Results 3,741-3,760 of 4,380 for speaker:Martin Heydon

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Veterinary Laboratories (13 May 2025)

Martin Heydon: My Departments network of Regional Veterinary Laboratories provides critical surveillance and diagnostic animal health services that underpin herd health management and supports the viability of the farming community in Ireland. My Department has proposals to deliver new facilities that will replace the existing facilities on the current sites in both Kilkenny and Sligo and to enhance the...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Departmental Bodies (13 May 2025)

Martin Heydon: I propose to take Questions Nos. 937, 939 and 940 together. I would like to advise the Deputy that from the list included, only the National Milk Agency, Coillte and Bord Iascaigh Mhara are State Bodies under the remit of my Department. The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine has 13 agencies in total, 4 commercial state boards and 9 non-commercial boards with appointments...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Departmental Bodies (13 May 2025)

Martin Heydon: The details requested by the Deputy in relation to bodies under the aegis of my Department (the National Milk Agency, Coillte and Bord Iascaigh Mhara) are a matter for the individual bodies. I have referred the Deputy’s question to the State bodies and have requested that a response should issue within 10 days. Neither the State Laboratory nor Horse Sport Ireland are state agencies...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Industry (13 May 2025)

Martin Heydon: Farmers and agricultural practices are critical in conserving and restoring biodiversity. My Department is supporting farmers in taking action on biodiversity across many fronts. On a national scale, our flag-ship Agri-environment scheme, ACRES supports 55,000 farmers in taking action on the environment and in particular in respect of Bio-diversity. Approximately 20,000 farmers...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forestry Sector (13 May 2025)

Martin Heydon: My Department has issued 11 felling licences, in 45 days or less, from applications received since 1st January 2025 . As per the Farmers Charter, felling licences should be processed within 6 months or 26 weeks for screened-out applications (those not subject to Appropriate Assessment) and within 9 months or 39 weeks for screened-in applications (those subject to Appropriate Assessment)....

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Schemes (13 May 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 01 January 2023. An ACRES inspection took place on the holding on the 31st of October 2024, and notification of the inspection findings issued to the person named by letter dated 24 February 2025. A request to review this decision was...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Harbours and Piers (13 May 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: Agriculture Supports (13 May 2025)

Martin Heydon: It is one of my priorities is to ensure adequate availability and access to long-term investment finance for farmers, including young farmers. My Department works closely with the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, the Department of Finance and the Strategic Banking Corporation of Ireland (SBCI) to provide access to finance supports to small and medium businesses (SMEs) in...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Farm Safety (13 May 2025)

Martin Heydon: Farm safety, health and well-being is a priority for this Government. There is a commitment in the Programme for Government to continue to prioritise improvements in farm safety, health and well-being through strengthened supports, with a specific focus in on farmer mental health and well-being. Through dedicated funding of €2.5 million allocated in Budget 2025, my Department will...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Food Industry (13 May 2025)

Martin Heydon: The Programme for Government commitment to have a comprehensive strategy to support local and artisan food and drink producers in developing Irish food culture and production is an acknowledgement of the importance of our food producers, particularly our farmers and fishers and the importance of maintaining vibrant rural and coastal communities. Any strategy will need to reflect the range...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Departmental Strategies (13 May 2025)

Martin Heydon: The implementation of the Bovine TB Eradication Strategy 2021-2030, is overseen by the Bovine TB Stakeholders Forum, along with support from three working groups – a Scientific Group, an Implementation Working Group and a Finance Group to ensure all aspects of the Strategy are addressed. The Bovine TB Stakeholders Forum and its working groups comprise of representatives from across the...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Common Agricultural Policy (20 May 2025)

Martin Heydon: I thank the Deputy for raising this important matter, which is topical after last week's announcements. The proposals for CAP simplification were published on 14 May by Commissioner Hansen. I welcome any proposals that will simplify and reduce the administrative burden for farmers and for national administrations. However, as with any new legislation, we will need to carefully examine the...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Common Agricultural Policy (20 May 2025)

Martin Heydon: I have been on the record a number of times on this but I am happy to reassure farmers again that there is nothing to fear in the baseline rationality around GAEC 2. Farmers can continue to do all of their normal farming activity on a day-to-day basis. That is not going to be undermined by this. It is just a baseline requirement for the basic income support process, or what farmers would...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Agriculture Supports (20 May 2025)

Martin Heydon: I propose to take Questions Nos. 111 and 114 together. As Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, I am working closely with the EU institutions and my counterparts in other member states to try to influence the next Common Agriculture Policy. The CAP is central to the EU’s success in ensuring food security, supporting farm incomes and developing rural areas. The CAP also...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Agriculture Supports (20 May 2025)

Martin Heydon: I thank both Deputies for their contributions. It is very important when we have questions on agriculture, food and the marine that CAP is at their heart because it really is so important to everything we are doing. To go to some earlier points about CAP and in particular, Deputy Kenny's, to have a longer CAP, a longer budget period would be needed because the budget drives the other. ...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Agriculture Supports (20 May 2025)

Martin Heydon: No pressure there. Thanks for that. I jest. The Deputy is dead right that it is that serious.

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Agriculture Supports (20 May 2025)

Martin Heydon: It absolutely is. We know how well Irish agriculture has been served down through the years and through successive CAPS and the Pillar 1 and Pillar 2 structure. I have grave concerns around any attempt to change that. Not only do I have concerns for the impact on farming, which is why I will fight so hard to articulate the Irish position very clearly, but I also have concerns about the...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Water Quality (20 May 2025)

Martin Heydon: I thank the Deputy for raising this very important issue. I recently met farmers from Timoleague and I visited the area previously when I was a Member of the previous Government. I am well aware of the great work that has happened down there, supported by Teagasc and others, how passionate farmers are and the pressure there is on land availability and how any changes can have an impact. ...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Water Quality (20 May 2025)

Martin Heydon: I absolutely recognise the great work happening in the agricultural catchment programme. The most recently published EPA data shows nitrates concentrations nationally have reduced in a representative sample of our rivers last year. It is acknowledged and welcomed that nitrate levels have also reduced in the Timoleague catchment. Nitrates levels recorded in 2024 in Timoleague were at their...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Water Quality (20 May 2025)

Martin Heydon: I appreciate the Deputy's articulation of the concerns, the great work of his constituents and the frustration I know there is on the ground with this change. He talked about rewarding his constituents. The best reward I can get his constituents and the farmers in the Timoleague catchment area is to make sure there is a derogation beyond the end of this year, and that is not by any means...