Results 61-80 of 1,740 for speaker:Joe Flaherty

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Compliance with the Nitrates Directive and Implications for Ireland: Discussion (Resumed) (20 Mar 2024)

Joe Flaherty: In fairness I agree with everything Dr. Byrne said, and specifically that we need an evidence-based approach, but we have 2,000 farms that are probably the worst affected in viability by the nitrates derogation. On the other side one could say they are probably the offenders in this. While we have a €50 million pot I cannot see why we do not directly aid those farmers to get to where...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Compliance with the Nitrates Directive and Implications for Ireland: Discussion (Resumed) (20 Mar 2024)

Joe Flaherty: Who has overall responsibility for it, however? It would be a concern if something this significant and important for agriculture falls between two Departments. If this committee wants answers, does that mean we have to bring in the Ministers for Housing, Local Government and Heritage and Agriculture, Food and the Marine to find out why the scheme is not working? Who ultimately is...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Compliance with the Nitrates Directive and Implications for Ireland: Discussion (Resumed) (20 Mar 2024)

Joe Flaherty: That is very good. With regard then to staffing, the CCMA identified that 57 additional staff were required for local authority inspections. Funding was provided for these over last year and this year. Are those 57 roles filled now?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Compliance with the Nitrates Directive and Implications for Ireland: Discussion (Resumed) (20 Mar 2024)

Joe Flaherty: How many of those 57 roles are filled?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Compliance with the Nitrates Directive and Implications for Ireland: Discussion (Resumed) (20 Mar 2024)

Joe Flaherty: I can appreciate how difficult it is and everybody will tell us how hard it is to get staff. However, it has to be a worry for us given the step up the number of inspections. I believe we are going to 3,500 this year. Realistically, we are not going to do 3,500 inspections this year if we are at 50% of the staff we plan to recruit. What is a more realistic number of inspections for this year?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Compliance with the Nitrates Directive and Implications for Ireland: Discussion (Resumed) (20 Mar 2024)

Joe Flaherty: That is very good. Are the five additional staff for the EPA and four for LAWPRO in situ now?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Compliance with the Nitrates Directive and Implications for Ireland: Discussion (Resumed) (20 Mar 2024)

Joe Flaherty: When did LAWPRO start that process of recruitment of four staff?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Compliance with the Nitrates Directive and Implications for Ireland: Discussion (Resumed) (20 Mar 2024)

Joe Flaherty: It is worse than the HSE.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Compliance with the Nitrates Directive and Implications for Ireland: Discussion (Resumed) (20 Mar 2024)

Joe Flaherty: I appreciate it is challenging. Equally, however, it is very challenging for the farming community. If we were to take at face value what we are saying in terms of the staffing, this EIP farming for water initiative is not going to work because we are not going to have the bodies there to implement it, go out and assess farms and then police the process.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Compliance with the Nitrates Directive and Implications for Ireland: Discussion (Resumed) (20 Mar 2024)

Joe Flaherty: I appreciate the catchment referral approach. If we go back to 2022, LAWPRO prepared those catchment referrals in conjunction with the EPA and ASSAP. I believe that was for just over north of 700,000 ha. What has happened those specifically since? Mr. Coleman might elaborate on that.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Compliance with the Nitrates Directive and Implications for Ireland: Discussion (Resumed) (20 Mar 2024)

Joe Flaherty: I am sorry, I am just conscious of my time. We did that in 2022 and LAWPRO is obviously tracking that. Have we seen progress over that 700,000 ha?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Compliance with the Nitrates Directive and Implications for Ireland: Discussion (Resumed) (20 Mar 2024)

Joe Flaherty: Returning to the catchment referral from 2022, is there not an onus on us to follow up on that? It is a significant body of work. It is out there in the abyss. Surely we should have been tracking that and know the progress on that.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Compliance with the Nitrates Directive and Implications for Ireland: Discussion (Resumed) (20 Mar 2024)

Joe Flaherty: Lovely. I thank Mr. Coleman.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Facilities (20 Mar 2024)

Joe Flaherty: 422. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the status of plans for a new classroom and wheelchair accessible WC at a school (details supplied). [11977/24]

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Compliance with the Nitrates Directive and Implications for Ireland: Discussion (Resumed) (20 Mar 2024)

Joe Flaherty: I thank Dr. Byrne. The Farming for Water EIP has been established by two Departments. Will Mr. Towey clarify who owns this? Is it going to be a situation where it falls between two stools? Who is in the driving seat for this EIP?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Compliance with the Nitrates Directive and Implications for Ireland: Discussion (Resumed) (20 Mar 2024)

Joe Flaherty: The witnesses are not to take this as personal criticism, but I worry that we would go to the effort of doing the research to identify 700,000 ha and then hand over the ownership and not do anything with it other than give it to the co-operatives and expect that something is going to happen. It is alarming for that body of work, which was obviously a significant expense. As a Government, we...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Visa Applications (6 Mar 2024)

Joe Flaherty: 143. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the current processing times for de facto partnership visa applications; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11194/24]

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Medicinal Products (5 Mar 2024)

Joe Flaherty: I want to discuss a rare and uniquely Irish disease. Hereditary ATTR amyloidosis is a genetic condition. The disease was brought to my attention by a lady who lives in County Longford. There are several manifestations of this amyloidosis worldwide, but it includes a specific Irish variant that originates in north-west County Donegal. The condition is known locally as Donegal Amy. While...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Medicinal Products (5 Mar 2024)

Joe Flaherty: I think we will all agree that it was well worth waiting until 10.15 p.m. tonight for that good news. After that good news I almost feel I should move constituency to Donegal. There is at least 1% of the Donegal population who will probably view that as better news than Jim McGuinness returning as team manager. It is excellent news and I applaud the Minister of State for her work on this...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Mental Health Services (5 Mar 2024)

Joe Flaherty: 298. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will provide a breakdown, by county of the number of schools that have been able to avail of supports as of 23 February 2024 under the pilot counselling in primary schools project. [10202/24]