Results 3,601-3,620 of 3,729 for speaker:Martin Heydon

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

Martin Heydon: The Climate Action Plan has set a target of growing the tillage area to 400,000 hectares by 2030. The Food Vision 2030 Tillage Group Report, published in May 2024, sets out a road map for the growth and development of the sector between now and 2030. Adding value to tillage crops grown on Irish farms and sharing this value with farmers is one way of ensuring the long-term viability of the...

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

Martin Heydon: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1681 and 1710 together. 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. The total area estimated to be affected by storms Darragh and Éowyn is 26,050 hectares. Of this Coillte...

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

Martin Heydon: ACRES is the flagship environmental scheme provided under the 2023-2027 CAP Strategic Plan, with €1.5 billion in Exchequer and EU funding allocated over the course of the scheme. As of 28th April 2025, across the first two years of the scheme (2023 & 2024), a total of €452 million has been paid to participants in respect of their participation in ACRES. Payments...

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

Martin Heydon: The total number of active participants in ACRES, as of 28 April 2025, is 54,177. Of these, 44,860 commenced their ACRES contracts on 1 January 2023 (Tranche 1) and 9,317 commenced their contracts on 1 January 2024 (Tranche 2). Following the latest payment run on 25 April 2025, 43,368 ACRES participants, or just under 97%, are fully paid in respect of the 2023 scheme year. This means that...

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

Martin Heydon: Horse Racing Ireland (HRI) is a commercial state body established under the Horse and Greyhound Racing Act, 2001, and is responsible for the overall administration, promotion and development of the horse racing industry. Details relating to racehorse fatalities and injuries is a matter for HRI, therefore, that part of the question has been referred to the body for direct reply. The horse...

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: Animal Welfare (29 Apr 2025)

Martin Heydon: My Department does not hold records of the number of thoroughbred horses that have been subjected to wind surgeries in Ireland. My Department takes the matter of animal welfare most seriously. It should be noted that wind surgeries are carried out by qualified Veterinary Practitioners who are regulated by the Veterinary Practice Act 2005, which comes under the remit of the Veterinary...

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

Martin Heydon: The Suckler Carbon Efficiency Programme (SCEP) aims to provide support to beef farmers to improve the environmental sustainability of the national beef herd. The programme aims to build on the gains delivered in recent years through the Beef Data and Genomics Programme (BDGP) and the Beef Environmental Efficiency Programme (BEEP) by improving the genetic merit of the Irish suckler herd. ...

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

Martin Heydon: There are no additional changes/restrictions to the outlined national afforestation policy arising from the implementation of GAEC 2. Sites that apply to be afforested must meet certain requirements before they are issued an afforestation licence and these are outlined in the Land Types for Afforestation document which is available on my Departments website. GAEC 2 (protection of...

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

Martin Heydon: I am aware of the incident. My Department has liaised with National Parks and Wildlife Services (NPWS) in relation to this matter. It would not be appropriate to comment further on the individual case.

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

Martin Heydon: The number of calls received via the animal welfare helpline in 2024 and in 2025 up to 16/04/25 is set out below in tabular form: 2025 up to 16/04/2025 746 2024 2211

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

Martin Heydon: In response to the Deputy's question, I confirm that during 2024 my Department had the following engagements with the United States Government or State Bodies of the U.S. Government:January: Meeting between my officials and a delegation from the office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR).February: Meeting between my officials and the Agricultural Attaché from the U.S....

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

Martin Heydon: I am fully committed to the long-term viability of the Irish agricultural sector, including to our farm families who are the bedrock of the industry. The industry is hugely important in terms of economic activity and employment. The target of 25% reduction in Green House Gas emission by 2030 for the agriculture sector is a challenging target and will require scientific and technological...

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

Martin Heydon: The microchipping of dogs by non-vets is legally provided for in the Microchipping of Dogs Regulations 2015 which states that the implanting can be done by a veterinary practitioner, a veterinary nurse or a properly trained person whose name and contact information are published on the website of a dog identification database. Allowing properly trained persons to implant microchips in...

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

Martin Heydon: Concern for the safety and welfare of pet animals was one of the primary reasons behind the introduction by my Department of the Animal Health and Welfare (Sale or Supply of Pet Animals) Regulations 2019 (S.I. 681/2019). These Regulations put into law certain requirements for sellers and suppliers of pet animals, including the minimum age for the sale of certain mammals; record-keeping;...

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

Martin Heydon: My Department administers a wide range of schemes and payments through National and EU funding. Full details are available are on my Department’s website: www.gov.ie/en/department-of-agriculture-food-and-the-marine/ collections/schemes-and-payments/ As regards the 13 State Bodies under the aegis of my Department, the information requested is an operational matter for the State...

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

Martin Heydon: I can assure the Deputy that my Department has no such plans. Earlier this year, I announced the planned introduction of the GAEC 2 standard. GAEC 2 is a baseline requirement under the CAP regulations for the protection of carbon rich soils. It is legally required to be put in place for 2025 as part of the conditionality requirements for the Basic Income Support for Sustainability (BISS)...

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

Martin Heydon: To ensure that farms are more resilient in advance of future weather events, I announced plans to introduce grant aid support under the Targeted Agriculture Modernisation Scheme (TAMS 3) for replacement of roofs. The application process for this specific investment will be available later this year, when systems are developed. In the meantime, I would urge farmers to carry out a structural...

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

Martin Heydon: There are currently just over 54,200 active participants in ACRES, which considerably exceeds the initial target number of 50,000 farmers, in respect of whom total funding of €1.5 billion has been allocated under Ireland’s 2023-2027 CAP Strategic Plan (CSP) As regards a transitional successor to ACRES, any new intervention under the CSP would require additional national...

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...