fair bit of experience and knowledge of the whole industry. I would echo the Chairman. If there is one thing I would ask Mr. Murrin to do it is on the calf and dairy side. There is rocky water ahead. We need to make sure they are smoothed for all the farmers. I do not know how much Mr....

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Bord Bia: Chairperson Designate (10 Apr 2024)

Michael Fitzmaurice: If you talk to farmers, you will hear they fear getting in with Bord Bia. Bord Bia will be controlling Ireland's new PGI status, which is good. If we are producing a premium product, can Bord Bia envisage a premium price? If we are producing a premium product, why is there a clause in the terms and conditions concerning Bord Bia? A calf born to a suckler cow in Ireland will be out for the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Bord Bia: Chairperson Designate (10 Apr 2024)

Michael Fitzmaurice: That is less than 50% of the farmers of Ireland.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Bord Bia: Chairperson Designate (10 Apr 2024)

Michael Fitzmaurice: That is no problem because I understand Mr. Murrin is only entering his position. I would have thought the matter would have been considered. The EU is considering how to eliminate paperwork for small farmers as much as possible, so you would imagine there would be an exemption for farmers with up to 20 suckler calves to keep the small family farm on the road. That is one matter I ask the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Bord Bia: Chairperson Designate (10 Apr 2024)

Michael Fitzmaurice: I apologise for interrupting. Is Mr. Murrin saying that the Department of agriculture lays down all the terms and conditions?