Results 181-200 of 756 for speaker:Martin Heydon in 'Dáil debates'

National Broadband Plan: Statements (27 Jan 2022)

Martin Heydon: I thank Deputies for their contributions throughout what has been a very important process, not just the statements in the last hour or so but the questions and answers with the Minister of State, Deputy Ossian Smyth, prior to that. I thank the House on behalf of the Minister of State, Deputy Smyth, for the invitation to address the House on the roll-out of the national broadband plan and...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Brexit Issues (9 Dec 2021)

Martin Heydon: There have been a number of changes, many of which are in the hands of the UK. The UK has been changing the goalposts by pushing them out. It has postponed the next stage of the import control regime on two occasions, including on 14 September. The most significant element of the most recent UK announcements was that the requirement for pre-notification of agrifood imports will be...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Brexit Issues (9 Dec 2021)

Martin Heydon: We could do with half an hour for this debate because there is so much to cover in it. To respond first to the Deputy's last point, we have seen exponential growth in sailings and movement of Irish goods directly to mainland Europe, specifically France, because of the challenges with the land bridge, but the land bridge is still important. That is an example of everything we are doing in...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Exports Growth (9 Dec 2021)

Martin Heydon: I thank the Deputy for his question and ongoing interest in this area. While the immediate threat of Brexit may have passed, we must continue to prepare for the full reality of our new trading relationship with our nearest neighbour. The promotion of Ireland's high-quality, safe, nutritious and sustainably produced food is a core objective of my Department and the relevant Government...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Exports Growth (9 Dec 2021)

Martin Heydon: The Deputy is dead right. There are significant synergies. There is a need for interdepartmental co-operation and co-operation with our State agencies. I am aware of several Ireland House-type arrangements, particularly in the EU, whereby the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Enterprise Ireland and Bord Bia are all in under the one area. In recent years in my Department,...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Exports Growth (9 Dec 2021)

Martin Heydon: Both Deputies are right. Already, about one third of our food and drink exports go to the EU. There is potential for further growth. I witnessed that at first hand when I attended the Anuga Food Fair in Cologne in October. The European team of Bord Bia was there engaging with many companies across the spectrum. When Deputy Carthy talked about the premiumisation of the market, he was...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Brexit Issues (9 Dec 2021)

Martin Heydon: I thank the Deputy again. Brexit has presented a range of challenges for the agrifood and fisheries sectors. The trade and co-operation agreement reached between the European Union and the United Kingdom at the end of 2020 did, however, provide some welcome certainty around the future EU–UK trading relationship, including in respect of tariff-free trade. The fact that the UK is no...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (14 Oct 2021)

Martin Heydon: That is effectively it. The legislation is close, funding provision has been made and that process will conclude in the near future.

Financial Resolutions 2021 - Financial Resolution No. 2: General (Resumed) (13 Oct 2021)

Martin Heydon: Let me start by welcoming budget 2022 in an overall sense. I believe it is a fair and balanced approach for all of our citizens. From an agricultural perspective, and in this time of transition, farmers can have confidence that this budget protects farm family incomes and supports actions to improve safety and sustainability on farms. Farm safety is an issue of great importance for me,...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Fishing Industry (7 Oct 2021)

Martin Heydon: I agree. We should always look at our processes and make sure they are robust and are protecting our environment and the sustainability of our future stocks, as is the case. In some ways, I would argue that perhaps the survey the Deputy points to in the North that advised that there not be harvesting in those areas actually show that the system of surveying is working. This is done on an...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Fishing Industry (7 Oct 2021)

Martin Heydon: I thank Deputy Bacik for raising this important issue. It is important to state from the outset that mussel seed is an essential raw material for the bottom growing mussel aquaculture industry. Mussel farmers fish for wild mussel seed for transplantation onto their licensed aquaculture sites for ongoing and later harvesting over a two-year growth cycle. The fished seed is grown to maturity...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (30 Sep 2021)

Martin Heydon: I thank the Deputy for raising this important matter. I wish to put on the record of the House the ambition Irish farmers have. First, I would like to say how proud we are of the fact we produce some of the most sustainably produced food in the world. We feed multiple millions more around the world than we do in our own population. We know we too have a role to play in making our food...

Sea-Fisheries (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2021: Order for Second Stage (21 Sep 2021)

Martin Heydon: I move: "That Second Stage be taken now."

Sea-Fisheries (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2021: Second Stage (21 Sep 2021)

Martin Heydon: I move: "That the Bill be now read a Second Time." I am pleased to introduce the Sea-Fisheries (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2021 to the House. By way of background I should advise that EU Council Regulation No. 1224/2009, known as the control regulation, establishes a community control system for ensuring compliance with rules of the Common Fisheries Policy, CFP, and establishing a...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Agriculture Schemes (15 Sep 2021)

Martin Heydon: I thank Deputies Carthy and Cahill for raising this issue. As has been rightly outlined, 2019 was a very difficult year for beef farmers. There was a need for support to help them cope with market difficulties, which were largely driven by Brexit. That is why we fought hard to get money from Europe to establish the beef exceptional aid measure, BEAM, which ended up with €77 million...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Agriculture Schemes (15 Sep 2021)

Martin Heydon: I thank the Deputies for their supplementary points. The fact of the matter is that almost €72 million of the €77 million has gone to beef farmers. Some 19,000 farmers met the scheme's requirements and have exited the scheme because of that. Deputy Cahill is right in saying the scheme was not over-subscribed. It was under-subscribed. A number of beef farmers who were in...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Farm Safety (15 Jul 2021)

Martin Heydon: The CAP is a fantastic opportunity for us to do that, but there other measures I have introduced over the past year. My Department and I launched a call under the locally led innovation partnership model, specifically related to farm safety and a first for farm safety, at the end of 2020. It will see the provision of at least €1 million in funding support for farm safety initiatives....

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Farm Safety (15 Jul 2021)

Martin Heydon: I thank Deputy Griffin for raising what is a crucially important issue for us and a very timely one in light of the fact that next week is Farm Safety Week, when we bring an additional focus to the need for farm safety and for a change in the culture across how we operate on our farms and the unacceptably high level of farm fatalities on Irish farms. To highlight the importance of farm...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Farm Safety (15 Jul 2021)

Martin Heydon: Absolutely. My general approach is to make sure that in everything we do, we do not talk about farm safety as a separate issue. Every engagement my Department has with farmers is an opportunity to drive home the message of farm safety and to support the work of the HSA and others. I have seen from the start the opportunity CAP provides for us to incorporate farm safety across all measures...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Agriculture Industry (15 Jul 2021)

Martin Heydon: I thank Deputy Durkan for raising this important point. As he will be aware, political agreement on CAP reform was reached at the end of June. The agreement strikes the right balance between ensuring a fair distribution of payments between farmers and achieving a higher level of environmental and climate ambition. This is a fair, flexible and farmer-friendly deal in the context of the many...