Results 721-740 of 4,825 for speaker:Martin Heydon

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Grant Payments (12 Jun 2025)

Martin Heydon: Applications for a Succession Planning Advice Grant are accepted and processed by the Department all year round. I am advised that my department has no record of an application received from or on behalf of the individual referred to. Applications are currently being accepted for Tranche 3 and can be sent by email to . Full details of the scheme are available on the Department's website .

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Breeding (12 Jun 2025)

Martin Heydon: The Dog Control Stakeholder Group was established in March 2024 to review the Control of Dogs Acts and the Dog Breeding Establishments Act. The stakeholder group's remit includes considering the need for legislative change. Following a number of serious incidents, the then Minister for Rural and Community Development decided to introduce legislation to protect public safety. As part of...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Welfare (12 Jun 2025)

Martin Heydon: The Veterinary Council of Ireland (VCI) announced in April 2024 that it had updated its Code of Professional Conduct for Veterinary Practitioners to prohibit veterinarians from carrying out surgical artificial insemination in dogs due to ethical and welfare considerations. However, this new prohibition does not apply to greyhounds, as the practice is provided for in legislation under the...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Departmental Data (12 Jun 2025)

Martin Heydon: A high-level stakeholder group was established in March 2024 to consider the policy and legislative matters related to the Dog Control Acts and the Dog Breeding Establishments Act. The Dog Control Stakeholder Group is independently chaired by retired Deputy Garda Commissioner Mr John Twomey and is comprised of members with a broad range of expertise including animal welfare charities,...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Departmental Inquiries (12 Jun 2025)

Martin Heydon: My Department considers applications for aquaculture and foreshore licences in accordance with the provisions of the Fisheries (Amendment) Act 1997 as amended, the Foreshore Act 1933 (as amended) and applicable national and EU legislation. The licensing process involves consultation with a wide range of scientific and technical advisers as well as various Statutory Consultees. The legislation...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Departmental Contracts (12 Jun 2025)

Martin Heydon: It is not possible to provide the information requested by the Deputy in the required time. The information is currently being compiled and we will forward it to the Deputy as soon as it is available.

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Departmental Reviews (12 Jun 2025)

Martin Heydon: I propose to take Questions Nos. 454, 455 and 456 together. I note that this issue relates to the assessment and scoring of commonage in Alohert for the making of results-based payments under the Agri-Climate Rural Environment Scheme (ACRES). I have been advised that the ACRES Co-operation Project (CP) Team in the ACRES Co-operation zone in question, namely the ACRES Kerry/West Cork CP...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Fisheries Protection (12 Jun 2025)

Martin Heydon: The monitoring and control of fishing vessels within Ireland’s Exclusive Fisheries Zone are matters for the Irish control authorities. Under the Sea Fisheries and Maritime Jurisdiction Act, 2006, all operational issues of this nature concerning sea fisheries control are, as a matter of law, exclusively for the Sea Fisheries Protection Authority (SFPA) and the Naval Service. As...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Welfare (12 Jun 2025)

Martin Heydon: In March 2024, the then Minister for Rural and Community Development established the Dog Control stakeholder group to review the Control of Dogs Acts and the Dog Breeding Establishments Act. The stakeholder group's remit includes considering the need for legislative change. This requires in-depth analysis and consultation to ensure amendments are not just robust, fit for purpose and...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Breeding (12 Jun 2025)

Martin Heydon: The Programme for Government provides a commitment to ensure that all legislation and policy in relation to the control of dogs, dog welfare and dog breeding establishments, will transfer to my Department. From 1 June 2025, under S.I. No. 238/2025 – Dog Control (Transfer of Departmental Administration and Ministerial Functions) Order 2025, all policy and legislative responsibility...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Departmental Strategies (12 Jun 2025)

Martin Heydon: The Department started the process of preparing a new Statement of Strategy 2025 -2028, following the appointment of the new Minsters on 22nd January 2025. My Department, has completed a full internal and external consultation process. Submissions were received from Government Departments, State Bodies under the aegis of my Department and various stakeholders. These submissions along with the...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Welfare (12 Jun 2025)

Martin Heydon: My Department does not differentiate between emails to the dedicated animal welfare email address and calls received through the animal welfare helpline. Both of these forms of communication generate official animal welfare complaints through our system. Animal welfare complaints generate case reports which are referred for investigation by authorised officers and appropriate action is...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Departmental Data (11 Jun 2025)

Martin Heydon: My Department operates a dedicated Oireachtas Liaison Unit. The Unit was established in 2016 to assist Oireachtas members with their constituent's individual payment queries, specifically related to schemes under the Common Agricultural Policy. The Contact details are: e-mail: oireachtas@agriculture.gov.ie, Telephone: 076 -1064460. State Bodies under the aegis of my Department provide...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Departmental Contracts (11 Jun 2025)

Martin Heydon: There were no capital projects for IT Services in my Department that had contracts valued in excess of €1million, and that failed to reach completion for the years 2022, 2023 and 2024. As regards the 13 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...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Departmental Contracts (11 Jun 2025)

Martin Heydon: I wish to inform the Deputy that the information requested is set out 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 State Bodies themselves. I have referred the Deputy’s question to the Agencies and have requested that a response should issue within 10 days. Capital...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Departmental Schemes (11 Jun 2025)

Martin Heydon: The person named submitted an application under the ACRES Co-operation stream and was approved into Tranche 1 of the scheme, with a commencement date of 1st January 2023. While payments for 2023 have been made, to date this case has not passed all the required 2024 advance payment validations due to an issue relating to the commonage claim. The case is being worked on and I expect this...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Departmental Schemes (11 Jun 2025)

Martin Heydon: The On Farm Market Valuation Scheme (OFMV) is the main element of the compensation regime for bovine livestock slaughtered as part of a national statutory disease eradication programme. Independent Valuers are appointed by me to undertake live valuations of bovine livestock under the OFMV for official disease control purposes. The current panel of Independent Valuers is due to expire on...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Departmental Schemes (11 Jun 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 ACRES interim payment issued to the herd owner in February 2024 in the sum of €4,000. To date this case has not passed the 2023 payment validations. Department officials are actively working to resolve the issues...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Departmental Inquiries (11 Jun 2025)

Martin Heydon: The person named submitted an application under the ACRES General stream and was approved into Tranche 1, with a commencement date of 1st January 2023. I have made further enquiries and it is my understanding that my Department has been in contact with the herdowner explaining the current position in relation to the processing of this transfer request. My Department acknowledges the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Departmental Staff (11 Jun 2025)

Martin Heydon: I can advise the Deputy that my Department has engaged retired officials on 11 occasions on a consultancy basis in the past four years and to date in 2025. The reasons for engaging them and the cost incurred are included in the attached table. All Department staff provide annual Conflict of Interest declarations. It is not Department policy to apply this obligation on contractors. ...