Results 541-560 of 4,825 for speaker:Martin Heydon

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Departmental Staff (2 Jul 2025)

Martin Heydon: My Department is committed to ensuring that a highly skilled and motivated workforce is in place to meet business needs and uses workforce planning to identify and assess these needs for all locations. Recruitment is ongoing in my Department at present, and employment opportunities continue to be advertised either by the Public Jobs or by my Department's Human Resources Division. I am aware...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Nitrates Usage (2 Jul 2025)

Martin Heydon: The Programme for Government clearly sets out the Government's commitment to present the best case for continuance of Ireland's current Nitrates Derogation whilst working with farmers to deliver improved water quality. A Cabinet Committee on water quality chaired by the Taoiseach to coordinate water quality improvements and to work to secure Ireland's Nitrates Derogation at EU level has...

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

Martin Heydon: In early 2024, my Department requested Teagasc to lead a multi-actor water quality advisory campaign to deliver clear, simple and positive messaging to enhance the understanding of farmers, as well as the broader agri-food industry of the agriculture pressures on water quality and the need for improvement. Arising from that request, Teagasc launched their Better Farming for Water...

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

Martin Heydon: Population control of badgers is a key component of the wildlife programme in the bovine TB programme in areas of high disease incidence and where the source of a TB outbreak is attributed to badgers. My Department's wildlife programme uses both vaccination and culling of badgers where appropriate. I can confirm that the number of badgers culled and vaccinated to date in 2025 is 4424 and 1795...

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

Martin Heydon: Bovine TB is a challenging disease to control and eradicate. In recent years, bovine TB (bTB) levels have continued to deteriorate. Herd incidence has increased from 4.31% in 2022 to 6.04% in 2024, resulting in a 36% increase in the number of herds restricted between 2022 and 2024. As of 22nd June 2025, over a 12 month period we had a herd incidence of 6.43 % with over 43,455 reactors....

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

Martin Heydon: Bovine TB is a challenging disease to control and eradicate. In recent years, bovine TB (bTB) levels have continued to deteriorate. Herd incidence has increased from 4.31% in 2022 to 6.04% in 2024, resulting in a 36% increase in the number of herds restricted between 2022 and 2024. As of 22nd June 2025, over a 12 month period we had a herd incidence of 6.43 % with over 43,455 reactors....

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Wild Fires (2 Jul 2025)

Martin Heydon: My Department is satisfied with the recent Multi-agency response to recent fires on Tara Hill, which occurred during particularly challenging weather conditions for fire, and in difficult terrain. My Department is not aware of ongoing issues with emergency service access at this site, either on public roads or within the forest area itself. By their nature forest fires in rural areas...

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

Martin Heydon: My Department, along with other public sector bodies was involved in an extensive investigation of animal health and environmental concerns on the farm of the person for whom the Deputy has provided details. An inter-agency group (IAG) was convened in June 2004 and comprised my Department’s Laboratories, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Teagasc, the Health Services...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Industry (2 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 provides compensation to affected herdowners up to the market value that each individual animal would have attained on the open market had it not been affected by disease. ...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Departmental Strategies (1 Jul 2025)

Martin Heydon: My Department together with the Department of Environment, Climate and Communications co-published an agri centric National Biomethane Strategy in May of 2024. This was Ireland’s first major policy statement on biomethane and is an important milestone in the development of an indigenous sector. Strategy development was guided by a working group which was chaired by my Department with...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Departmental Programmes (1 Jul 2025)

Martin Heydon: I propose to take Questions Nos. 604 and 606 together. The pilot Farm Environmental Study (FES) was introduced during the CAP transitional period with the objective of providing a baseline measurement of biodiversity on farms before the commencement of the CAP Strategic Plan (CSP) in order to support the introduction of the CSP programme. Following a public procurement process, a...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Departmental Policies (1 Jul 2025)

Martin Heydon: Pesticide active substances, such as glyphosate, contained in plant protection products are approved, or not, centrally at EU level, based on a rigorous scientific peer review process managed by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). Products containing EU-approved active substances are subsequently authorised, or not, nationally, in accordance with evaluation and decision-making...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Departmental Schemes (1 Jul 2025)

Martin Heydon: My understanding is that the local improvement scheme operated by the Department of Community and Rural Development provides for the kind of investment referred to by the Deputy. My Department does not have funding for this purpose, nor am I aware of any request from any other Government Department for such funding. I will pass the Deputy’s enquiry on to that Minister for direct reply.

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Schemes (1 Jul 2025)

Martin Heydon: To date 44,186 or 99% of those who commenced their Agri-Climate Rural Environment Scheme contracts in 2023 have received full payment for that year. This means that 514 participant are awaiting finalisation of their 2023 contracts. Of these, 236 have already received an interim payment of either €4,000 or €5,000, respectively. In many instances, this will cover the entire...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Departmental Meetings (1 Jul 2025)

Martin Heydon: While I have not met with the group, I have engaged with them through my office. I am committed to meeting them in the near future.

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Departmental Meetings (1 Jul 2025)

Martin Heydon: I would like to advise the Deputy that my Department has held 13 bilateral meetings with the Environmental Protection Agency since I have taken office. A full list of meetings dates and officials attending is detailed in the table below. Date of Meeting Attendees 27/01/2025 Department: Rebecca Chapman, Sheila Nolan, Michelle Corrigan, Liam...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Welfare (1 Jul 2025)

Martin Heydon: My Department takes the matter of animal welfare most seriously and responds to any reports of alleged animal cruelty or legislative non-compliance. The Animal Health and Welfare Act 2013, provides a modern framework for regulating and applying standards in the area of animal health and welfare, for all animals. My Department is aware of this case but does not comment on individual cases. ...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Sales (1 Jul 2025)

Martin Heydon: The Department does not issue exporter licences but issues an exporter certificate for all commercial movement of pets. The type of certification is dependent on whether the destination is to other EU countries or non-EU countries. 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...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Departmental Contracts (1 Jul 2025)

Martin Heydon: I would like to advise the Deputy that my Department has granted 17 public service contracts worth €10 million or more in the past five years. A list of the public services contracts and the additional information requested is contained in the attached table. As regards the 13 State Bodies under the aegis of my Department, the information requested is an operational matter for the...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Wildlife Conservation (1 Jul 2025)

Martin Heydon: The Irish Deer Management Strategy group was established 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. It published a report into “Developing a Sustainable Deer Management Strategy for Ireland” in December 2023. The report...