Results 661-680 of 1,060,552 for in 'Dáil debates' OR (speaker:Mick Barry OR speaker:John McGuinness OR speaker:Brian Stanley) in 'Committee meetings'

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (4 Jul 2024)

Brian Stanley: Okay, we will request that of the Department of Social Protection as well. Thanks for that. Next is No. R2698 from Mr. Michael Sheahan of the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, dated 20 June 2024. It provides follow-up information to the committee in relation to issues raised at the meeting of 20 June. It is proposed we note and publish this item with the email address...

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (4 Jul 2024)

Brian Stanley: I think the Deputy indicated she did not want to come in on it, but if she does she should feel free. I am sorry, it is this one she wanted to come in on, not the bovine TB one. Is that correct?

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (4 Jul 2024)

Brian Stanley: Okay, the Deputy is happy enough with that. No. R2698 gives the figures for horses slaughtered anyway. There has been a slight reduction. It went from 2,256 four years ago to 1,987 last year. The interesting thing about it is it sets out that "in a slaughter plant killing and related operations can only be [carried] out by persons with the appropriate level of competence”. It also...

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (4 Jul 2024)

Brian Stanley: It is not adequate. It is even more concerning that the designated animal welfare officer can be an employee or, I presume, part owner of a slaughterhouse and can declare that they have "committed no serious infringement of EU or national law on the protection of animals [and animal welfare] in the three years preceding the date of application for such a certificate". I find that...

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (4 Jul 2024)

Brian Stanley: It is a very laissez-faire set-up is it not, considering that we are talking about the protection of animals? When animals are racing and doing well, they are dearly loved and looked after better than the rest of us. It is fair to say this will come up on the agenda next week and we will have an opportunity to discuss it.

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (4 Jul 2024)

Brian Stanley: That is right.

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (4 Jul 2024)

Brian Stanley: This is not good for the equine sector. I hope it does not have economic effects on the sector in future, given that public finances in the region of €70 million a year go to the industry. This is an issue we must raise with the Department. We will have another chance to do that next week. No. R2696 is from Ms Hanagh Byrne, private secretary to the Secretary General of the...

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (4 Jul 2024)

Brian Stanley: The concern here is the rise in the incidence of bovine TB in recent years. It is on an upward trend again, despite all the money that has been spent and everything else that has been done. The incidence did decrease a bit at the end of 2022 when it was 4.31% of the herd, but then it started rising again. I am looking to see if there is a figure for 2023. It increased fairly dramatically.

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (4 Jul 2024)

Brian Stanley: Was it 4.9%?

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (4 Jul 2024)

Brian Stanley: This is despite the fact that in 2022 the cost of the scheme was €57 million. Last year, that went up to €74 million and we are still getting this kind of result. When the Department officials were in, they outlined the five main reasons they believe TB is spreading, but we must raise this with them again given the public finances and the incidence of bovine TB. It is an area...

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (4 Jul 2024)

Brian Stanley: Yes. I suppose that the big spend is on the compensation element of the scheme.

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (4 Jul 2024)

Brian Stanley: They actually give the size of the herd as one of the reasons for the increase in the incidence.

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (4 Jul 2024)

Brian Stanley: We will discuss that next if Deputy Catherine Murphy is okay with that. One item has been flagged for discussion under category C, which is correspondence from and related to private individuals and any other correspondence. No. R2694 relates to correspondence on Glenwood House. This is a house in Cork that we dealt with previously. It is proposed to note this item, forward the...

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (4 Jul 2024)

Brian Stanley: He has been welcomed into the fold. How did the Deputy pull that off? I am only messing.

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (4 Jul 2024)

Brian Stanley: Of course. I know that.

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (4 Jul 2024)

Brian Stanley: It happens. Deputy Murphy should go ahead.

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (4 Jul 2024)

Brian Stanley: Yes. He raised this with us before.

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (4 Jul 2024)

Brian Stanley: One of the points that arises in the letter is that he says the HSE previously declined to give an explanation as to why Glenwood House continues to be vacant three and a half years after its purchase. It is a remarkable situation. It is proposed that we ask those four questions about the total expenditure to date and the expenditure on renovation, maintenance and any other ongoing costs,...

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (4 Jul 2024)

Brian Stanley: Deputy Murphy knows as well as I do that there is a shortage of beds for elderly people. There is also a shortage of beds for people who have profound disabilities, yet we have this white elephant sitting there. The facility is badly needed but it has not been brought into use. We will seek clarification. We hope the committee will get an answer from the HSE on it. The correspondence...

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (4 Jul 2024)

Brian Stanley: It is not clear why planning retention has not been sought. That is not rocket science. Some effort should have been made to get this project moving. Is it agreed that we proceed as outlined? Agreed. I will move on to the work programme. Next week, on 11 July, which is the last week before the summer break - we are going to have the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine in on...