Results 361-380 of 1,047,247 for in 'Dáil debates' OR (speaker:Damien English OR speaker:Holly Cairns OR speaker:Darragh O'Brien OR speaker:John Lahart OR speaker:Michael Moynihan OR speaker:David Stanton OR speaker:Malcolm Noonan) in 'Committee meetings'

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh – Priority Questions: Agriculture Schemes (26 Sep 2024)

Charlie McConalogue: I thank Deputy Kenny very much. I wish him well and congratulate him on being appointed as Opposition spokesperson on agriculture, food and the marine. I look forward to working with him. We both worked on the same side of the House previously. He has extensive experience and an understanding of the sector. I acknowledge the significant contribution made by Deputy Kerrane as Opposition...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh – Priority Questions: Agriculture Schemes (26 Sep 2024)

Claire Kerrane: I thank the Minister. He will get more time to respond later.

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh – Priority Questions: Agriculture Schemes (26 Sep 2024)

Charlie McConalogue: Everybody is working towards the objective of achieving 95% of balancing payments being paid by the end of this month.

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh – Priority Questions: Agriculture Schemes (26 Sep 2024)

Martin Kenny: I appreciate that. I understand that the reason for the interim payment was because of the delays and difficulties, but I come back to the point that very many farmers do not know what scores they were awarded. They have seven to ten plots but they do not know the score for each plot. As the Minister is aware, they also have an opportunity to enhance those scores through non-productive...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh – Priority Questions: Agriculture Schemes (26 Sep 2024)

Charlie McConalogue: I know what it is like to have delayed payments and to wait for payments to arrive because I grew up on a family farm where our income was based on the activity relating to the farm. That is why I have given such attention to making sure there are no issues with payments. Farmers had certainty last year as to what the dates would be. We gave the dates last March and we adhered to all of...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh – Priority Questions: Agriculture Schemes (26 Sep 2024)

Claire Kerrane: I thank the Minister.

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh – Priority Questions: Agriculture Schemes (26 Sep 2024)

Charlie McConalogue: In terms of those who have applied for NPIs, we expect them to be approved by the end of this year, so that farmers can do the work next year. The scheme has reopened for new NPIs. We expect those to be processed in a timely fashion now that the scheme is up and running.

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh – Priority Questions: Agriculture Schemes (26 Sep 2024)

Martin Kenny: Does the Minister think it was fair to write to farmers demanding money back when they still did not know their score? That is one of the big gripes that many farmers have. They got the interim payment and the next contact they had from the Department was not to tell them where they stood or what the future would hold, but a letter demanding some of that money back - in some cases up to 80%...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh – Priority Questions: Agriculture Schemes (26 Sep 2024)

Charlie McConalogue: That is one of the challenges of a results-based scheme. I want to give farmers as much certainty as I possibly can in terms of the schemes I put in place. For example, with the suckler and calf schemes, I gave farmers a very clear task to carry out in order to get paid, whether it be weighing, clipping or dipping. We give as much certainty as we can. The environmental scheme must be...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh – Priority Questions: Agriculture Schemes (26 Sep 2024)

Martin Kenny: What about the second year?

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh – Priority Questions: Agriculture Schemes (26 Sep 2024)

Charlie McConalogue: The score relates to the first year.

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh – Priority Questions: Agriculture Schemes (26 Sep 2024)

Claire Kerrane: We must move on.

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh – Priority Questions: Agriculture Schemes (26 Sep 2024)

Charlie McConalogue: As much as possible, I want it to be a positive experience. I am assessing the situation. I am open to all ideas as to how we can make sure ACRES works to the best extent possible for everyone.

Committee on Key Issues affecting the Traveller Community: Travellers in Prison: Discussion (26 Sep 2024)

David Stanton: I welcome the witnesses to the meeting. I had a role and an interest way back and I have met quite a number of the witnesses, including Mr. McDonagh and Ms Costello. In some senses, I get the feeling that there is progress here. I was particularly taken by what has been said about the parenting courses. As a former counsellor, I understand exactly what Ms O'Shea is talking about. She...

Committee on Key Issues affecting the Traveller Community: Travellers in Prison: Discussion (26 Sep 2024)

David Stanton: I think Ms Carroll would like to come in.

Committee on Key Issues affecting the Traveller Community: Travellers in Prison: Discussion (26 Sep 2024)

David Stanton: What is Ms Carroll's request?

Committee on Key Issues affecting the Traveller Community: Travellers in Prison: Discussion (26 Sep 2024)

David Stanton: Perhaps the committee could write to the Minister for Justice today to make that recommendation. Has Mr. Carroll a figure for the cost of that?

Committee on Key Issues affecting the Traveller Community: Travellers in Prison: Discussion (26 Sep 2024)

David Stanton: That is very good. That was a concrete issue that struck me straightaway. I was struck when Ms O'Shea said that the relationship between the mothers and the children was poor. The work that Barnardos has done has brought awareness to that and helped. We are talking about intergenerational impacts. It is hugely positive and something we should act on straightaway. I know Mr. McDonagh...

Committee on Key Issues affecting the Traveller Community: Travellers in Prison: Discussion (26 Sep 2024)

David Stanton: I wish him the best into the future. He talked about going back to prison to deliver training and so on, which is a great idea. I have seen this in action. It is amusing when you see people role-playing like that but it is extremely effective and impactful. It works. What is Mr. McDonagh's request of the Government? I ask him the same question I asked Ms Carroll.

Committee on Key Issues affecting the Traveller Community: Travellers in Prison: Discussion (26 Sep 2024)

David Stanton: That makes sense. That is something else we could do straightaway. We can try to make that happen and go for it.