Forestry licences ‘a fiasco,’ says Fitzmaurice
Independent TD Michael Fitzmaurice has called for the Joint Oireachtas Agriculture Committee to be recalled immediately to address the slump in processing forestry licences. The Roscommon East Galway TD has made the call to the chair of the committee, Jackie Cahill, as well as to the clerk of the committee,…
County councillor now almost a fulltime job, says Fitzmaurice
City and county councillors will get an 8,000 euro a year pay rise from the 1st of July. Cabinet Ministers will be asked to approve implementation of the Moorhead report today, which recommends a 50 per cent pay rise. They’re currently paid just over 17,000 euro a year – but…
Farmers facing ‘phenomenal’ task in trying to reduce carbon emissions
Independent TD Michael Fitzmaurice believes the people of Ireland ‘need to wake up’ to the consequences of the revised Climate Action Bill, which was passed by Cabinet. When it comes to agriculture , Deputy Fitzmaurice says the Bill is short of detail but still pushes farmers to engage in further…
Two north west TDs among those in Independent group in the Dail
Two north west Independent TDs are among a group that has now secured speaking rights in the Dail. Sligo/Leitrim TD Marian Harkin and Donegal TD Thomas Pringle are members of the group, as well as Roscommon/Galway TD Michael Fitzmaurice, Catherine Connolly from Galway West, Michael McNamara from Clare and Joan…
Fitzmaurice critical of Hogan’s suggestion that suckler farmers diversify to forestry, biomass
An Independent TD is hitting out at the European Commissioner for Agriculture Phil Hogan for suggesting that farmers in the west should be encouraged to switch from sucklers to forestry or biomass production. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice says not all land in the west is suitable for forestry or biomass production.…
TD claims ‘bureaucracy and red tape’ holding up improvement of Lough Talt Water Scheme
An Independent TD is claiming that EU and government red tape is preventing Irish Water from carrying out improvements to a water scheme that serves 10,000 people from Lough Talt in the West Sligo area. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice says the lake is now a special area of conservation because of…
Fitzmaurice: ‘Penalties on diesel will hit rural motorists, businesses’
An Independent TD says moves to increase tax on diesel vehicles and to ban them from some towns is yet another attack on rural Ireland. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice says it would also have a devastating affect on small haulage companies, many small businesses and on motorists who have diesel cars…