Results 2,741-2,760 of 3,729 for speaker:Martin Heydon

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: General Scheme of the Veterinary Medicinal Products, Medicated Feed and Fertilisers Regulation Bill 2022: Discussion (Resumed) (11 Oct 2022)

Martin Heydon: Mr. Massey will answer that very valid point about derogation farmers.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: General Scheme of the Veterinary Medicinal Products, Medicated Feed and Fertilisers Regulation Bill 2022: Discussion (Resumed) (11 Oct 2022)

Martin Heydon: That is subjective. I have to re-iterate to Senator Lombard that the priority here has been to meet our regulatory requirements while also giving farmers the greatest choice possible and trying to minimise that impact on businesses that are in that space. It is a matter of trying to strike the right balance between all those different bits. Change is challenging for lots of different...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: General Scheme of the Veterinary Medicinal Products, Medicated Feed and Fertilisers Regulation Bill 2022: Discussion (Resumed) (11 Oct 2022)

Martin Heydon: We have received the opinion very recently. We are in the hands of the committee as to whether we finish tonight and the committee gives the go-ahead, pending the analysis of that decision. Obviously, there is time pressure here, not just for this part of the Bill, but also for the second part of the Bill, which we will discuss in time. Some farmers are dependent on eco schemes and other...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: General Scheme of the Veterinary Medicinal Products, Medicated Feed and Fertilisers Regulation Bill 2022: Discussion (Resumed) (11 Oct 2022)

Martin Heydon: That is a very specific point on which I might defer to my officials. Would the contractor be applying fertiliser in that specific space?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: General Scheme of the Veterinary Medicinal Products, Medicated Feed and Fertilisers Regulation Bill 2022: Discussion (Resumed) (11 Oct 2022)

Martin Heydon: Greenkeepers, golf courses, sports turf and similar operators are covered by this. They have to register as users. It depends whether the club purchases the fertiliser separately or if it is sold by the operator. An operator might offer an overall package where the club pays X amount of money for the process and part of the cost is for the fertilser. It is the same as a farmer dealing with...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Mental Health Services (25 Oct 2022)

Martin Heydon: I thank Deputy Stanton for raising this critically important issue. As Minister of State with special responsibility for farm safety, I have always considered farmers' mental health and wellbeing to be inextricably linked to farm safety. We know that a farmer is seven times more likely to lose his or her life in a workplace incident on his or her farm than in any other profession in the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Mental Health Services (25 Oct 2022)

Martin Heydon: I completely concur. All those challenges are there, from concerns about the price of inputs, the weather, inspections, prices for their products, overall economic sustainability to all the pressures resulting from a narrative out there that farmers are to blame for many of the challenges. The real risk here for farmers is isolation. They spend all their time on their own and may live in...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Mental Health Services (25 Oct 2022)

Martin Heydon: We are working with the HSE and working closely with Department of Health and other State agencies such as the Health and Safety Authority, HSA, where we have a number of initiatives and literature on that area as well. We are also funding further research. The Dublin City University, DCU, farm health study has a very important role to expand our information and knowledge in this area. In...

Seanad: Gnó an tSeanaid - Business of Seanad: Animal Welfare (24 Nov 2022)

Martin Heydon: On behalf of the Minister, Deputy McConalogue, I thank Senator Boylan for raising what is a very important issue. I am delighted to have the opportunity to outline the work across government in this area, the commitments we have made in the programme for Government and how we are acting on them and what the different Departments are doing. The Senator has directed this question towards me...

Seanad: Gnó an tSeanaid - Business of Seanad: Animal Welfare (24 Nov 2022)

Martin Heydon: I will bring the points raised by the Senator directly back to the Minister, Deputy McConalogue. The Commencement matter tabled by the Senator referred to capacity in the shelters and contingency plans. The broad approach the Government takes feeds into that. The programme for Government includes a commitment to promote responsible pet ownership. The Senator's point in respect of welfare...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Horse Racing Industry (7 Dec 2022)

Martin Heydon: I thank the Senator for raising this critical issue not only for our county of Kildare but for the rural economy, of which the horse racing and breeding industry is such an integral part. It is a key contributor to the rural economy across Ireland. We know that is the case from the 2017 Deloitte report on the Economic Impact of Irish Breeding and Racing, commissioned by the HRI. That...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Horse Racing Industry (7 Dec 2022)

Martin Heydon: The Brexit adjustment reserve is where the ITBA has directed its ask and that is where the potential lies. You have to have that demonstrable impact from Brexit and there is no doubt in my mind that this industry has been impacted by that. The Senator spoke about successful schemes and so on. I pointed to the horse and greyhound racing fund earlier as a good indication of the Government's...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (18 Jan 2023)

Martin Heydon: Who paid for the UK polling?

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (8 Feb 2023)

Martin Heydon: The Deputy should let the Taoiseach answer.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (14 Feb 2023)

Martin Heydon: The only people talking about culling the national herd seem to be from the Opposition. Ultimately, we are talking about a Government climate action plan that sets very ambitious targets for how we reduce our emissions profile while continuing to produce top-quality food, as our farmers do throughout the country. Farmers who made the significant investments the Deputy talked about have been...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (14 Feb 2023)

Martin Heydon: It is an academic report that we will consider.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (21 Feb 2023)

Martin Heydon: The issue of import costs is a huge concern for us. That is why measures we have introduced across Government have been particularly targeted at supporting farmers. Last year we had the fodder scheme and more than €90 million of different interventions to support farmers in that regard. Government will continue to step in and provide support there. We have also supported farmers...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (21 Feb 2023)

Martin Heydon: As for the proposal the Deputy is talking about, I am happy for my officials to look at that and examine it further.

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Local Authorities (22 Feb 2023)

Martin Heydon: I thank the Senator for raising what is an important issue. He articulated it in terms that I can understand. When he started referencing Kildare and municipal districts, I could see the benefit of municipal districts and how they have worked well to streamline the decision-making process, so I can understand his frustration. On behalf of my colleagues, the Minister of State, Deputy...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Local Authorities (22 Feb 2023)

Martin Heydon: I appreciate the points the Senator made and I accept his frustration in that regard. In each of the Dublin local authorities and on Cork and Galway city councils, where area committees exist, decisions can be made in local areas but, as he pointed out, those decisions have to then be brought forward to the council for further discussion. He made his point well on subsidiarity. We know...