Results 601-620 of 4,825 for speaker:Martin Heydon

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Departmental Reviews (24 Jun 2025)

Martin Heydon: My Department has conducted a search of our systems and the herdowners in question do not appear to have any outstanding bovine TB or bovine brucellosis compensation payments. If the herdowners have any further information in relation to this matter they can contact their local Regional Veterinary Office for direct assistance.

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Departmental Expenditure (24 Jun 2025)

Martin Heydon: The persons named submitted an application under the ACRES General stream and were approved into Tranche 1 of the scheme, with a commencement date of 1st January 2023. An ACRES interim payment issued to the herd owners in April 2024 in the sum of €4,000. This case is progressing through validation checks and payment will issue when all such checks have been successfully passed....

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Charitable and Voluntary Organisations (24 Jun 2025)

Martin Heydon: Animal welfare is a key priority for me as Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine and for the Government. My Department provides considerable funding to support, eligible, animal welfare charities, nationwide, through the annual Animal Welfare Grant Programme. The information requested by the Deputy is set out below, in tabular form. Donkey Sanctuary awards through the Animal...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Waste Management (19 Jun 2025)

Martin Heydon: The Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage has responsibility for the overall development of national planning policy and legislation, which includes the appropriate setback rules for anaerobic digestion facilities. These facilities, and other integrated assets, are required to undergo a planning process to ensure proper consideration of a range of factors, including location,...

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

Martin Heydon: The Areas of Natural Constraints (ANC) scheme provides financial compensation to farmers in recognition of the additional cost they incur in farming land that is designated as disadvantaged/constrained. In 2019, Ireland was required, under Articles 31 and 32 of Regulation (EU) No 1305/2013, to change the approach used to designating land as eligible for payment under the scheme. Up to that...

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

Martin Heydon: As part of Budget 2025, my Department secured an allocation of €5 million to provide support to the group of farmers commonly referred to as ‘forgotten farmers’. A key first step in this process was to launch an online survey to assist in determining the number of farmers who meet the long-standing criteria for forgotten farmers. This survey closed on Friday, 30 May...

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

Martin Heydon: The table below shows the numbers of staff in my Department remotely working up to three days per week from home, or fully on site, in December of 2022 2023,2024 and June of 2025 for my Department. - Hybrid Hybrid Fully on site Fully on site Part-time Full-time Part-time Full-time ...

Select Committee on Agriculture and Food: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 30 - Agriculture, Food and the Marine (Further Revised) (18 Jun 2025)

Martin Heydon: Members have the rest of the opening statement. They can take it as read or they can read on.

Select Committee on Agriculture and Food: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 30 - Agriculture, Food and the Marine (Further Revised) (18 Jun 2025)

Martin Heydon: I will leave it in the committee's hands. Whatever members like.

Select Committee on Agriculture and Food: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 30 - Agriculture, Food and the Marine (Further Revised) (18 Jun 2025)

Martin Heydon: I thank Deputy Kenny for raising those points. He spent a good part of the afternoon on the area of TB. It is taking up much of my time now as well. It is understandably a huge cause of concern for farmers. Let us be honest. We are seeing incidence now that we have not seen before. I do not remember any of my neighbours having 40 or 50 reactors in one herd when I was growing up at home,...

Select Committee on Agriculture and Food: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 30 - Agriculture, Food and the Marine (Further Revised) (18 Jun 2025)

Martin Heydon: I will finish on this point. We do have a different model, but this is not impossible. For so long, farmers have felt it is impossible. It is not. What we have to do now is a range of interventions and measures that will stop the increase that has been happing in recent times, stabilise it and then within a two- or three-year period we could see a very significant reduction in the numbers...

Select Committee on Agriculture and Food: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 30 - Agriculture, Food and the Marine (Further Revised) (18 Jun 2025)

Martin Heydon: I do not have the money at present to do everything I would like to do in respect of TB. As to what was allocated in last year's budget for doing this, just short of €74 million was allocated. Ultimately, I am putting together a strong business case that-----

Select Committee on Agriculture and Food: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 30 - Agriculture, Food and the Marine (Further Revised) (18 Jun 2025)

Martin Heydon: I am liaising with colleagues across Government. I am making a strong business case that investment of extra finances now will save us and farmers money in the long run and will protect a very important industry. If I have to find it from my own budget, it will be a very significant amount to have to find. Either way, I cannot afford not to act.

Select Committee on Agriculture and Food: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 30 - Agriculture, Food and the Marine (Further Revised) (18 Jun 2025)

Martin Heydon: No. What subhead is this under?

Select Committee on Agriculture and Food: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 30 - Agriculture, Food and the Marine (Further Revised) (18 Jun 2025)

Martin Heydon: That is under programme C – policy and strategy.

Select Committee on Agriculture and Food: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 30 - Agriculture, Food and the Marine (Further Revised) (18 Jun 2025)

Martin Heydon: Regarding the 3.8% reduction, that difference in main is due to reduction in the research and development sector. The SBCI growth and stability loan scheme has been very popular and has been supported by farmers. The banking institutions have made that clear. It is part of the NDP and it is part of my discussions with the Minister for public expenditure under the current revision of the NDP.

Select Committee on Agriculture and Food: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 30 - Agriculture, Food and the Marine (Further Revised) (18 Jun 2025)

Martin Heydon: No. In subhead C on policy and strategy, there is a 3.8% difference between the 2024 Supplementary Estimate and 2025. That is mainly due to a reduction in the research and development sector funding. We have seen the growth and stability loan scheme be very popular and fully drawn down by some of the lending institutions. I hope to be able to put more money into that if I get more in the...

Select Committee on Agriculture and Food: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 30 - Agriculture, Food and the Marine (Further Revised) (18 Jun 2025)

Martin Heydon: Under C10, it is down 25% from 2024 to 2025. That is where my ask is, as part of the NDP review, for more money to top it up.

Select Committee on Agriculture and Food: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 30 - Agriculture, Food and the Marine (Further Revised) (18 Jun 2025)

Martin Heydon: It is fully subscribed through the institutions. It is down over the period of the whole scheme, so I want to get more money to top it up.

Select Committee on Agriculture and Food: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 30 - Agriculture, Food and the Marine (Further Revised) (18 Jun 2025)

Martin Heydon: The claim amounts to the received and the date of consideration.