Results 181-200 of 2,944 for speaker:Martin Heydon

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Local Authorities (22 Feb 2023)

Martin Heydon: We even gave an obligatory mention to Athy because they are here.

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Legislative Measures (22 Feb 2023)

Martin Heydon: I wish the students good morning and it is great to have them here. On behalf of the Minister of State, Deputy Naughton, I wish to thank Senator Clifford-Lee for raising this matter. I agree with her point that this is not a small matter and that it is important to people looking at it. In every debate we have to have little bit of balance and talk about all the impacts such a decision...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Legislative Measures (22 Feb 2023)

Martin Heydon: First, this is not just the view of the Minister of State, Deputy Naughton, but also the consensus view following the Dáil debate in 2018, when the issue was considered at length.

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Legislative Measures (22 Feb 2023)

Martin Heydon: Okay, but there was a debate of the entire House, and I do not think we should necessarily talk about what various parties said. There is a collective responsibility within the Government now that this is Government policy. The Senator can, by all means, raise the issue with the Minister for Health. Wearing my hat as Minister of State with responsibility for agriculture, I should pull up...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Tax Code (22 Feb 2023)

Martin Heydon: I thank the Senator for raising this important matter relating to an online advertising tax, which I am taking on behalf of the Minister for Finance. I understand that the Senator is referring to a tax in the same vein as a digital tax, which has been the subject of discussions in the area of international taxation over recent years. It is the long-held view of the Government that to ensure...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Tax Code (22 Feb 2023)

Martin Heydon: I again thank the Senator for raising those points and note the frustration with which she articulated them. I will bring them back to the Minister for Finance. I did not necessarily expect the Senator to be happy with the response but, notwithstanding that, a global approach to address the challenges raised by digitalisation under Pillar 1 of the OECD agreement is preferable to unilateral...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (21 Feb 2023)

Martin Heydon: The issue of import costs is a huge concern for us. That is why measures we have introduced across Government have been particularly targeted at supporting farmers. Last year we had the fodder scheme and more than €90 million of different interventions to support farmers in that regard. Government will continue to step in and provide support there. We have also supported farmers...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (21 Feb 2023)

Martin Heydon: As for the proposal the Deputy is talking about, I am happy for my officials to look at that and examine it further.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (14 Feb 2023)

Martin Heydon: The only people talking about culling the national herd seem to be from the Opposition. Ultimately, we are talking about a Government climate action plan that sets very ambitious targets for how we reduce our emissions profile while continuing to produce top-quality food, as our farmers do throughout the country. Farmers who made the significant investments the Deputy talked about have been...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (14 Feb 2023)

Martin Heydon: It is an academic report that we will consider.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (8 Feb 2023)

Martin Heydon: The Deputy should let the Taoiseach answer.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (18 Jan 2023)

Martin Heydon: Who paid for the UK polling?

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Horse Racing Industry (7 Dec 2022)

Martin Heydon: I thank the Senator for raising this critical issue not only for our county of Kildare but for the rural economy, of which the horse racing and breeding industry is such an integral part. It is a key contributor to the rural economy across Ireland. We know that is the case from the 2017 Deloitte report on the Economic Impact of Irish Breeding and Racing, commissioned by the HRI. That...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Horse Racing Industry (7 Dec 2022)

Martin Heydon: The Brexit adjustment reserve is where the ITBA has directed its ask and that is where the potential lies. You have to have that demonstrable impact from Brexit and there is no doubt in my mind that this industry has been impacted by that. The Senator spoke about successful schemes and so on. I pointed to the horse and greyhound racing fund earlier as a good indication of the Government's...

Seanad: Gnó an tSeanaid - Business of Seanad: Animal Welfare (24 Nov 2022)

Martin Heydon: On behalf of the Minister, Deputy McConalogue, I thank Senator Boylan for raising what is a very important issue. I am delighted to have the opportunity to outline the work across government in this area, the commitments we have made in the programme for Government and how we are acting on them and what the different Departments are doing. The Senator has directed this question towards me...

Seanad: Gnó an tSeanaid - Business of Seanad: Animal Welfare (24 Nov 2022)

Martin Heydon: I will bring the points raised by the Senator directly back to the Minister, Deputy McConalogue. The Commencement matter tabled by the Senator referred to capacity in the shelters and contingency plans. The broad approach the Government takes feeds into that. The programme for Government includes a commitment to promote responsible pet ownership. The Senator's point in respect of welfare...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Mental Health Services (25 Oct 2022)

Martin Heydon: I thank Deputy Stanton for raising this critically important issue. As Minister of State with special responsibility for farm safety, I have always considered farmers' mental health and wellbeing to be inextricably linked to farm safety. We know that a farmer is seven times more likely to lose his or her life in a workplace incident on his or her farm than in any other profession in the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Mental Health Services (25 Oct 2022)

Martin Heydon: I completely concur. All those challenges are there, from concerns about the price of inputs, the weather, inspections, prices for their products, overall economic sustainability to all the pressures resulting from a narrative out there that farmers are to blame for many of the challenges. The real risk here for farmers is isolation. They spend all their time on their own and may live in...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Mental Health Services (25 Oct 2022)

Martin Heydon: We are working with the HSE and working closely with Department of Health and other State agencies such as the Health and Safety Authority, HSA, where we have a number of initiatives and literature on that area as well. We are also funding further research. The Dublin City University, DCU, farm health study has a very important role to expand our information and knowledge in this area. In...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: General Scheme of the Veterinary Medicinal Products, Medicated Feed and Fertilisers Regulation Bill 2022: Discussion (Resumed) (11 Oct 2022)

Martin Heydon: Very good. I am in the hands of the Chair. I thank the committee for the invitation and opportunity to speak this evening as it engages in pre-legislative scrutiny of the Bill. Unfortunately, the Minister, Deputy McConalogue, cannot be here present for understandable reasons but, on his behalf, I thank the members for facilitating an early discussion on this topic because it is a key...