Results 1-20 of 7,141 for speaker:Michael Fitzmaurice

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Horse Welfare Concerns and Compliance with Legislation: County and City Management Association (1 May 2024)

Michael Fitzmaurice: I welcome Mr. Condon. I am sorry I am late; we were voting in the Dáil. On abattoirs, there is a lot of confusion at present, which might not affect Mayo as much as some other counties. The FSAI is also involved in giving county councils funding.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Horse Welfare Concerns and Compliance with Legislation: County and City Management Association (1 May 2024)

Michael Fitzmaurice: There seems to be a problem with getting export certificates because councils now have a rolling three-month contract. Is that correct?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Horse Welfare Concerns and Compliance with Legislation: County and City Management Association (1 May 2024)

Michael Fitzmaurice: There is some confusion at the moment with Brexit and export certificates. Some councils are not issuing them. They are saying resources have not been allocated to them, which is causing a problem, although it may not be affecting County Mayo. I have a question on horses. If horses in a field are causing a problem, is it the local authority that should always be contacted? This is if...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Horse Welfare Concerns and Compliance with Legislation: County and City Management Association (1 May 2024)

Michael Fitzmaurice: Cattle have to be tagged and sheep are tagged. Are there many horses going round that have not had this microchip identification put into them?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Horse Welfare Concerns and Compliance with Legislation: County and City Management Association (1 May 2024)

Michael Fitzmaurice: Is there a zapper machine or what that allows you to go beside a horse and-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Horse Welfare Concerns and Compliance with Legislation: County and City Management Association (1 May 2024)

Michael Fitzmaurice: Has the Government put a fund in place for each council for the rounding up of stray horses? How is that done?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Horse Welfare Concerns and Compliance with Legislation: County and City Management Association (1 May 2024)

Michael Fitzmaurice: Mr. Condon said the money had reduced. What percentage do councils get compared with the 100% they got at one time?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Horse Welfare Concerns and Compliance with Legislation: County and City Management Association (1 May 2024)

Michael Fitzmaurice: Was the remainder coming out of the funds councils had to run every other thing?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Horse Welfare Concerns and Compliance with Legislation: County and City Management Association (1 May 2024)

Michael Fitzmaurice: The committee needs to look into that matter. I thank Mr. Condon for his time.

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Covid-19 Pandemic (30 Apr 2024)

Michael Fitzmaurice: 258. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if all front-line workers are covered by the same criteria to qualify for the long-Covid payment scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19282/24]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Textbooks (30 Apr 2024)

Michael Fitzmaurice: 361. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the reason schools under the education and training boards, ETB, will be required to purchase junior cycle text books directly from the central national framework leaving small/medium sized book shops in the local areas unable to quote and win business having previously supplied families in the past; if she will consider allowing these...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Payments (30 Apr 2024)

Michael Fitzmaurice: 439. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection with reference to the Departmental contract with An Post, if her Department has put in a penalty clause on any welfare overpayment, given it was always paid back by postmasters who are now being informed of a €500 penalty per overpayment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18824/24]

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Departmental Staff (25 Apr 2024)

Michael Fitzmaurice: 57. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the total number of employees employed by his Department at the end of 2022 and at the end of 2023; the current numbers for 2024; if there is an embargo on recruitment in his Department at the moment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18678/24]

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Departmental Staff (25 Apr 2024)

Michael Fitzmaurice: How many people were employed by the Department at the end of 2022 and at the end of 2023 and what are the present numbers? Is it true that there is an embargo on recruiting people into his Department until others retire? Will the Minister make a statement on the matter?

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Departmental Staff (25 Apr 2024)

Michael Fitzmaurice: That is less.

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Departmental Staff (25 Apr 2024)

Michael Fitzmaurice: I thank the Minister for his reply. As he may be aware, new conditions are coming in from Europe every year. The export of slurry is an example. Obviously, such new conditions require resources, as do the various schemes that the Minister introduces. What I am hearing from inside the Department is that people are being told that, if they are short staffed, then they will not get new staff...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Departmental Staff (25 Apr 2024)

Michael Fitzmaurice: For the Minister's information, there is fierce confusion among small abattoirs about the so-called new legislation that is under discussion. Councils are basically washing their hands of abattoirs and say that, since they do not have the resources, they will not go near them. One council has actually refused to help. The Minister is well aware of that situation. I have submitted a formal...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Flood Relief Schemes (23 Apr 2024)

Michael Fitzmaurice: I thank the Minister of State for his reply, but this falls under the habitats directive. While we might not like the side of it that is looked at, it seems to put the turlough and the SAC before people. However, under the legislation and under the habitats directive there is emergency legislation to put a solution in place where a site of community of importance or an SAC is being damaged...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Flood Relief Schemes (23 Apr 2024)

Michael Fitzmaurice: Two minutes, one and one.

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Flood Relief Schemes (23 Apr 2024)

Michael Fitzmaurice: I thank the Minister of State for coming to Roscommon to see it. He stated that he would have an update in two weeks and that is what we are waiting for. We appreciate people coming looking at it and if I had a euro for everyone who came, it would nearly do the job, but I would rather that we get the solution. The solution is what is needed. I believe that the solution is there with the...