Results 21-40 of 4,778 for speaker:Martin Heydon

Financial Resolutions 2025 - Financial Resolution No. 5: General (Resumed) (8 Oct 2025)

Martin Heydon: Budget 2026 will make a robust contribution to the development and resilience of the agrifood, fisheries and forestry sectors. We have a strong economy that, thanks to the hard work of the Irish people, has weathered multiple crises. However, we are living through a time of economic uncertainty. It is essential that we take every measure to protect jobs and livelihoods. Irelands's...

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

Martin Heydon: The repealed Slaughter of Animals Act 1935 is available on the Irish Statute Book website: www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/1935/act/45/enacted/en/html. The passage of the Animal Health and Welfare Act 2013, can be viewed on the Oireachtas website: .

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Teagasc Activities (8 Oct 2025)

Martin Heydon: My Department has no role in relation to Teagasc staffing arrangements. As this is an operational matter for Teagasc, I have asked Teagasc to directly provide the Deputy with a response.

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

Martin Heydon: The Solar Capital Investment Scheme (SCIS), is a measure under the Targeted Agriculture Modernisation Scheme (TAMS 3), which provides support to farmers wishing to invest in renewable energy.  To encourage on-farm renewable technology uptake and usage, grant aid is provided to assist farmers in maximising their contribution to the production of renewable energy through the installation...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Industry (7 Oct 2025)

Martin Heydon: The National Ploughing Association, who organise the annual National Ploughing Championships, have announced in recent days that the event will return to Screggan, Co. Offaly in 2026. The National Ploughing Association is an independent organisation and not under the remit of my department.

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Greyhound Industry (7 Oct 2025)

Martin Heydon: Rásaíocht Con Éireann (RCÉ) is a commercial state body established under the Greyhound Industry Act 1958 chiefly to control greyhound racing and to improve and develop the greyhound industry. RCÉ is a body corporate and a separate legal entity to the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine. The questions raised by the Deputy are an operational matter for...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Tillage Sector (7 Oct 2025)

Martin Heydon: I fully recognise the challenges the tillage sector has faced in recent years, not least the challenging market outlook and downward price pressure this season. In light of this I have recently engaged directly with stakeholders to hear their concerns. This Government recognises the importance of the tillage sector and wants to grow the area under tillage crops to 400,000 hectares by...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Common Agricultural Policy (7 Oct 2025)

Martin Heydon: On 16 July 2025, the European Commission launched its proposals for the next Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF), Common Agriculture Policy (CAP) and Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) for the period 2028 to 2034. These proposals represent a fundamental change in how the future CAP will operate. Pillars I and II are to be replaced by a single framework under the National and Regional...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Welfare (7 Oct 2025)

Martin Heydon: Animal welfare is a key priority for me as Minister and for the Government. I would like to acknowledge the important work carried out, often in very challenging circumstances, by animal welfare organisations and their dedicated volunteers and staff across Ireland. Animal welfare charities play a crucial role in helping animals in need, educating people, and raising public awareness about...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Public Sector Pensions (7 Oct 2025)

Martin Heydon: My Department will also liaise with the National Shared Services Office (NSSO) on this matter, as the NSSO has responsibility for the payment of pensions to former civil servants. I would like to assure the Deputy that my Department will look into this request and contact the person directly to assist with this matter.

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Veterinary Services (7 Oct 2025)

Martin Heydon: The figures below were extracted as per 01/10/2025. The table includes veterinary inspectors employed by the Department, as of 28 September 2025 (Closest Data Extract Date) and as of the 30 September 2021, with headcount number and gender percentage figures in tabular form as requested. Calendar Day Grade Description Gender Headcount % of Total Count...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Greyhound Industry (7 Oct 2025)

Martin Heydon: Rásaíocht Con Éireann (RCÉ) is a commercial state body established under the Greyhound Industry Act 1958 chiefly to control greyhound racing and to improve and develop the greyhound industry. RCÉ is a body corporate and a separate legal entity to the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine. The question raised by the Deputy is an operational matter for...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Slaughtering (7 Oct 2025)

Martin Heydon: Currently there is no facility in the State approved to slaughter equines. My Department is committed to the establishment of an equine slaughter facility. 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. If all of the documentation is correct, and...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Poultry Sector (7 Oct 2025)

Martin Heydon: I am very aware of the contribution of the poultry production sector to Irish agri-food sector as a whole, supporting significant levels of direct employment and contributing to the rural economy. Securing market access and diversifying trade remains a key aim for Government. Developing market opportunities at home and abroad is one of the goals of Food Vision 2030. The recently launched...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Control of Horses (7 Oct 2025)

Martin Heydon: I propose to take Questions Nos. 494 to 496, inclusive, together. My Department is responsible for all policy and legislation in relation to the Control of Horses Act 1996. Operation of the Act comes under the remit of Local Authorities. Under the Control of Horses Act 1996, local authorities may take a range of actions in relation to equines including prohibiting horses in certain...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Departmental Correspondence (7 Oct 2025)

Martin Heydon: I am arranging to have this examined and a response will issue in due course.

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Nitrates Usage (7 Oct 2025)

Martin Heydon: The following data is based on the 6,824 remaining applicants for the 2024 Nitrates Derogation when those who withdrew their applications and those deemed ineligible arising from my Department's checks are excluded. Please note checks have not fully concluded regarding the 2024 Nitrates Derogation so this data is subject to change. Table 1 below provides a breakdown of 2024 derogation...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Control of Dogs (2 Oct 2025)

Martin Heydon: From 1 June 2025, all policy and legislative responsibility for the Control of Dogs Acts transferred to my Department from the Department of Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht (DRCDG). Prior to 2025, DRCDG did not provide funding to local authorities to employ dog wardens. In July 2024, funding of €2 million was announced for local authorities to support the...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Schemes (2 Oct 2025)

Martin Heydon: The application window for the scheme to support Long Established Young Farmers has closed and there are no plans to extend the eligibility criteria. Since the time my Department was first approached in 2015 with regard to the group commonly referred to as forgotten farmers, the group was defined as young farmers who were under the age of 40 in 2015, had established their holdings prior...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Culls (2 Oct 2025)

Martin Heydon: My Department, along with the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage established the Irish Deer Management Strategy group to develop a strategy for the sustainable management of deer in Ireland. The Group comprised representatives from my Department, National Parks & Wildlife Service (NPWS) and Coillte. A report was published into “Developing a Sustainable Deer...