Results 1-20 of 465 for at speaker:Joe Flaherty

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Guardians Ad Litem (16 May 2024)

Joe Flaherty: I thank the Minister of State for taking this matter. A well-intentioned local solicitor opted to raise concerns with me regarding the appointment or assignment of guardians ad litem. Guardians ad litem are typically, but not necessarily, legal people, such as barristers or solicitors, and are appointed by judges to represent the interests of children in care. Their key functions are to...

Future Ireland Fund and Infrastructure, Climate and Nature Fund Bill 2024: Report and Final Stages (15 May 2024)

Joe Flaherty: ...amendments No. 6 and 7 but they give me a segue to raise a concern I have. I hope the Minister will be able to allay it in his closing remarks. The Future Ireland Fund and Infrastructure, Climate and Nature Fund Bill is hugely important. The Minister has championed it and I commend him on it. It will allow us to protect pensions and the health service in the future. It will provide...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Recycling Farm Plastics: Discussion (Resumed) (15 May 2024)

Joe Flaherty: I will be brief. I will not speak about the issue of plastic. Another issue is emerging at the moment in regard to the Connemara Pony Breeders Society. On social media there is speculation that its annual showcase event in August will not go ahead because issues are emerging. Could we schedule something for next week? It seems urgent. The society said it will have an update next...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Complaints Procedures (1 May 2024)

Joe Flaherty: 257. To ask the Minister for Health the reason or reasons for the unacceptable failure in care of a person (details supplied) at Beaumont Hospital which led to the misreading and misreporting of a smear test in January 2007.; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19627/24]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Enrolments (23 Apr 2024)

Joe Flaherty: 294. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the enrolment numbers at 30 March 2024 for all national schools in County Longford. [17592/24]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Enrolments (23 Apr 2024)

Joe Flaherty: 295. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the enrolment numbers at 30 March 2024 for all secondary schools in County Longford. [17593/24]

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Harness Racing: Irish Harness Racing Association (17 Apr 2024)

Joe Flaherty: We cannot look at the IHRA in isolation from on-road sulky racing. Do they use similar breeding to harness racers or do they just use traditional cob with a thoroughbred cross?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Harness Racing: Irish Harness Racing Association (17 Apr 2024)

Joe Flaherty: ...referred to road racing. Does he think it is too optimistic to think we could encourage people who race on the road to come into a controlled setting and race on a track? They will have to look at a different stock of horse, will they not?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Harness Racing: Irish Harness Racing Association (17 Apr 2024)

Joe Flaherty: ...see where the issue is. I think it is an opportunity for the IHRA to grow the sport. With road racing, an awful lot of money is bet on those races. If the IHRA had a tote facility, I think that would be an attraction as well. Thoroughbred is very much niche racing in Ireland, and I think Mr. Flanagan's sport is much more egalitarian. Anybody can own a harness racer, whereas you need...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Harness Racing: Irish Harness Racing Association (17 Apr 2024)

Joe Flaherty: On that, I know that the IHRA met the Minister, Deputy Donohoe, and has been getting favourable overtures. Is there a definitive response from the Department at this time?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Harness Racing: Irish Harness Racing Association (17 Apr 2024)

Joe Flaherty: Too small in width or just not long enough? The IHRA is looking at an 800 m track, is it?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Harness Racing: Irish Harness Racing Association (17 Apr 2024)

Joe Flaherty: Very good. As regards the IHRA's other sites, it will probably look at something in the west of Ireland and something in the midlands to give it-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Harness Racing: Irish Harness Racing Association (17 Apr 2024)

Joe Flaherty: I wanted to come back on something that Mr. Flanagan did not touch on. What he said about bringing in breeding mares was interesting. What is the IHRA's stock of breeding mares at the minute? Does the association own them or lease them out, or what does it do with breeding mares?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Harness Racing: Irish Harness Racing Association (17 Apr 2024)

Joe Flaherty: On the tracks that are being developed, the IHRA has about 50 stables at those. Surely there is an opportunity for link-ups with local authorities and city councils? That seems obvious, does it not? Then there are the local ETBs. It seems a no-brainer to do it.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Housing Policy (11 Apr 2024)

Joe Flaherty: I thank the Minister of State. I look forward to the new guidelines. I appreciate there is no ban or cap as such on building in rural Ireland but there is a complicity of issues. Notwithstanding planning regulations, the issue of the cost of building a house in rural Ireland is something we do need to look at and address. Croí Cónaithe exempts people from some of the challenges...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Departmental Reports (11 Apr 2024)

Joe Flaherty: -----the average time is 13 months for the scheme. It would be extraordinary to have any more than four grants issued at this stage because, as the Minister rightly pointed out, there are checks and balances.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: General Scheme of the Employment (Restriction of Certain Mandatory Retirement Ages) Bill 2024: Discussion (10 Apr 2024)

Joe Flaherty: I would agree with that because there is a cohort of people who are probably earning marginally too much and it is then a deterrent. That lady will have to stop work in order for her husband to get the non-contributory pension. On the one hand we are trying to encourage people to continue working on, if that is what they want to do, and yet, at the same time, we are militating against...

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 all of the speakers for coming to the committee. There is big attendance this evening. I counted 11 so we can play soccer if we get bored. Hopefully we will not because this is one of the big burning issues for this committee. It is hugely important and it will probably come as no surprise to know that this committee is absolutely wedded to the retention of the organic nitrogen...

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: 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.