Results 4,381-4,400 of 4,472 for speaker:Martin Heydon

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Fire Safety (9 Jul 2025)

Martin Heydon: I thank Senator Byrne for raising this really important topic. We are all conscious of the risk due to extreme temperatures in Europe at present. High temperatures bring with them an increased risk of wildfires. We currently do not have the same degree of danger in Ireland but nonetheless, extreme care must be taken, particularly in summer months when rainfall levels are lower,...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Fire Safety (9 Jul 2025)

Martin Heydon: Raising awareness is important. The role farmers play with our advisers is important, too. Positive, proactive measures can be taken to not only reduce the risk of wildfires, but also protect habitats and help farmers to farm in a more proactive way. Uplands and mountain grazing is an exceptionally important part of the agricultural landscape. It requires careful management to ensure the...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Control of Dogs (9 Jul 2025)

Martin Heydon: My Department has overall policy responsibility for the Control of Dogs Acts 1986 to 2014. However, local authorities have responsibility for all operational matters under the Acts. Under the Control of Dogs Acts, local authorities have the power to appoint dog wardens, issue dog licenses, provide dog shelters, seize dogs, impose on-the-spot fines and take court proceedings against dog...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Control of Dogs (9 Jul 2025)

Martin Heydon: From 1 June 2025, under S.I. No. 238/2025 – Dog Control (Transfer of Departmental Administration and Ministerial Functions) Order 2025, all policy and legislative responsibility for the Control of Dogs Acts transferred to my Department from the Department of Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht. Local authorities, through the Dog Warden service, have responsibility for...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Control of Dogs (9 Jul 2025)

Martin Heydon: My Department has policy and legislative responsibility for S.I. No 63/2015, the Microchipping of Dogs Regulation 2015 and S.I. 427/2015 - Microchipping of Dogs (Amendment) Regulations 2015. Under these Regulations, all dogs over 12 weeks of age (or younger if sold before 12 weeks) must be microchipped. Each local authorities collate the information in relation to penalties for...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Control of Dogs (9 Jul 2025)

Martin Heydon: From 1 June 2025, all policy and legislative responsibility for the Control of Dogs Acts transferred to my Department from the Department of Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht (DRCDG). However, local authorities have responsibility for all operational matters under the Acts. Under the Control of Dogs Acts, local authorities have the power to appoint dog wardens, issue dog...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Control of Dogs (9 Jul 2025)

Martin Heydon: Statistics in respect of a range of the dog control responsibilities of local authorities are published annually on Gov.ie. Information up to and including 2023, by county and in tabular form, is available on the dog control statistics page (www.gov.ie/en/department-of-rural-and-community-development -and-the-gaeltacht/collections/dog-control-statistics/) on gov.ie. The 2024 dog control...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Control of Dogs (9 Jul 2025)

Martin Heydon: The ban on XL Bully type dogs was announced in 2024 in the interest of public safety following a series of serious attacks. The ban was brought in over two stages to give XL Bully type dog owners who wish to keep their dog, the time to obtain a free 'Certificate of Exemption'. There was a four month period between the 1st October 2024 and before 1st February 2025, where these owners were able...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Education and Training Provision (9 Jul 2025)

Martin Heydon: My Department has no role in accrediting individual education courses for trained farmer status. This is properly a matter for Teagasc in association with Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI), the national agency responsible for validating education programmes in Ireland leading to QQI awards. Accordingly, I have asked Teagasc to directly provide the Deputy with the information...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Welfare (9 Jul 2025)

Martin Heydon: The Programme for Government places a positive emphasis on animal welfare and specifically commits to the continued robust enforcement of the Animal Health and Welfare Act 2013, which provides a modern framework for regulating and applying standards in the area of animal health and welfare. My Department has lead policy responsibility within government for animal welfare and takes the...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Supports (9 Jul 2025)

Martin Heydon: The new Programme for Government emphasises supporting intergenerational farm succession. Food Vision 2030, our shared strategy for the agri-food sector, highlights that ensuring generational renewal in farming is vital for the sector’s long-term viability and social sustainability in rural Ireland. There are a number of supports for generational renewal currently available to...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Supports (9 Jul 2025)

Martin Heydon: The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine funds the Traditional Farm Buildings Scheme, which provides grant aid to farmers to conserve and repair derelict farm buildings and related structures. The main goal of the scheme is to preserve traditional farm buildings that enhance the character of our national landscape and hold significant heritage value, while keeping them in active...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Veterinary Services (9 Jul 2025)

Martin Heydon: This response is framed in the context of local authority dog shelters, on the assumption that this is where the Deputy’s focus of enquiry lies. Policy responsibility for dog control was transferred to my Department from 1st June 2025, in accordance with commitments under the Programme for Government. My Department is working with the Department of Rural and Community Development...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Control of Dogs (9 Jul 2025)

Martin Heydon: The ban on XL Bully type dogs was announced in 2024 in the interest of public safety following a series of serious attacks. The ban was brought in over two stages to give XL Bully type dog owners who wished to keep their dog, the time to obtain a 'Certificate of Exemption'. A ‘Certificate of Exemption’ cannot be granted for an XL Bully that has not yet been neutered or deemed...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Welfare (9 Jul 2025)

Martin Heydon: The Animal Health and Welfare Act 2013 came into operation on 6 March 2014. Offences under the Act may be prosecuted in court by the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, local authorities and members of An Garda Síochána. The number of prosecutions taken under the Act at the suit of the Minister, in the format as requested by the Deputy, is set out below in tabular...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Breeding (9 Jul 2025)

Martin Heydon: The Dog Breeding Establishments Act 2010 provides a robust regulatory framework for the licensing, monitoring and inspection of dog breeding establishments by local authorities and, where a serious and immediate threat exists to public health or animal health and welfare, for the closure of such establishments. Following a public consultation, revised guidelines for dog breeding...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Sales (9 Jul 2025)

Martin Heydon: The Department issues an exporter certificate for all commercial movement of dogs. The type of certification is dependent on whether the destination is to other EU countries or non-EU countries. A Commercial movement of dogs is defined where a dog, or dogs, is either travelling unaccompanied, or is travelling for the use of trading, or for shows, sporting events or where an owner has more...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Control of Dogs (9 Jul 2025)

Martin Heydon: From 1 June 2025, all policy and legislative responsibility for the Control of Dogs Acts transferred to my Department from the Department of Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht (DRCDG). However, local authorities have responsibility for all operational matters under the Acts, including enforcement. Statistics in respect of a range of the dog control responsibilities of local...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Welfare (8 Jul 2025)

Martin Heydon: Under the Control of Horses Act 1996, local authorities may take a range of actions in relation to equines including prohibiting horses in certain areas, the issuing of licences and the seizure of horses in contravention of the Act. These powers can be used in respect of straying horses, which includes horses put on land without the owner’s permission, including public land. My...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Departmental Expenditure (8 Jul 2025)

Martin Heydon: I propose to take Questions Nos. 688 and 689 together. My Department did not use the services of a make-up artist, hairdresser, stylist or personal shopper during the years in question. Additionally, there was no expenditure on hairstyling, make-up, personal grooming or general cosmetics during those years. There is no mechanism within my Department for officials to claim expenses in...