Results 81-100 of 753 for speaker:Pippa Hackett

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Agriculture Industry (15 Oct 2020)

Pippa Hackett: I agree with Deputy Cahill's final comment that it does not make sense to import peat here. The bottom line, however, is that the sector will have to transition away from peat. We will not have an endless supply of peat even if we wanted to continue with extraction. In the interim, as part of that, there may well be scope to facilitate that by focusing on the domestic demand for...

Forestry (Planning Permission) (Amendment) Bill 2018: Second Stage [Private Members] (23 Oct 2020)

Pippa Hackett: I thank Deputy Kenny for the opening address on his Bill. I concur with many of the comments he made, many of which relate to broader forestry issues and are probably beyond the scope of the Bill. However, I thank him for them. It is only a short while since we were in this Chamber debating the Forestry (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2020, which sought to align some aspects of the...

Forestry (Planning Permission) (Amendment) Bill 2018: Second Stage [Private Members] (23 Oct 2020)

Pippa Hackett: I thank the Deputies for their passionate contributions. I could see from the comments that were made that there is a shared vision. I would like to think I share that vision with them of a much better forestry model, one that is good for the environment and where communities will want to live beside forests and be surrounded by the right type of forests. That is my intent and my vision...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Horticulture Sector (3 Nov 2020)

Pippa Hackett: I am very aware of the current dependence of the horticultural industry on the availability of peat moss. The High Court decision to strike down the legislation introduced in January 2019 regulating the extraction of peat now means that extraction of peat from bogs greater than 30 ha. requires companies to go through a licensing and planning regime. The more recent decision by Bord na...

Seanad: Biodiversity: Motion (5 Nov 2020)

Pippa Hackett: I thank Senators for their interesting and informed contributions and for their widespread support for the motion. The extension of time by half an hour demonstrates the passion in the House for this issue, which I welcome. All Senators spoke passionately on the motion. I think of Senator O'Loughlin's account of the habitats and areas close to her own home. I thank Senator Boyhan for his...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Dog Breeding Industry (10 Nov 2020)

Pippa Hackett: The Minister, Deputy McConalogue, apologises for not being here in person to take this question. The safety and welfare of pet animals was one of the concerns behind the introduction by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine of regulations on the sale and supply of pet animals last year, and which came into effect in February. These regulations were welcomed by the ISPCA and...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Dog Breeding Industry (10 Nov 2020)

Pippa Hackett: Ultimately, responsibility lies not only with the people selling the pets to provide the information required, as was indicated by the Senator, but also on the publishers of the advertisements. They are required to ensure that people display the information. Unfortunately, they do not have access to the source of the information, so it is difficult for them to verify that. The enforcement...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: National Smart Metering Programme (11 Nov 2020)

Pippa Hackett: I thank Senator Ahearn for raising this issue and providing the opportunity to update the House on this important project. I extend apologies from the Minister for Environment, Climate and Communications, Deputy Eamon Ryan, who cannot be here in person as he is in the other Chamber. The programme for Government commits to ensuring that the energy efficiency potential of smart meters starts...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: National Smart Metering Programme (11 Nov 2020)

Pippa Hackett: I acknowledge that the cost-benefit of this is crucial. If we want to incentivise people to be more cognisant of the electricity they are using and their energy consumption, it has to be simple for them to do that. The Senator asked a number of questions and I have noted them. I am sure somebody can look over the Official Report as well. I will bring them to the Minister, Deputy Ryan, and...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Challenges for the Forestry Sector: Discussion (Resumed) (17 Nov 2020)

Pippa Hackett: I thank the committee for its invitation. This is my first appearance before it as Minister of State with responsibility for forestry and I welcome the opportunity to engage with the committee and answer whatever questions its members may have. It is clear that they have a keen interest in the forestry sector, which is not surprising. I share their interest, which is reflected in the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Challenges for the Forestry Sector: Discussion (Resumed) (17 Nov 2020)

Pippa Hackett: Would the Chair like me to address the points he raised as well as those of Deputy Kehoe?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Challenges for the Forestry Sector: Discussion (Resumed) (17 Nov 2020)

Pippa Hackett: Concerning ash dieback, the scheme has been somewhat refreshed. We have spent more than €7 million up to now supporting farmers with ash dieback in their plantations. The new scheme has been in effect since June. We have received more than 200 applications to date, so it is not as if no one is applying for the scheme. People are applying. I refer to the support measures to remove...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Challenges for the Forestry Sector: Discussion (Resumed) (17 Nov 2020)

Pippa Hackett: I will look at that issue. Just off the top of my head-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Challenges for the Forestry Sector: Discussion (Resumed) (17 Nov 2020)

Pippa Hackett: -----my impression regarding planting on marginal land is that there are concerns in respect of planting on peat. There is a need to drain and plant. On the whole, it may not deliver a brilliant crop of trees while it also emits carbon. That is problematic. I will get the details for the Deputy.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Challenges for the Forestry Sector: Discussion (Resumed) (17 Nov 2020)

Pippa Hackett: Deputy Kehoe is referring to where the policy came from. I can do that.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Challenges for the Forestry Sector: Discussion (Resumed) (17 Nov 2020)

Pippa Hackett: Is the Deputy asking how we will meet our targets?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Challenges for the Forestry Sector: Discussion (Resumed) (17 Nov 2020)

Pippa Hackett: I can only speak for the four months I have been in office. Any time I have queried something or asked for something to be done, information has been forthcoming. The crisis has absolutely deepened in the last several months-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Challenges for the Forestry Sector: Discussion (Resumed) (17 Nov 2020)

Pippa Hackett: Changes were made in light of decisions of the European Court of Justice that changed the way we carried out assessments.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Challenges for the Forestry Sector: Discussion (Resumed) (17 Nov 2020)

Pippa Hackett: Whatever the reason was, we made the changes to suit what we have to do now. The system we have in place is robust, but there is a huge backlog to get through. As I said, we are working really hard to put the resources in place to get through that backlog. Whatever is required, we will do our utmost to deliver on that. At this point-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Challenges for the Forestry Sector: Discussion (Resumed) (17 Nov 2020)

Pippa Hackett: I thank the Deputy. Several people have suggested such an amnesty, with a licence granted automatically if an application has not been processed in a certain period. That would be illegal and deeply unjust to the process. Unfortunately it cannot be done. The Deputy referred to exemptions for thinning and forest roads. This would depend on where the forest road goes. That is why there is...