Results 3,581-3,600 of 3,729 for speaker:Martin Heydon

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Fisheries Protection (1 May 2025)

Martin Heydon: On an annual basis, my Department completes a Sustainability Impact Assessment (SIA) to examine the overall impacts the possible fishing opportunities for the following year could have on the sustainability of the fishing sector from a biological, economic and social perspective. The SIA is based on the advice on fish stocks published by the International Council for the Exploration of the...

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

Martin Heydon: The responsibility for the development and maintenance of local authority owned piers, harbours and slipways rests with each local authority in the first instance and their parent Department, the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, thereafter. My Department, as a sub-scheme of its annual Fishery Harbour and Coastal Infrastructure Development Programme, provides limited...

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

Martin Heydon: My Department, under a sub-scheme of its annual Fishery Harbour and Coastal Infrastructure Development Programme, provides limited funding to assist coastal local authorities in carrying out small scale shovel-ready projects for the development and repair of piers, harbours and slipways in their ownership. Applications are evaluated, taking into account the Terms and Conditions of the scheme,...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Departmental Data (1 May 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 concerning sea-fisheries control are, as a matter of law, exclusively for the Sea Fisheries Protection Authority (SFPA) and the Naval Service. Under the Act, I am...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Fisheries Protection (1 May 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 (1 May 2025)

Martin Heydon: I recognise that the recent storms Darragh and Éowyn have caused varying degrees of damage around the country, including significant damage to trees and that this presents challenges to all stakeholders in forestry. All licence applications with affected areas of windblow will be prioritised by my Department. We are currently examining all potential options to support those...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forestry Sector (1 May 2025)

Martin Heydon: Forestry in Ireland operates within a legal and regulatory framework – the Forest Act 2014 and the Forestry Regulations 2017 (SI No 191 of 2017). The Forestry Act requires that forest owners who wish to fell their forests require a felling licence. The reason why a felling licence is required, in general, is to ensure that trees in a forest are harvested and removed in a way that...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Nitrates Usage (1 May 2025)

Martin Heydon: Firstly, the Programme for Government clearly sets out this Governments ambition to present the best case possible for continuance of Ireland's current derogation whilst working with farmers to deliver improvements in water quality. To that end, a Cabinet Committee on Water Quality chaired by the Taoiseach to coordinate water quality improvements across all sectors and work with farmers...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: EU Funding (29 Apr 2025)

Martin Heydon: My Department supports the development of the Irish aquaculture sector under Ireland's €258 Seafood Development Programme, which is co-funded by the Irish government and the EU Commission under the European Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund (EMFAF). It provides a number of schemes under which aquaculture operators may access support, such as the Seafood Training Scheme, the...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Welfare (29 Apr 2025)

Martin Heydon: My Department strongly condemns any cruelty or mistreatment of animals and takes matters of equine welfare and the integrity of the food chain very seriously. Following on from the June 2024 investigations programme, in light of the nature of evidence subsequently discovered in the course of the Department’s investigation, it was recently agreed that it was appropriate that An...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Welfare (29 Apr 2025)

Martin Heydon: My Department continues to work collaboratively with An Garda Síochána in undertaking an extensive investigation into the serious matters relating to the details supplied to ensure there is accountability for those responsible. In light of the nature of evidence discovered in the course of the Department’s investigation into these matters, it was recently agreed that it was...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Welfare (29 Apr 2025)

Martin Heydon: All slaughterhouses must be approved by my Department. There are ongoing inspections at slaughterhouses, including their lairages, and they are regularly audited. These inspections cover food safety checks including traceability, animal welfare and animal health checks. Where breaches of regulations are detected appropriate enforcement action is taken by my Department. The slaughterhouse...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Greyhound Industry (29 Apr 2025)

Martin Heydon: Rásaíocht Con Éireann (RCÉ) is a commercial state body, established under the Greyhound Industry Act, 1958 chiefly to control greyhound racing and to improve and develop the greyhound industry. RCÉ is a body corporate and a separate legal entity to the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine. The question raised by the Deputy is an operational matter for...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Greyhound Industry (29 Apr 2025)

Martin Heydon: The Irish Coursing Club (ICC) is the organisation charged with the role of Keeper of the Irish Greyhound Stud Book (IGSB) since 1923. The Stud Book records pedigrees, ownerships, breeding data and transfers of ownership primarily of all greyhounds. The ICC is subject to the general control and direction of Rásaíocht Con Éireann. The ICC has informed my Department that the...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Greyhound Industry (29 Apr 2025)

Martin Heydon: I am not aware of the allegations referred to by the Deputy. Rásaíocht Con Éireann (RCÉ) is a commercial state body, established under the Greyhound Industry Act, 1958 chiefly to control greyhound racing and to improve and develop the greyhound industry. RCÉ is a body corporate and a separate legal entity to the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine. ...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Industry (29 Apr 2025)

Martin Heydon: Significant progress has been achieved with many farmers embracing the change to Low Emission Slurry Spreading (LESS) technology, supported by grant aid under TAMS, and this is to be commended. I fully understand the issues raised in relation to LESS on more “marginal” land and this is one of the reasons why LESS has not yet been rolled out to all farmers. Farmers with a...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Employment Rights (29 Apr 2025)

Martin Heydon: Employment rights across all sectors are the responsibility of the Department of Enterprise, Trade & Employment. I am not aware of any plans to regulate employment terms and conditions in the equine sector at present.

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forestry Sector (29 Apr 2025)

Martin Heydon: My Department has received 117 applications to date in 2025 representing 464.24 hectares under the Reconstitution Ash Dieback scheme. A total of €3,267,144 has been paid to date in 2025 in relation to ash dieback, this includes payments under reconstitution schemes and the Climate Action Performance Payment, which may be availed of once reconstitution under the Departmental scheme has...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Common Agricultural Policy (29 Apr 2025)

Martin Heydon: Under the previous Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), the Department of Agriculture Food and the Marine (DAFM) operated the Green, Low-Carbon, Agri-Environment Scheme (GLAS). The scheme provided payments to farmers to help tackle climate change, preserve biodiversity, protect habitats and promote environmentally-friendly farming. In GLAS, commonages which were above 10 hectares required...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: EU Directives (29 Apr 2025)

Martin Heydon: My Department considers applications for aquaculture licences in accordance with the provisions of the Fisheries (Amendment) Act 1997, 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 also provides for a...