Results 1-16 of 16 for epa speaker:Martin Browne

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Water Quality Monitoring Report: Discussion (19 Jul 2023)

Martin Browne: I welcome the witnesses. It has been said of the water quality monitoring report the EPA has done that the agency concludes that the average nitrates concentration has increased since 2012-13. Claims have been made that this is not supported by any data. How has the EPA reached its conclusion if the data do not exist? Dr. Cotter spoke about trends and so on but data should be used here...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Water Quality Monitoring Report: Discussion (19 Jul 2023)

Martin Browne: To come back to what other members have said, the EPA excludes all references to other sources of nutrients in our water. Senator Paul Daly has just given examples. The data should include potentially significant other sources. The Chairman mentioned what was going into the River Suir. Golden is a village in my area - it also in the Chairman's area - that is not referenced in any of the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Water Quality Monitoring Report: Discussion (19 Jul 2023)

Martin Browne: ...miles apart, where torrential rains are causing problems for the River Suir. The statistics in 2012 and 2013 would be completely different from what they are now. How is that calibrated with the EPA?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Water Quality Monitoring Report: Discussion (19 Jul 2023)

Martin Browne: The EPA report will form the basis for the European Commission if it decides to reduce the stocking rates on farms. If the contents of the red map are submitted, there is a big likelihood the stock rates will be reduced. All the organisations we have spoken to are critical of that said red map. They prefer the more detailed map 9. Why ignore that map when all those who know best,...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Water Quality Monitoring Report: Discussion (19 Jul 2023)

Martin Browne: On a professional level with regard to the EPA, and without reference to the European Commission, which data, as inferred by the targeted measures map and the red map, are, from the point of view of the EPA, more useful in identifying the problems and in determining the actions which need to be taken here?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Water Quality Monitoring Report: Discussion (19 Jul 2023)

Martin Browne: ...to €240 million. That will have an impact on family farms and will be much more devastating. It is imperative that we use all of the data that is available. What seems to be the problem is that the EPA's reports are ignoring the contribution wastewater, the treatment plants, and other factors are making to the decline of the status of the water we have. Can the EPA assure us...

Committee on Public Petitions: Consideration of Public Petition on Taking in Charge (Resumed): Tipperary County Council (27 Oct 2022)

Martin Browne: ...a situation where Mr. Coskeran finds that he cannot get his estate taken in charge. The reason it has dragged on this long is that we now have four bodies, namely, Tipperary County Council, the Department, Irish Water and the EPA, kicking the can around the circle. This is the nice way of saying it at this stage. Someone needs to take responsibility. Before I allow other members in, I...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Wastewater Treatment (20 Sep 2022)

Martin Browne: 274. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if the examination of the alignment and EPA certificate of authorisation of a number of small-scale waste water treatment plants servicing small local authority housing estates, including Rocksprings in Kilross, has been completed; and if not, if a date for its completion and publication is envisaged. [45797/22]

Committee on Public Petitions: Consideration of Public Petition on a Ban on Herbicides in Public Areas: Discussion (12 May 2022)

Martin Browne: Has Mr. Walsh engaged with the EPA about this and, if so, what was its response? How do we compare with other countries in Europe?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Nitrates Action Programme: Discussion (Resumed) (26 Jan 2022)

Martin Browne: ...and machine-type information, suggest that the closed period should be substantially changed? If so, what changes do our guests foresee? Have they engaged with the Environmental Protection Agency, EPA, on their views?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Nitrates Action Programme: Discussion (Resumed) (26 Jan 2022)

Martin Browne: Have our guests engaged with the EPA on that matter or is it one of the organisations that has not brought our guests in for discussions?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Nitrates Action Programme: Discussion (Resumed) (26 Jan 2022)

Martin Browne: I will return to what Mr. Moroney said earlier about not being included in discussions. I understand our guests have not been in touch with the EPA. Have they had discussions with other agencies, such as Teagasc, and the Department? I understand they have been in touch with the Department about suggestions. It seems to me that the proposal is for a centralised way of providing farm...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Nitrates Action Programme: Discussion (Resumed) (24 Nov 2021)

Martin Browne: When officials from the Department were last before us, I asked whether we knew which types of operator were not compliant with the European Union (Good Agriculture Practice for Protection of Waters) Regulations, or GAP regulations, and whether a line had been drawn in terms of how high-risk areas were targeted to ensure that there was no undue imposition on farms. I was told that, regarding...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Nitrates Directive, Water Quality and Pollution: Discussion (13 Oct 2021)

Martin Browne: ...programme is important for improving water quality and meeting the water framework objectives. The fourth NAP, however, has not protected the water from nutrient pollution from agriculture. The EPA supports the fifth NAP, which it believes will help to tackle the failure of the fourth one. It says the measure is designed to target specific soils as the best way to go. I have a few...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Impact of Peat Shortages on the Horticultural Industry: Discussion (20 Jul 2021)

Martin Browne: I have a question for the Department of Environment, Climate and Communications on this so-called stockpile of peat. Can the Department comment on the actions of the EPA regarding a certain company that sought to prevent it from accessing that? Does the Department see this as an appropriate way to act in light of the circumstances right now?

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Water and Sewerage Schemes (10 Feb 2021)

Martin Browne: ...if his attention has been drawn to an issue with an estate in County Tipperary in which a leaking sewage system is causing a serious threat to health and is at risk of flowing into a river; if the EPA will investigate the issue given that it has been reported to it on multiple occasions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6858/21]