Results 321-340 of 4,808 for speaker:Martin Heydon

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Trade Agreements (29 Jul 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 also conscious that Irish and EU farmers are subject to complex regulations requiring them to...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Diseases (29 Jul 2025)

Martin Heydon: The answer to the Deputy's queries are found in the below table and corresponding notes underneath. - 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 YTD - €000's €000's €000's €000's €000's €000's €000's Bovine...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Diseases (29 Jul 2025)

Martin Heydon: My Department provides a range of financial supports that focus on compensating farmers for both direct and indirect losses incurred as a result of a TB breakdown on the farm. The On Farm Market Valuation Scheme is the principal compensation measure available to Herd-owners whose herds are affected by a bovine TB breakdown in their herd. The Scheme aims to compensate farmers up to the open...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Food Industry (29 Jul 2025)

Martin Heydon: The CSO Labour Force Survey (LFS) estimates that 169,300 people worked in the Agri-Food sector as a main occupation in 2024, representing 6.1% of total employment in Ireland. Of these, 108,450 (64%) worked in "Agriculture Forestry, and Fishing", and 56,850 (36%) worked in the "Manufacture of Food and Beverages". 50,225 of the people employed in the Manufacture of Food and Beverages worked...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Beef Sector (29 Jul 2025)

Martin Heydon: Irish Grass Fed Beef was registered as Protected Geographical Indication on 27th November 2023. It is necessary for producers seeking to produce the PGI product to have their processes verified by my Department. A number of such controls processes have been undertaken by my Department following requests by operators. The first of these was followed by the launch of the first Irish Grass Fed...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Industry (29 Jul 2025)

Martin Heydon: There are currently two research projects underway which include examination of novel and scalable approaches for wool scouring in Ireland. In 2024, my Department announced funding of over €550k for the SPRINGWOOL project. This project will, among other things, examine the feasibility of, and design of, a mobile wool scouring unit. Scouring is a key enabler for an effective and...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Schemes (29 Jul 2025)

Martin Heydon: TAMS reference costs are updated periodically to ensure that they reflect actual/market costs for the construction of farm buildings and facilities, and farm equipment. To achieve this objective, the review of the reference costs is typically based on a comparison with receipted costs. In this regard an adequate number of receipted claims is required. My Department has been reviewing the...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Schemes (29 Jul 2025)

Martin Heydon: I am committed to meaningful stakeholder input as we prepare for the next CAP post-2027. I have established a CAP Post-2027 Consultative Committee and addressed its first meeting on 17 July, the day after the Commission's proposals for CAP and the EU Budget (MFF) were announced. This stakeholder group will provide critical inputs as we analyse the proposals, shape our positions, and work to...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Information and Communications Technology (29 Jul 2025)

Martin Heydon: Since the implementation of EU regulations requiring that all applications for direct payments must be received electronically by 2018, my Department has implemented a programme of continuous development and improvement of its application systems. An example of one such improvement is the warning messages to help farmers and advisors where common errors have been detected. These have...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Industry (29 Jul 2025)

Martin Heydon: The Nursing Homes Support Scheme, commonly referred to as the Fair Deal scheme, is a system of financial support for people who require long-term residential care. Participants contribute to the cost of their care according to their means, while the State pays the balance of the cost. My colleague the Minister for Health has responsibility for the scheme. A 3-year cap was introduced in...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Grant Payments (29 Jul 2025)

Martin Heydon: The new Programme for Government emphasises supporting intergenerational farm succession. Food Vision 2030, our shared strategy for the agri-food sector, highlights that ensuring generational renewal in farming is vital for the sector’s long-term viability and social sustainability in rural Ireland. The Succession Planning Advice Grant is a relatively new scheme launched in...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Schemes (29 Jul 2025)

Martin Heydon: A scheme to support Long Established Young Farmers, more commonly referred to as Forgotten Farmers, opened for submission of online applications on Tuesday 22nd July. The online application system will remain open for submission of applications until 5.30 p.m. on Wednesday 13th August. Full details of the scheme, including the scheme Terms and Conditions and a guide to completing the online...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Supports (29 Jul 2025)

Martin Heydon: There is a commitment to deliver a Carbon Farming Framework under the Programme for Government and as part of the Climate Action Plan process. Work is ongoing in developing a verifiable framework for carbon farming at both at EU and national level. My Department held a public consultation in September 2023 on carbon farming, and positive feedback was received from stakeholders regarding...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Supports (29 Jul 2025)

Martin Heydon: I propose to take Questions Nos. 2246 and 2247 together. Advancing the role of women in the agriculture sector is a key priority for me and is included in the new Programme for Government. Delivery of the National Dialogue on Women in Agriculture and publication of the Women in Agriculture Action Plan were two major milestones in progressing this aim. All 12 actions in the Plan have been...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Schemes (29 Jul 2025)

Martin Heydon: I propose to take Questions Nos. 2248, 2249, 2251 and 2252 together. My Department operates a wide range of area-based schemes to support farmers. In order for farmers to draw down payment under any of these schemes they must annually submit a "Basic Income Support for Sustainability (BISS) and other area-based schemes" form via the agfood system. Farmers or their appointed agents are...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Schemes (29 Jul 2025)

Martin Heydon: This Government recognises the importance of the tillage sector and wants to grow the area under tillage crops in the years ahead. Reflecting this importance, my Department has provided significant direct supports to tillage farmers in recent years. This year, the budget for the Protein Aid Scheme is €10m and will remain at €10m for the remainder of the current CAP...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Departmental Meetings (17 Jul 2025)

Martin Heydon: ICBF was set up support improvements in breeding of the national herd to the benefit of farmers and to provide direction for national breeding policy. It is wholly owned by its shareholders, which include the farm bodies, AI and milk recording companies along with the breed societies, both dairy and beef. ICBF review and update economic values, based on latest economic models as provided by...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Renewable Energy Generation (17 Jul 2025)

Martin Heydon: My Department does not have the requested information available to it. Issues regarding planning of solar farms fall under the remit of the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage. The rights of farmers and other landowners are, of course, subject to the usual Constitutional protections. As Minister for Agriculture Food and the Marine, I am committed to driving sustainable...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Departmental Data (17 Jul 2025)

Martin Heydon: The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine has not purchased farmland in 2023, 2024 or to date in 2025. It should be noted that the Minister can reply only for his Department, and not for other agencies or Departments.

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Departmental Data (17 Jul 2025)

Martin Heydon: In the last number of years approximately 20 unique farm payment schemes have operated in my Department. These schemes in the main are run through offices in Portlaoise and Johnstown Castle in Wexford. A full report for 2024 is not readily available. Once the data is available my department will be in contact with the Deputy to provide the requested information.