Results 201-220 of 4,808 for speaker:Martin Heydon

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Welfare (8 Sep 2025)

Martin Heydon: The use of sulkies on public roads specifically, as with the use of all vehicles, including animal-drawn vehicles, is governed by the relevant provisions of the Roads and Road Traffic Acts. Revisions to this legislation would be a matter for the Minister for Transport.  The drivers of all vehicles used on public roads, including horse-drawn carriages, are required to comply with...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Industry (8 Sep 2025)

Martin Heydon: I am not aware of any assessment that has been conducted on the issue raised by the Deputy. The use of vegetable fats in ice cream or frozen dessert products is allowable under EU legislation.  However there is specific EU legislation in place to ensure that consumers have accurate information about their food. EU Regulation 1169/2011 sets out detailed rules for labelling, including...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Trade Agreements (8 Sep 2025)

Martin Heydon: Ireland has consistently highlighted that the EU trade agreement with Mercosur should include legally binding commitments on sustainability, including climate, biodiversity, and deforestation protections. As it stands, it is not clear that those legally binding assurances have been secured. I am very aware that Irish and EU farmers are subject to complex regulations requiring them to farm...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Schemes (8 Sep 2025)

Martin Heydon: GAEC 2 is a mandatory condition of the payment of the Basic Income Support for Farmers (BISS). It is intended to protect peatlands and wetlands. The EU Regulation for CAP Strategic Plans requires all Member States to have a standard in place this year at the latest. Ireland's GAEC 2 was approved by the European Commission on 30th April 2025 and is now in place.  It aims to strike...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Hare Coursing (8 Sep 2025)

Martin Heydon: Coursing is regulated under the Greyhound Industry Act, 1958, chiefly by the Irish Coursing Club (ICC), subject to the general control and direction of Rásaíocht Con Éireann. The granting of licenses for the netting and tagging of hares is a matter for the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage – National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS).  ...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Land Issues (8 Sep 2025)

Martin Heydon: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1764 and 1765 together. In preparation for the introduction of the new GAEC 2 standard  - Protection of Peatlands and Wetlands, officials from my department completed a detailed review of existing data sources of peat maps. In completing this task Department officials consulted widely within my own department, with officials in the Department of...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Regeneration Projects (8 Sep 2025)

Martin Heydon: The National Peatlands Strategy is under the Remit of the National Parks and Wildlife Service. Sphagnum farming has the potential to provide a partial peat alternative, restore raised bog ecosystems and sequester carbon. However, there is still a lot of research to be done in Ireland to explore its potential. In line with this, my Department is funding the ‘Beyond Peat’...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Welfare (8 Sep 2025)

Martin Heydon: The use of sulkies on public roads specifically, as with the use of all vehicles, including animal-drawn vehicles, is governed by the relevant provisions of the Roads and Road Traffic Acts. Revisions to this legislation would be a matter for the Minister for Transport.  The drivers of all vehicles used on public roads, including horse-drawn carriages, are required to comply with...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Welfare (8 Sep 2025)

Martin Heydon: Traceability is essential to the protection of horses. Gaps in traceability allow for neglect and mistreatment without accountability. My Department has worked hard in recent years to drive compliance with equine traceability requirements by continually updating operating procedures. In 2024 a new requirement was introduced for operators to provide proof of their equines’...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Welfare (8 Sep 2025)

Martin Heydon: The current legislation in operation regarding horse-drawn carriages for hire or reward in Dublin City is the Dublin Carriages Act 1853-1855. Queries in relation to issues regarding updating the legislation should be referred to The Department of Transport.  The drivers of all vehicles used on public roads, including horse-drawn carriages, are required to comply with road traffic...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Control of Horses (8 Sep 2025)

Martin Heydon: The Control of Horses Act, 1996 was introduced to provide for the control of horses and to make provision for the licencing of horses in urban and other areas where horses cause a danger or nuisance to people or property.  Enforcement of the act is a matter for the local authorities.  The Act is currently under review within my Department, with work progressing on this primary,...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Schemes (8 Sep 2025)

Martin Heydon: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1781 and 1782 together. The application window for the scheme to support Long Established Young Farmers, more commonly referred to as forgotten farmers, has closed. The scheme was widely flagged in the farming media, and was open for just over 3 weeks from July to receive applications. During that period, my Department issued text message reminders to...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Departmental Expenditure (8 Sep 2025)

Martin Heydon: My Department publishes schemes payments to farmers in the statistical annex of its Annual Review and Outlook, publications of which are available at: Annual Review and Outlook for Agriculture, Food and the Marine (). The table below details payments (National and EU) to farmers in Louth for full years 2023 and 2024. Payment details for the full year 2025 will be available in 2026. ...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Industry (8 Sep 2025)

Martin Heydon: Department approved beef plants are subject to regular inspection to ensure compliance with Beef Carcass Classification Regulations. Such inspections are unannounced and include checks to ensure the accuracy of the scales that are used to determine payment to the farmer, as well as verifying that a daily weight check is completed and recorded by the plant.

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Industry (8 Sep 2025)

Martin Heydon: I wish to inform the Deputy that the Agriculture Appeals (Amendment) Act 2024 was signed into law on 29th October 2024.  This Act provides for the establishment of an independent Agriculture Appeals Review Panel. The main purpose of this Review Panel will be to conduct reviews of decisions of Appeals Officers based on errors of fact and/or law, a function currently carried out by...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Industry (8 Sep 2025)

Martin Heydon: I wish to inform the Deputy that in accordance with Section 10 of the Agriculture Appeals Act, 2001 Act, a review of a decision of an Appeals Officer may be sought by either the Department or the appellant in the following circumstances:  (a) based on new evidence or facts brought to his/her attention, or a relevant change in circumstances, since the decision was made, (these reviews...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Commercial Rates (8 Sep 2025)

Martin Heydon: The information requested by the Deputy is being collated by my Department and a response will be forwarded to the Deputy as soon as it is available. As regards the 13 State Bodies under the aegis of my Department, the information requested is an operational matter for the State Bodies themselves. I have referred the Deputy’s question to the Agencies and have requested that a...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Slaughtering (8 Sep 2025)

Martin Heydon: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1788 and 1789 together. There are currently no approved equine slaughter plants within the State. Approval to operate as an equine slaughter premises, similar to all meat food business operator applications, is a two-stage process. The first step is the submission of a Notification of Intent to my Department. If all of the documentation is correct, and the...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Departmental Data (8 Sep 2025)

Martin Heydon: Horses traded from Ireland to other EU Member States for Slaughter** YEAR Country of Destination Number of Horses 2025* Belgium  79 2025* France 316 2024 France 165 TOTAL 560 *Year to 30/08/25 **Based on information from the TRACES...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Welfare (8 Sep 2025)

Martin Heydon: The trade in equine animals for slaughter is regulated by European and Irish legislation on animal health, welfare and traceability, which my Department enforces.  Equine animals traded for slaughter to other EU Member States require veterinary certification, and are subject to inspection by my Department’s official veterinarians with regard to their health, traceability and...