Results 3,341-3,360 of 3,729 for speaker:Martin Heydon

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

Martin Heydon: My Department is implementing and administering Ireland's €258 million Seafood Development Programme which is being co-funded by this Government and the European Commission under the European Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund (EMFAF) 2021-2027. It provides a range of schemes through which the sector can access funding. All sector schemes are administered by Bord Iascaigh...

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

Martin Heydon: The Aquaculture Licences Appeals Board (ALAB) was established on 17th June 1998 under Section 22 of the Fisheries (Amendment) Act, 1997 (as amended) (the "1997 Act"). The function of the Board is to provide an independent authority for the determination of appeals against decisions of the relevant Minister on aquaculture licence applications. As provided for under Section 23 of the...

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

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

Martin Heydon: My colleague Minister Timmy Dooley T.D. and I are both aware of the challenges facing the aquaculture sector. Minister Dooley recently met with industry representatives in the seafood sector, including IFA Aquaculture, he met with Rope Grown Mussel producers in the South West this month, and will be attending the IFA Aquaculture annual conference in late March. While Minister Dooley and...

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

Martin Heydon: All current and future AI use by my Department is subject to human review, data protection and governance measures. The following Department operations are conducted using artificial intelligence tools:Smart text analysis to prevent and contain data breaches. Any AI tools used by my Department are developed in a bespoke manner to address specific business needs. My Department is...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht – Questions on Policy or Legislation (27 Mar 2025)

Martin Heydon: I am happy to answer this question. This structural change is very much seen by Coillte as bringing the whole area of biodiversity and its importance into the heart of the Coillte organisation and it is not in any way a diminution of the importance of the work that Coillte Nature did previously. It is just a structural change within that organisation, and the key focus and importance of...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht – Questions on Policy or Legislation (27 Mar 2025)

Martin Heydon: In February, yes. It is very much still a focus. I can reassure the Deputy of that.

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Industry (25 Mar 2025)

Martin Heydon: The family farm remains central to Irish agriculture, with women contributing in many different capacities. I recognise that policies must support greater gender equality. That is why a request for proposals to investigate “Women in Farming – Examining the visibility, equality and status of women in farming in Ireland” was included in my Department’s Policy and...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Common Agricultural Policy (25 Mar 2025)

Martin Heydon: It is a key responsibility of Government to raise Ireland's concerns with our EU partners and to influence EU policy. For my part as Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, I meet with my counterparts in the Council of the European Union every month to discuss and shape agriculture and food policy in the EU. I have and will continue to engage with Christophe Hansen, the European...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Industry (25 Mar 2025)

Martin Heydon: Taxation policy is primarily the responsibility of my colleague, the Minister for Finance. However, both Departments work closely to ensure taxation policy is consistent with Government priorities for the agri-food sector. The new Programme for Government prioritises “supporting inter-generational farm succession”. Food Vision 2030, our shared strategy for the agri-food...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Schemes (25 Mar 2025)

Martin Heydon: A total of €247.4 million has been paid to 42,631 participants (25,537 General and 17,094 Co-operation), or 95% of all ACRES participants, in respect of their participation in the Scheme in 2023. A further 2,302 farmers have yet to receive their final payments for 2023. Of these, 2,008 have already received an interim payment of either €4,000 or €5,000, respectively,...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Schemes (25 Mar 2025)

Martin Heydon: The Agri-Climate Rural Environment Scheme, or "ACRES" as it is more commonly known, is the first scheme of its kind to upscale results-based payments to a national level. The implementation of such an ambitious and innovative scheme is a significant change in the way agri-environmental schemes are delivered, and this change has come with complexities and challenges. As of March 21st,...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Diseases (25 Mar 2025)

Martin Heydon: In 2024, my Department provided advice to Dublin Zoo in relation to import requirements that may have been applicable to hyperimmune serum that was being imported from Chester Zoo. The Zoo was advised by my Department that this product was exempt from import controls as it was classed as a veterinary medicinal product. My Department has no role in the operational management of elephant...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Harbours and Piers (25 Mar 2025)

Martin Heydon: The responsibility for the development and maintenance of local authority owned piers, harbours and slipways rests with each local authority. The relevant local authority in the case of Cé Heilbhic is Waterford City & County Council. As part of the annual Fishery Harbour and Coastal Infrastructure Development Programme, my Department provides funding to assist coastal local...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Fisheries Protection (25 Mar 2025)

Martin Heydon: In 2018, a transition period to a ban on vessels over 18 metres trawling in inshore waters, inside the six nautical mile zone and the baselines, was announced. This measure, however, was the subject of extended legal proceedings resulting in the measure being overturned in 2023. In 2024, over a period of eight weeks, the Minister held a new public consultation on a review of trawling...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forestry Sector (25 Mar 2025)

Martin Heydon: The afforestation rates for the years 2020-2024 are as follows: In 2020, 2,434 hectares were planted and in 2021, 2,016 hectares. In 2022, 2,073 hectares were planted. In 2023, 1,651 hectares were planted. Last year there were 1,573 hectares of new planting. The current forestry programme is the best funded in the state's history providing the most attractive financial...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Fisheries Protection (25 Mar 2025)

Martin Heydon: In 2018, a transition period to a ban on vessels over 18 metres trawling in inshore waters, inside the six nautical mile zone and the baselines, was announced. This measure, however, was the subject of extended legal proceedings resulting in the measure being overturned in 2023. In 2024, over a period of eight weeks, the Minister held a new public consultation on a review of trawling...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Trade Sanctions (25 Mar 2025)

Martin Heydon: As a small, open exporting economy, Ireland is sensitive to any change in global trading conditions. Therefore, any imposition of tariffs by the U.S. authorities will if enacted have the potential to pose significant challenges for Irish exporters of agri-food products to the US. This is of particular concern as the US is the second largest market for Irish agri-food exports after the UK...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Supports (25 Mar 2025)

Martin Heydon: I would like to thank the Deputy for raising this question on such an important issue. Farm safety, health and wellbeing is a priority for this Government. There is a specific focus in the Programme for Government on farmer mental health and well-being, recognising the unique challenges faced by the sector. Through dedicated funding of €2.5 million allocated in Budget 2025,...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Schemes (25 Mar 2025)

Martin Heydon: Budget 2025 allocated a sum of €22 million for the continuation and expansion of the National Sheep Welfare Scheme (NSWS). The increased funding will provide for an additional €5 breeding ewe payment bringing the total scheme payment rate for participants to €13 per ewe this year. The increased payment rate will ensure that, when combined with the €12 per ewe...