Results 201-220 of 3,701 for speaker:Martin Heydon

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Environmental Schemes (2 Apr 2025)

Martin Heydon: No wonder farmers are concerned. Deputy Conway-Walsh can only raise those concerns and I can only answer back on numerous occasions in this House, in the media and , at farming organisations' public and private meetings to reassure farmers that this is not a designation. When words like "designation" are used and references to planning are used, as was used earlier, that sets farmers' fear...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Agriculture Supports (2 Apr 2025)

Martin Heydon: I thank Deputies Moynihan and Cleere for raising very valid points. To respond to Deputy Moynihan first, I am looking at every engagement farmers have whether on the farm when someone like the AI man, the milk collection, the vet or the farm adviser visits or on the knowledge transfer walks. The Deputy talked about farm walks. Knowledge transfer groups are a great way of addressing farmer...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Agriculture Industry (2 Apr 2025)

Martin Heydon: I thank Deputy Connolly for raising this important point. European Innovation Partnership projects, EIPs, are locally led innovative projects developed by operational groups acting collaboratively towards a common goal. They are a fantastic vehicle and one I used in my previous role as Minister of State. We use such projects across a range of areas within the Department of agriculture....

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Agriculture Industry (2 Apr 2025)

Martin Heydon: The Deputy will understand that I am a step removed from the evaluation process and, as such, the straight answer to the Deputy's question is that I do not know. The group will know because, if it was involved in phase 2, it would have had to make a submission. I am happy to talk to the Deputy about that but, for very good reasons, I am a step removed from the evaluation process. It is...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Agriculture Industry (2 Apr 2025)

Martin Heydon: Absolutely. The programme for Government highlights the importance of the wool sector and how we want to help develop further opportunities for wool and examine the possibility of a scouring plant. We do not have one in Ireland and that is an impediment to further development. I remember a time when the shearing of sheep and the collection of wool was a really valuable part of a sheep...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Agriculture Industry (2 Apr 2025)

Martin Heydon: The call was launched on 5 November 2024 and 27 applicants were selected to submit a more detailed project proposal as part of the competition with this phase closing on 24 February. These have been submitted and will be evaluated in the month of April.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Environmental Schemes (2 Apr 2025)

Martin Heydon: I am delighted to again have the opportunity to speak on GAEC 2, which was raised in the House earlier. As a reminder, GAEC 2 is a baseline requirement under the CAP regulations for the protection of carbon-rich soils. It is legally required to be put in place for 2025 as part of the conditionality requirements for the basic income support for sustainability, BISS, payment scheme. The...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Agriculture Industry (2 Apr 2025)

Martin Heydon: I thank the Deputy again for raising this. There are two points at the heart of his question. One is the importance of our tillage sector, on which I absolutely concur with him. There is a reason my Department has had a number of interventions to support the tillage sector, which has come through a couple of really difficult years, from straw incorporation and protein aid to the tillage...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Agriculture Supports (2 Apr 2025)

Martin Heydon: I thank the Deputy for raising this question on such an important issue. Farm safety, health and well-being is a priority for this Government. There is a specific focus in the programme for Government on farmer mental health and well-being, recognising the unique challenges faced by the sector. I secured dedicated funding of €2.5 million in budget 2025 to build on previous...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Agriculture Supports (2 Apr 2025)

Martin Heydon: The Deputy is dead right. The work is isolated in nature. I know that from my time farming at home. The days were long. If I was in the tractor on my own all day doing a job or out tending to fencing or to livestock, I could have too much time with my own thoughts, I used to find. It does not happen in politics much; we tend to be much busier and kept well distracted. I am being...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Agriculture Supports (2 Apr 2025)

Martin Heydon: Exactly. There are a lot of pressures in farming from price to weather to rushing around and all those different elements. The pandemic really brought home the fact that the lockdown took away the key social engagements that farmers had that they really depended upon such as the trip to the mart, maybe the trip to mass or religious service at the weekend, a trip to a pub or a trip to a...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Agriculture Industry (2 Apr 2025)

Martin Heydon: I thank the Deputy for raising this issue and the specific example of north Kildare, an area I obviously know well and is close to my heart. As the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, I am committed to driving sustainable agriculture practices that underpin Ireland's food sector and contribute more broadly to food security through an export market valued at €19 billion....

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Agriculture Industry (2 Apr 2025)

Martin Heydon: I understand that concern among farmers who see highly productive agricultural land have ground solar put in and that land come out of food production or definitely reduced. As landowners subject to planning and other considerations, farmers have property rights which are protected by the Constitution and a legitimate interest in maximising the income from their holdings. However, it is...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Dairy Sector (2 Apr 2025)

Martin Heydon: The value of agricultural output rose by 8% to €12.2 billion in 2024. This was driven mainly by a 17% increase in milk prices as milk accounts for one third of the value of agricultural output overall. These trends can change, however. As we know, there is considerable volatility in the sector and this presents a really big challenge for our farmers and food industry. My Department...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Animal Diseases (2 Apr 2025)

Martin Heydon: I thank Deputy McGreehan for raising what is a really important point. The recent outbreaks of foot and mouth disease in Hungary, Slovakia and Germany have highlighted the ongoing threat posed by the disease to Irish livestock. FMD is present in large parts of the developing world, causing major losses to livestock farmers and presenting a continuous risk of spread to parts of the world...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Animal Diseases (2 Apr 2025)

Martin Heydon: On the point on our island status, I have collaborated very closely with my counterpart Andrew Muir in Stormont, who has responsibility on his side of the Border, be it in respect of avian flu, the potential risk of FMD or, as the Deputy mentioned in her original question, bluetongue. Bluetongue is prevalent in England and is it a very major concern for us as we head into the time of year...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Animal Diseases (2 Apr 2025)

Martin Heydon: I understand the historic nature of the issue and respect the fact that the Deputy is raising it almost 24 years since the outbreak in 2001, which had a dreadful impact on the whole country but particularly on the Cooley area. I take on board the points the Deputy raised. The matter has an historic nature. I am aware that there were legal cases.

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Environmental Schemes (2 Apr 2025)

Martin Heydon: There was extensive analysis of this by officials in my Department and engagement with farm organisations over past two years on trying to come to a solution. This is the most practical approach. It will have no direct impact on a farmer's daily activity on that land. I take issue with the statement that this will have a detrimental effect on farmers. In response to the Deputy's...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Environmental Schemes (2 Apr 2025)

Martin Heydon: I agree because what is being presented is not what is reality. The Deputy used the word "designation", so I am not surprised that farmers are petrified. This is not a designation. It is a baseline requirement for applying for a single farm payment, or the basic income support for sustainability, BISS, scheme, as it is now known. Of course farmers would have concerns on that but a...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Dairy Sector (2 Apr 2025)

Martin Heydon: I agree. Everyone is concerned about what will happen with the tariffs from the United States and the impact they will have on our agrifood sector. America is our second biggest market. We export €2 billion worth of agrifood and drink products to there, with butter and dairy being a key component of that, the butter market alone accounting for nearly €500 million. Of the...