Results 1,981-2,000 of 4,472 for speaker:Martin Heydon

Independent Beef Regulator: Motion [Private Members] (26 May 2021)

Martin Heydon: I am an active suckler farmer. My mother took over the enterprise at home after my father passed away until I was old enough to take it on. I know what it is like to derive one's sole income from farming, along with the pressure and work that goes with that. I assure Deputy Tóibín and others that the Government is determined that we have a strong and vibrant beef sector for the...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Invasive Species Policy (26 May 2021)

Martin Heydon: The Deputy can take it from me that we are taking this matter very seriously. She mentioned extending inspection of imported seeds. That option is not open to us under EU regulations. We can control what is propagated here. The seed that was discovered in the Teagasc plant was imported from the UK. We envisage that the vast majority of wild seed used in Ireland in future will be...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Invasive Species Policy (26 May 2021)

Martin Heydon: I thank Deputy Verona Murphy for raising what is a really important issue and one about which I share her concern, namely, the discovery and recent reporting of black grass in wild seed mixes. The standards for quality and purity of seed and propagating material are implemented at EU level through a suite of EU directives and regulations. In total, this legislation is implemented through...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Fishing Industry (25 May 2021)

Martin Heydon: To answer the Deputy's question about why the Minister is in Brussels this evening, he is out there fighting for Irish farmers and Irish agriculture in probably the most important aspect of the CAP trilogues, the super trilogues, that are happening over the next couple of days. Farmers in Deputy MacSharry's constituency and mine take a great interest in what he is doing there. There is...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Fishing Industry (25 May 2021)

Martin Heydon: I thank the Deputy for raising this important issue, which we in the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine take with the utmost seriousness. I extend the apologies of my colleague, the Minister, Deputy McConalogue, who is in Brussels this evening and very much regrets that he is not able to take this debate. We recognise that this issue is giving rise to serious practical problems...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Common Agricultural Policy (17 May 2021)

Martin Heydon: I thank the Senator for raising this important matter. I congratulate her on her recent re-election to Seanad Éireann. It is great to see her back on the agricultural panel. It is also great that one of the first topics she has raised on her return relates to such an important area of agriculture. I thank the Senator for that. The Senator is right that it is not just about farm...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Common Agricultural Policy (17 May 2021)

Martin Heydon: The Senator is dead right. I am delighted to hear her equate farm safety, well-being and mental health because there is no doubt they are deeply interconnected. The agrifood strategy for 2030, which is currently out for public consultation, reflects that. We talk about a food systems approach to agriculture in the future and the sustainability of all the systems, that is, not just...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Passport Services (22 Apr 2021)

Martin Heydon: Both Deputies Richmond and Carroll MacNeill have outlined very well the reasons we need to get back to full service. Nobody wants to do that more than the staff of the passport service in a safe way as soon as public health guidelines allow. It is helpful to put on the record that the volume of applications received in the past year has been significantly impacted by the pandemic. As a...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Passport Services (22 Apr 2021)

Martin Heydon: I thank Deputies Richmond and Carroll MacNeill for raising what is an important issue which is being raised with Deputies in constituency offices the length and breadth of the country. It has happened for several reasons, as the Deputies outlined. I am pleased to report that the Passport Service continues to provide a high quality, essential service in line with the Government's public...

Common Agricultural Policy Reform: Motion [Private Members] (22 Apr 2021)

Martin Heydon: I am sharing time with Deputy Ó Cuív. I must express my surprise at some of the comments, particular those from Deputy Pringle. I consider myself a proud European and I believe that Ireland benefits from being at the heart of Europe. I also believe passionately in the principle of subsidiarity, enshrined in the Maastricht treaty, with member states having power over as many...

Covid-19 (Agriculture, Food and the Marine): Statements (17 Feb 2021)

Martin Heydon: As we are all too aware, 2020 was an especially challenging year. While we had the expected uncertainty of Brexit, it was overshadowed by the unexpected Covid-19 pandemic. The Minister, Deputy McConalogue, has referred to the sector demonstrating its resilience, which has been remarkable. The pandemic placed unprecedented stresses on food supply chains, with bottlenecks in farm labour,...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Equine Industry (26 Jan 2021)

Martin Heydon: I thank both Senators for raising this issue and showing their interest in this area. As the Minister for Kildare, as it were, I take on board the points raised. No one can doubt the passion for my county and my close connection with the equine sector. I recognise the acknowledgement that the Senators, as public representatives for our county, share of the important role that equine...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Equine Industry (26 Jan 2021)

Martin Heydon: Nobody knows better than me how important Punchestown is to the rural economy and to the economy of Kildare. I worked at Punchestown Racecourse for four years and was actually a course builder for a number of summers on the three-day equestrian course, which is a fantastic facility in Punchestown. I would love to see HSI set up in Punchestown. Punchestown has been mentioned, as has Goffs,...

Prohibition of Sulky-Racing Bill 2018: Second Stage (Resumed) (10 Dec 2020)

Martin Heydon: It is for the Department of-----

Prohibition of Sulky-Racing Bill 2018: Second Stage (Resumed) (10 Dec 2020)

Martin Heydon: I thank Deputy Mattie McGrath for bringing this legislation before the House. I acknowledge the concerns raised by him and Deputies Carthy, Quinlivan, Shanahan and Gino Kenny. They originally spoke about sulky racing but their concerns were broader than that and went into the area of horse welfare and beyond. Most people in Kildare are passionate about racehorses, much like Deputy McGrath...

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed) - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Animal Welfare (8 Dec 2020)

Martin Heydon: European Union legislation provides for a set of harmonised rules to ensure that food and feed are safe, and to ensure a high level of human, animal and plant health, as well as animal welfare along the agrifood chain. Primary responsibility for ensuring that the obligations set out in Union legislation are met rests with operators. The official controls regulation is clear that the...

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed) - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Animal Welfare (8 Dec 2020)

Martin Heydon: That is a fair point. At the end of the day, we control what we control on the EU side, and we have to presume that what the final set of agreements is would have reciprocal approaches on both sides. What we have always wanted, both in Ireland and as part of the EU, is as close a working relationship as possible with Great Britain. A huge amount of our trade, particularly in the agrifood...

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed) - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Animal Welfare (8 Dec 2020)

Martin Heydon: What I can guarantee is that Ireland, at the heart of the EU, will maintain the integrity of the Single Market, which is critical. We see our place as being at the heart of Europe. We see the benefits for the Irish people, the Irish agrifood business, farmers and food producers to be at the heart of a European Union that is a trading bloc of 500 million people. As a very active member of...

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed) - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Agri-Strategy 2025 (8 Dec 2020)

Martin Heydon: The sustainable healthy agri-food research plan, SHARP, was developed and published in 2015 in response to the then Government's national research prioritisation exercise, NRPE. The plan has guided our key research priorities over recent years in respect of the competitive funding programmes we operate. My Department, as part of its agri-food strategy to 2030 will, in due course, develop...

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed) - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Agri-Strategy 2025 (8 Dec 2020)

Martin Heydon: The national research prioritisation exercise and how it related to SHARP was born out of the wake of the financial crisis. The then Government established an independent group of mainly external experts to identify priority areas for research funding under competitively operated programmes based on set criteria. Two of those areas were smart, sustainable food production and processing and...