Results 261-280 of 3,577 for speaker:Martin Heydon

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Welfare (19 Mar 2025)

Martin Heydon: My Department oversees the implementation of national and European rules on animal welfare, including animal welfare during transport. The existing framework of rules forbids the transport of animals in conditions which are likely to cause injury or undue suffering to them. Transporting animals in the boot of a car that is closed and has no light or windows runs a risk of causing undue...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Waterways Issues (19 Mar 2025)

Martin Heydon: The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine does not make grants available for this purpose.

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Industry (19 Mar 2025)

Martin Heydon: Protected urea is urea with a urease inhibitor added to reduce ammonia emissions. NBPT is one of a number of urease inhibitors that can be added. My Department recently met with representatives of all of the Irish fertiliser manufacturers/blenders and requested that the date of manufacture be placed on bags of protected urea fertiliser products. The industry has agreed to this request...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Welfare (19 Mar 2025)

Martin Heydon: My Department oversees the implementation of national and European rules on animal welfare, including animal welfare during transport. The existing framework of rules forbids the transport of animals in conditions which are likely to cause injury or undue suffering to them. Transporting animals in the boot of a car that is closed and has no light or windows runs a risk of causing undue...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Welfare (19 Mar 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: Departmental Regulations (19 Mar 2025)

Martin Heydon: GAEC 2 is a baseline requirement and is legally required to be put in place for 2025 as part of the conditionality requirements for the Basic Income Support for Sustainability (BISS) payment scheme. If Ireland does not introduce this standard now, we will be in serious breach of the EU regulations governing the CAP Strategic Plans. This would lead to significant and recurring financial...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Schemes (19 Mar 2025)

Martin Heydon: The Targeted Agriculture Modernisation Scheme (TAMS 3) provides grant aid for bovine electric fencing to eligible applicants under the Animal Welfare and Nutrient Storage Scheme (AWNSS), the Young Farmers Capital Investment Scheme (YFCIS), the Women Farmers Capital Investment Scheme (WFCIS) and the Organic Capital Investment Scheme (OCIS). While bovine electric fencing is eligible under...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Welfare (19 Mar 2025)

Martin Heydon: Animal welfare is a key priority for me as Minister and for the Government. The Animal Welfare Grants Programme provides considerable support for animal welfare charities to assist them in their vital work in rescuing and rehoming animals. In November 2024, funding of almost €6 million was provided to 101 animal welfare charities nationwide including an award of €931,750 to...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Welfare (19 Mar 2025)

Martin Heydon: Animal welfare is a key priority for me as Minister and for the Government. The Animal Welfare Grants Programme has provided considerable support for animal welfare charities, with €6 million awarded to 101 animal welfare charities nationwide, in 2024. Animal Welfare Grants are paid under the Department of Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform (DPENDR)...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Industry (19 Mar 2025)

Martin Heydon: The information sought by the Deputy in relation to the 13 State Bodies under the aegis of the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine is outlined in the table. Name of Agency Details of current trials Details of current research Aquaculture Licensing Appeals Board Nil Return Nil Return Bord Iascaigh Mhara ...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Supports (19 Mar 2025)

Martin Heydon: My Department has responsibility for the licensing of aquaculture operations, including those farming seaweed. Wild harvesting of seaweed is outside the remit of the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine. I am aware of the increasing interest in seaweed aquaculture production at EU level, and I know that there is potential for growth in this area in Ireland. The National...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Schemes (19 Mar 2025)

Martin Heydon: The information requested is being compiled and will be forwarded directly to the Deputy when available.

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Passports (19 Mar 2025)

Martin Heydon: The issue of individual passport applications is a matter for Horse Sport Ireland.

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Passports (19 Mar 2025)

Martin Heydon: There are seven Passport Issuing Organisation (PIOs) within the State approved by my Department to issue equine passports. I am aware that there have been delays with the issuing of passports by Horse Sport Ireland (HSI), which is one of the approved PIOs, following the introduction of an ‘E-Passporting System' which is called 'HorseSource’. Officials in my Department are in...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Schemes (19 Mar 2025)

Martin Heydon: The person named submitted an application under the ACRES General stream and was approved into Tranche 1 of the scheme, with a commencement date of 1st January 2023. An interim payment of €4,000 issued to the herd owner in February 2024 in respect of their participation in the Scheme. To date this case had not passed the 2023 balance payment validations due to an issue with the...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Schemes (19 Mar 2025)

Martin Heydon: The person named submitted an application under the ACRES General stream and was approved into Tranche 1 of the scheme, with a commencement date of 1st January 2023. Payments in respect of scheme year 2023 have been finalised for this case. The 2024 advance payment has not yet been made due to an issue with the claim for Rotational Actions on the contract. My Department is working to...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Departmental Staff (19 Mar 2025)

Martin Heydon: All persons recruited into my Department are fully vetted and cleared before they are employed by my Department. As regards the twelve State Bodies under the aegis of my Department, the information requested is an operational matter for the State Bodies themselves. I have referred the Deputy’s question to the State bodies and have requested that a response should issue within 10 days.

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Welfare (19 Mar 2025)

Martin Heydon: My Department takes the matter of animal welfare seriously. The welfare of equines is protected by legislation. My Department takes appropriate enforcement action where breaches or shortcomings are identified and responds to any reports of alleged animal cruelty or legislative non-compliance. Neglect of or causing unnecessary suffering to animals is not acceptable in our society. I am...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Legislative Reviews (19 Mar 2025)

Martin Heydon: The Island Fisheries (Heritage Licence) Bill 2017 to which the Deputy refers was a Private Members’ Bill first introduced to Dáil Éireann in 2017. It sought to create a specific system for licensing island fishers to conduct small-scale coastal fishing activities, and the Bill would have provided regulatory powers for this purpose. The Bill lapsed with the dissolution of the...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Horse Racing Industry (19 Mar 2025)

Martin Heydon: Horse Racing Ireland (HRI) is a commercial state body established under the Horse and Greyhound Racing Act, 2001, and is responsible for the overall administration, promotion and development of the horse racing industry. The question raised by the Deputy is a matter for HRI and, therefore, the question has been referred to the body for direct reply.