Results 401-420 of 3,707 for speaker:Martin Heydon

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Supports (19 Mar 2025)

Martin Heydon: My Department has responsibility for the licensing of aquaculture operations, including those farming seaweed. Wild harvesting of seaweed is outside the remit of the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine. I am aware of the increasing interest in seaweed aquaculture production at EU level, and I know that there is potential for growth in this area in Ireland. The National...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Schemes (19 Mar 2025)

Martin Heydon: The information requested is being compiled and will be forwarded directly to the Deputy when available.

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Passports (19 Mar 2025)

Martin Heydon: The issue of individual passport applications is a matter for Horse Sport Ireland.

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Passports (19 Mar 2025)

Martin Heydon: There are seven Passport Issuing Organisation (PIOs) within the State approved by my Department to issue equine passports. I am aware that there have been delays with the issuing of passports by Horse Sport Ireland (HSI), which is one of the approved PIOs, following the introduction of an ‘E-Passporting System' which is called 'HorseSource’. Officials in my Department are in...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Schemes (19 Mar 2025)

Martin Heydon: The person named submitted an application under the ACRES General stream and was approved into Tranche 1 of the scheme, with a commencement date of 1st January 2023. An interim payment of €4,000 issued to the herd owner in February 2024 in respect of their participation in the Scheme. To date this case had not passed the 2023 balance payment validations due to an issue with the...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Schemes (19 Mar 2025)

Martin Heydon: The person named submitted an application under the ACRES General stream and was approved into Tranche 1 of the scheme, with a commencement date of 1st January 2023. Payments in respect of scheme year 2023 have been finalised for this case. The 2024 advance payment has not yet been made due to an issue with the claim for Rotational Actions on the contract. My Department is working to...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Departmental Staff (19 Mar 2025)

Martin Heydon: All persons recruited into my Department are fully vetted and cleared before they are employed by my Department. As regards the twelve 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 State bodies and have requested that a response should issue within 10 days.

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Welfare (19 Mar 2025)

Martin Heydon: My Department takes the matter of animal welfare seriously. The welfare of equines is protected by legislation. My Department takes appropriate enforcement action where breaches or shortcomings are identified and responds to any reports of alleged animal cruelty or legislative non-compliance. Neglect of or causing unnecessary suffering to animals is not acceptable in our society. I am...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Legislative Reviews (19 Mar 2025)

Martin Heydon: The Island Fisheries (Heritage Licence) Bill 2017 to which the Deputy refers was a Private Members’ Bill first introduced to Dáil Éireann in 2017. It sought to create a specific system for licensing island fishers to conduct small-scale coastal fishing activities, and the Bill would have provided regulatory powers for this purpose. The Bill lapsed with the dissolution of the...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Horse Racing Industry (19 Mar 2025)

Martin Heydon: Horse Racing Ireland (HRI) is a commercial state body established under the Horse and Greyhound Racing Act, 2001, and is responsible for the overall administration, promotion and development of the horse racing industry. The question raised by the Deputy is a matter for HRI and, therefore, the question has been referred to the body for direct reply.

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Passports (19 Mar 2025)

Martin Heydon: It is already a legal requirement for equines (horses, ponies and donkeys) to have a passport. The passport should be issued no later than 12 months from the equine’s date of birth or before the equine leaves the establishment where it was born, whichever is the earlier date. Passport applications for foals should be submitted to the relevant Passport Issuing Organisation (PIO) within...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Departmental Schemes (19 Mar 2025)

Martin Heydon: Recognising the significant impact of the EU/UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA) on the Irish Seafood Sector, Minister McConalogue established the Seafood Task Force in March 2021 to examine the implications arising from the TCA for the Irish fishing industry and the coastal communities which particularly depend upon it. The Brexit Fish Processor Transition Scheme was implemented in...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Planning Issues (19 Mar 2025)

Martin Heydon: The project to construct the Deep Water Quay in Ros an Mhíl Fishery Harbour Centre commenced in January 2023 and was proceeding to plan. The planning permission granted was due to expire in July 2023, before the works would be completed, and consulting Engineers for the Department prepared and applied for an extension to the Planning Authority, Galway County Council, in May 2023. An...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Schemes (19 Mar 2025)

Martin Heydon: The person named was approved for grant aid under the Young Farmer Capital Investment Scheme, which is a measure under the Targeted Agricultural Modernisation Scheme (TAMS 3). They submitted a claim in respect of their completed investment on 28 May 2024. Following an examination of the payment claim and subsequent legal advice received, it was found that the young farmer owns an inferior...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Departmental Meetings (19 Mar 2025)

Martin Heydon: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1265 and 1266 together. My department attends all of meetings of the Nitrates committee and will attend all 2025 meetings also. In relation to discussions around the nitrates derogation, at the December Nitrates Committee meeting which took place on 12th December 2024, my department advised the EU Nitrates Committee, that in accordance with Paragraph 2 (b)...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Industry (19 Mar 2025)

Martin Heydon: My Department offers incentives to Partnerships including the Collaborative Farm Grant Scheme and other benefits are available from other agencies such as preferential stock relief from the Revenue Commissioners. At the core of partnerships is a written legal agreement between the various members which sets out the conditions of the partnership including where payments are to be made....

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Departmental Contracts (19 Mar 2025)

Martin Heydon: My Department has no contracts with Abtran.

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Horticulture Sector (19 Mar 2025)

Martin Heydon: The National Strategy for Horticulture 2023-2027 includes an action for my department to work with local authorities to implement and support community gardens and allotments to encourage enthusiasm for gardening / growing and promote fresh produce consumption and healthy eating. To progress this action a short survey was issued to 31 county councils/local authorities to get a snapshot of...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Sales (19 Mar 2025)

Martin Heydon: Commercial movement of pets is defined where a pet, or pets, is either travelling unaccompanied, or is travelling for the use of trading, or for shows, sporting events or where an owner has more than 5 pets travelling. The number of dogs exported commercially from Ireland in the past five years are listed in the tabular form below: Year Amount 2020 ...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Aquaculture Industry (19 Mar 2025)

Martin Heydon: My Department is focused on reducing emissions from land, protecting the environment and maintaining biodiversity, as well as ensuring farmer’s livelihoods and the family farm model of agriculture is protected. My Department supports a number of initiatives, including Ireland's flagship €1.5 billion-euro agri-environmental scheme ACRES facilitates the provision of a suite of...