Results 3,781-3,800 of 4,382 for speaker:Martin Heydon

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Agriculture Supports (20 May 2025)

Martin Heydon: I take that on board. What we have always said is that property rights are enshrined in the Constitution and farmers, as owners of the land, have rights there. Where they are supported to do so and the income is there for them to support their farming activity, they have proven themselves to be very adaptable. Farming is changing. Farming changes. It is very different today from what it...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Animal Diseases (20 May 2025)

Martin Heydon: I thank Deputy Burke for raising this very important issue. I know it is a cause of great concern. Even if I had not been engaging with farm organisations, since I got this role, on the area of TB and if I had not been pointing to the fact I need a new approach to the TB programme, which I would like to do through consensus, there is that concern with farmers already. The concern at the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Animal Diseases (20 May 2025)

Martin Heydon: There absolutely is. There is also the emotional impact and trauma, which I would not underestimate. I remember when we had a reactor at home on the farm in Kildare in the 1990s when I was still in school and the devastation of seeing that cow and that reactor go. It stayed with me for a long time afterwards. I want to do two things. I want to provide a clear pathway to those directly...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Animal Diseases (20 May 2025)

Martin Heydon: I agree. The Deputy spoke about the investment from my Department. It will take increased investment in the short term to try to get on top of this issue. I am willing to do that in order to prioritise. There are three key drivers of the infection: the role of wildlife, cattle-to-cattle transmission and the residual element left in herds that had a significant breakdown. My five-point...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Agriculture Schemes (20 May 2025)

Martin Heydon: As the Deputy will be aware, ACRES is the flagship environmental scheme provided under the CAP Strategic Plan 2023-2027 with €1.5 billion in Exchequer and EU funding allocated over the course of the scheme. Payments in respect of farmers' participation in the ACRES scheme continue to issue on a weekly basis as cases pass all validation checks. Last week, I announced that balancing...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Agriculture Schemes (20 May 2025)

Martin Heydon: When I assumed this role. it was not acceptable to me to meet so many farmers where in many instances, the fault was with the Department. In some instances it was with themselves for various reasons but in the majority of cases, it has been on our side. I have visited Johnstown Castle and have engaged directly with the officials. I have directed additional resources into the units. I have...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Industry (20 May 2025)

Martin Heydon: The collection of sheep wool from farmers is a commercial arrangement between the sheep farmer and merchant. My Department does not have a role in collecting wool but I am aware that the price of wool has been at a low level for some time now. My Department has taken a number of steps to support Irish wool and to develop new markets. This included an in-depth study of the Irish wool...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Nitrates Usage (20 May 2025)

Martin Heydon: The Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage is responsible for the Nitrates Action Programme and the associated Regulations. However, my Department works very closely with his Department on the development of that Programme, and on the implementation of the Regulations. Indeed, given the importance of both improving water quality and securing Ireland’s Nitrates...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Greyhound Industry (20 May 2025)

Martin Heydon: In terms of putting things in context, and as the Deputy will be aware, 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...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forestry Sector (20 May 2025)

Martin Heydon: The Government’s afforestation target is 8,000 hectares per year as set out in the Climate Action Plan. There are good reasons for this target as forests have an important role to play in mitigating climate change by sequestering and storing greenhouse gases. This can be achieved through the expansion of our forests and the increased use of timber products. Planting in recent years...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Fisheries Protection (20 May 2025)

Martin Heydon: The Tuna CHART programme is a catch-tag-release science-based angling fishery programme for authorised recreational angling vessels. It has been in place since 2019 and supports the collection of valuable data on the migratory patterns of Bluefin Tuna in Irish waters. This programme was developed by Inland Fisheries Ireland and the Marine Institute in partnership with the Sea Fisheries...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Diseases (20 May 2025)

Martin Heydon: Bovine TB is a challenging disease to control and eradicate. In recent years, bovine TB (bTB) levels have continued to deteriorate. Herd incidence has increased from 4.31% in 2022 to 6.04% in 2024, resulting in a 36% increase in the number of herds restricted between 2022 and 2024. This means over 6,000 farm families were affected by a TB outbreak in 2024. As of 11th May 2025,...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Wild Fires (20 May 2025)

Martin Heydon: Given the recent spell of very fine weather, I share the concerns of residents and farmers about the risk of fires starting and spreading around the country. In particular, I understand the worry expressed by farmers and residents in Achill about the risk to flora, fauna and indeed homes and farms from the spread of these fires. I understand that a local action committee has already...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Diseases (20 May 2025)

Martin Heydon: The implementation of the Bovine TB Eradication Strategy 2021-2030 is overseen by the Bovine TB (bTB) 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...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Diseases (20 May 2025)

Martin Heydon: I propose to take Questions Nos. 131 and 143 together. The Programme for Government commits to review and update the National TB 2030 Eradication Strategy. This is necessary due to the deteriorating disease levels in recent years which means even more farm families are facing the emotional and financial pressure of a TB breakdown. Bovine TB is a challenging disease to control and...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Inshore Fisheries (20 May 2025)

Martin Heydon: I thank the Deputy for her question and would like to stress that this Government is fully committed to maintaining support for our important inshore fishing sector and promoting the sustainability of fish stocks, as outlined in our Programme for Government. In December 2018, a transition period to a ban on vessels over 18 metres trawling in inshore waters, inside the six nautical mile...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forestry Sector (20 May 2025)

Martin Heydon: I propose to take Questions Nos. 133, 142 and 144 together. The subject of planting forests on peats soils is not black and white. Forests planted on peat soils can contribute to climate, biodiversity and timber production. This is a fact. I am not in favour of planting on deep peat sites where there is a net carbon emission or planting important peat habitats, blanket bogs, raised...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Diseases (20 May 2025)

Martin Heydon: Bovine TB is a challenging disease to control and eradicate. In recent years, bovine TB (bTB) levels have continued to deteriorate. Herd incidence has increased from 4.31% in 2022 to 6.04% in 2024, resulting in a 36% increase in the number of herds restricted between 2022 and 2024. As of 11th May 2025, over a 12 month period we had a herd incidence of 6.3% with over 42,200 reactors....

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Schemes (20 May 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. ACRES payments continue to issue on a weekly basis as cases pass all required validation checks. Last week, I announced that balancing payments in respect of the 2024 scheme year have commenced, with over...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Control of Dogs (20 May 2025)

Martin Heydon: The Microchipping of Dogs Regulation 2015 and Microchipping of Dogs (Amendment) Regulations 2015 require that all dogs over 12 weeks of age (or younger if sold before 12 weeks) must be microchipped and the microchip number must be registered to one of 4 approved databases. Animal Welfare Officers are authorised to obtain information from the approved databases in relation to individual...