Results 141-160 of 1,040,078 for in 'Dáil debates' OR in 'Committee meetings' (speaker:Joe O'Brien OR speaker:Aindrias Moynihan OR speaker:Brendan Smith OR speaker:Heather Humphreys OR speaker:Jennifer Carroll MacNeill OR speaker:Martin Browne)

Agriculture Appeals (Amendment) Bill 2024: Second Stage (11 Jul 2024)

Matt Shanahan: The main provisions of this Bill relate to the creation of the agriculture appeals review panel, independent from the agriculture appeals office. That is to be welcomed. As the Minister stated, it is part of the programme for Government. It is envisaged that this office would be responsible for undertaking independent review of the decisions of officers of the agriculture appeals office....

Agriculture Appeals (Amendment) Bill 2024: Second Stage (11 Jul 2024)

Ruairi Ó Murchú: It is generally at this time that I thank everybody and apologise for all those times I have been a nuisance to everybody inside and outside the Chamber. However, I really want to thank the Leas-Cheann Comhairle-----

Agriculture Appeals (Amendment) Bill 2024: Second Stage (11 Jul 2024)

Catherine Connolly: The Deputy might just wait while we record it.

Agriculture Appeals (Amendment) Bill 2024: Second Stage (11 Jul 2024)

Ruairi Ó Murchú: It is not the first time I have said it. As I said, I thank the Leas-Cheann Comhairle, the Ceann Comhairle and all the staff on the entire campus. None of us would get a whole pile done if it were not for all of them. We are obviously in support of this. It was a proposal from the Joint Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine and it is supported by the farm organisations. It...

Agriculture Appeals (Amendment) Bill 2024: Second Stage (11 Jul 2024)

Catherine Connolly: I think another apology is due.

Agriculture Appeals (Amendment) Bill 2024: Second Stage (11 Jul 2024)

Jackie Cahill: I am delighted to see this Bill reach Second Stage as Chairman of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine. We carried out pre-legislative scrutiny on this Bill and presented a report to the Minister. I am glad to say that the Minister has taken on board a number of the recommendations that were made by the committee. Usually at committee, there is divisiveness...

Agriculture Appeals (Amendment) Bill 2024: Second Stage (11 Jul 2024)

Martin Kenny: This legislation is obviously a welcome advance. Farming has become a part-time occupation for many. Farmers need to have a job along with it in order to have an income. Central to that is the architecture we have around payments, assistance and having schemes in place to assist farmers. Very often, because of weather and the nature and topography of the land that people are trying to...

Agriculture Appeals (Amendment) Bill 2024: Second Stage (11 Jul 2024)

Patrick Costello: This legislation has received a broad welcome from Deputies and the farming organisations. However, there is a broader issue here in the context of how we approach rights and obligations and the enforcement of same. To be blunt, we have created a Byzantine mess of quasi-judicial bodies. There is ultimately a risk of constitutional weakness, vulnerability and challenge to many of these and...

Agriculture Appeals (Amendment) Bill 2024: Second Stage (11 Jul 2024)

Rose Conway-Walsh: I welcome the Bill. In everything we do in this area, our concern is that there be fairness for farmers. It is also about bringing the enjoyment back into farming. The Minister knows all about the various schemes, the associated bureaucracy and everything that has happened over the years. I accept completely that there must be proper governance of everything that is done. However, the...

Agriculture Appeals (Amendment) Bill 2024: Second Stage (11 Jul 2024)

Claire Kerrane: I welcome the legislation and commend the Minister for making it happen. I know this was a commitment that was made, not least in the programme for Government. It is good to see the legislation before the House this afternoon. The Minister mentioned the pre-legislative scrutiny undertaken by the committee on agriculture and the report that was published subsequently. I am very glad that...

Committee on Public Petitions: Business of Joint Committee (11 Jul 2024)

Martin Browne: I welcome everyone to the meeting. No apologies were received. The first item on the agenda is the minutes of the meetings of 3 and 4 July 2024. They have already been approved in a virtual private meeting, but we must do this for procedural reasons. Are they agreed? Agreed.

Committee on Public Petitions: Office of the Ombudsman Annual Report 2022 and Related Matters: Discussion (11 Jul 2024)

Martin Browne: I will read some formal notices. I remind members of the constitutional requirements that they must be physically present within the confines of the place which parliament has chosen to sit, namely, Leinster House, to participate in public meetings. I will not permit members to participate where they are not adhering to this constitutional requirement. Therefore, any member who attempts to...

Committee on Public Petitions: Office of the Ombudsman Annual Report 2022 and Related Matters: Discussion (11 Jul 2024)

Martin Browne: I will ask one or two questions before I let in other members. I note that Mr. Deering has said there is an inconsistency in how different local authorities deliver their services and deal with complaints, and as a result, we have developed a model complaint handling procedure. How is that working? Are local authorities receptive and collaborating?

Committee on Public Petitions: Office of the Ombudsman Annual Report 2022 and Related Matters: Discussion (11 Jul 2024)

Martin Browne: The model has not been rolled out and launched.

Committee on Public Petitions: Office of the Ombudsman Annual Report 2022 and Related Matters: Discussion (11 Jul 2024)

Martin Browne: I asked that because some of the difficulties every public representative would get would concern the issue of the taking in charge of estates. There is the Department and Uisce Éireann.

Committee on Public Petitions: Office of the Ombudsman Annual Report 2022 and Related Matters: Discussion (11 Jul 2024)

Martin Browne: Every member will say how frustrating it is to deal with such matters. Has the public brought any of those kinds of incidents to the attention to the Office of the Ombudsman in terms of trying to deal with both a council and Uisce Éireann? I ask that because for ten or 12 years, there are estates that have been left in complete darkness with the roads not finished.

Committee on Public Petitions: Office of the Ombudsman Annual Report 2022 and Related Matters: Discussion (11 Jul 2024)

Martin Browne: Yes. In 2021, the Office of the Ombudsman published the Grounded report, which outlined the lack of access to transport for people with disabilities. The Ombudsman stated in his report that he met officials from the Department of the Taoiseach on a number of occasions but he also said the "lack" of progress was nothing short of shameful. We had a disability strategy from 2017 to 2022 and...

Committee on Public Petitions: Office of the Ombudsman Annual Report 2022 and Related Matters: Discussion (11 Jul 2024)

Martin Browne: Yet still the same problems.

Committee on Public Petitions: Office of the Ombudsman Annual Report 2022 and Related Matters: Discussion (11 Jul 2024)

Martin Browne: The Ombudsman believes we need to get an Department or Minister who will be directly responsible.