Results 4,281-4,300 of 4,382 for speaker:Martin Heydon

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Domestic Pets (2 Jul 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...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Wildlife Protection (2 Jul 2025)

Martin Heydon: My Department, along with the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage established the Irish Deer Management Strategy group to develop a strategy for the sustainable management of deer in Ireland. The Group comprised representatives from my Department, National Parks & Wildlife Service (NPWS) and Coillte. A report was published into “Developing a Sustainable Deer...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Departmental Staff (2 Jul 2025)

Martin Heydon: My Department is committed to ensuring that a highly skilled and motivated workforce is in place to meet business needs and uses workforce planning to identify and assess these needs for all locations. Recruitment is ongoing in my Department at present, and employment opportunities continue to be advertised either by the Public Jobs or by my Department's Human Resources Division. I am aware...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Nitrates Usage (2 Jul 2025)

Martin Heydon: The Programme for Government clearly sets out the Government's commitment to present the best case for continuance of Ireland's current Nitrates Derogation whilst working with farmers to deliver improved water quality. A Cabinet Committee on water quality chaired by the Taoiseach to coordinate water quality improvements and to work to secure Ireland's Nitrates Derogation at EU level has...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Schemes (2 Jul 2025)

Martin Heydon: In early 2024, my Department requested Teagasc to lead a multi-actor water quality advisory campaign to deliver clear, simple and positive messaging to enhance the understanding of farmers, as well as the broader agri-food industry of the agriculture pressures on water quality and the need for improvement. Arising from that request, Teagasc launched their Better Farming for Water...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Culls (2 Jul 2025)

Martin Heydon: Population control of badgers is a key component of the wildlife programme in the bovine TB programme in areas of high disease incidence and where the source of a TB outbreak is attributed to badgers. My Department's wildlife programme uses both vaccination and culling of badgers where appropriate. I can confirm that the number of badgers culled and vaccinated to date in 2025 is 4424 and 1795...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Diseases (2 Jul 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 22nd June 2025, over a 12 month period we had a herd incidence of 6.43 % with over 43,455 reactors....

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Diseases (2 Jul 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 22nd June 2025, over a 12 month period we had a herd incidence of 6.43 % with over 43,455 reactors....

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Wild Fires (2 Jul 2025)

Martin Heydon: My Department is satisfied with the recent Multi-agency response to recent fires on Tara Hill, which occurred during particularly challenging weather conditions for fire, and in difficult terrain. My Department is not aware of ongoing issues with emergency service access at this site, either on public roads or within the forest area itself. By their nature forest fires in rural areas...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Welfare (2 Jul 2025)

Martin Heydon: My Department, along with other public sector bodies was involved in an extensive investigation of animal health and environmental concerns on the farm of the person for whom the Deputy has provided details. An inter-agency group (IAG) was convened in June 2004 and comprised my Department’s Laboratories, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Teagasc, the Health Services...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Industry (2 Jul 2025)

Martin Heydon: My Department provides a range of financial supports that focus on compensating farmers for both direct and indirect losses incurred as a result of a TB breakdown on the farm. The On Farm Market Valuation scheme provides compensation to affected herdowners up to the market value that each individual animal would have attained on the open market had it not been affected by disease. ...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Tillage Sector (3 Jul 2025)

Martin Heydon: I thank the Deputy for raising this important issue. The tillage sector is an integral part of Irish farming and makes a really significant contribution to overall agricultural output. This Government recognises the importance of the sector and wants to grow the area under tillage crops in the years ahead. The report of the Food Vision 2030 tillage group, which was set up to set out a...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Tillage Sector (3 Jul 2025)

Martin Heydon: I concur and agree with the Deputy that we want to see growth in the tillage sector. After two really hard years, I am very heartened to see a slight increase on last year in the area under arable and tillage crops. In the face of two horrendous years, it has stabilised. This year is difficult. Futures prices for the sector are still very challenging. It is the one sector of agriculture...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Tillage Sector (3 Jul 2025)

Martin Heydon: At the end of the day, we continue to have those supports in place. There is strong co-operation, €10 million for the protein aid scheme and the allocation of money for the intervention earlier this year. While that was to recognise last year's hardship, it came out of the budget for this year, which I have to manage for tillage and all other sectors. I will continue to work with...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Animal Diseases (3 Jul 2025)

Martin Heydon: I thank the Deputy for raising this important issue. To answer his question directly, the last thing farmers need is a further increase in the spread of TB. That is the root cause of all of this stress and concern, which the Deputy has articulated very clearly and on which I completely agree with him. My job is to provide leadership and to bring farmers with us. Everybody is going to have...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Animal Diseases (3 Jul 2025)

Martin Heydon: While trying to bring people with us and minimise the impact on farmers, who are already extremely stressed, I have to ensure that we have a science-based approach and that what we do is backed up by science. There are three very clear causes of the spread of bovine TB: cattle-to-cattle transmission, residual transmission and wildlife. If we do not have a suite of measures that, when...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Animal Diseases (3 Jul 2025)

Martin Heydon: I want to provide that clarity as soon as possible and to restore confidence in this scheme. The final set of proposals I bring forward will be the biggest change in our approach to TB in the 75 years the disease has been in this country. I have held discussions and meetings that have fed into the TB plan, which I intend to finalise the details of and publish shortly. At a Cabinet meeting...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Pigmeat Sector (3 Jul 2025)

Martin Heydon: I thank Deputy Murphy for raising this important topic. There is EU and national legislation in place to protect the welfare of pigs. It sets out detailed requirements for pigs, including, for example, requirements for minimum space, feeding and watering of pigs, environmental enrichment, lighting and noise levels. Regarding sow stalls and farrowing crates, the legislation allows for sows...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Pigmeat Sector (3 Jul 2025)

Martin Heydon: The Government strongly condemns any cruelty or mistreatment of any animal. It is my Department's policy to investigate all allegations of illegal or criminal behaviour and to prepare files for appropriate action. We have very robust animal welfare legislation in this country. The welfare of all animals, in particular those in intensively reared systems such as pigs, is a priority for my...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Pigmeat Sector (3 Jul 2025)

Martin Heydon: I repeat that the Government strongly condemns any cruelty or mistreatment of any animal. We carry out risk-based assessments. We also carry out investigations into any allegations of illegal or criminal behaviour and we prepare files for the Director of Public Prosecutions, as appropriate. That is a strong priority of my Department. We take that responsibility very seriously. I want to...