Results 21-40 of 4,255 for speaker:Martin Heydon

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Horse Racing Industry (24 Jun 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 an operational matter for HRI, and has therefore been referred to that body for direct reply.

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Departmental Reports (24 Jun 2025)

Martin Heydon: I can confirm to the Deputy that my Department has not actively 'unpublished' any relevant documents, reports, strategies, or resources over the past 10 years, notwithstanding any temporary, technical matter that would impact on website access, which is resolved as soon as possible. I am wholly committed to open publication of government information. My Department shares various...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Departmental Expenditure (24 Jun 2025)

Martin Heydon: As per section 10 of the scheme terms and conditions, Registered Farm Partnerships (RFPs) are eligible to participate in ACRES subject to certain provisions as outlined. Payments have issued to RFPs and will continue to do so over the remainder of the scheme. Having said this, issues have arisen in certain circumstances where a change of contract is taking place. The process of...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Departmental Funding (24 Jun 2025)

Martin Heydon: My Department owns, operates and maintains six designated State-owned Fishery Harbour Centres, located at Castletownbere, Dingle, Dunmore East, Howth, Killybegs and Ros An Mhíl, under statute. Every year, my Department allocates funding under the Fishery Harbour Centre and Coastal Infrastructure Development Programme, which contains details of the capital projects planned for each...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Departmental Projects (24 Jun 2025)

Martin Heydon: My Department owns, operates and maintains six designated State-owned Fishery Harbour Centres, located at Castletownbere, Dingle, Dunmore East, Howth, Killybegs and Ros An Mhíl, under statute. Every year, my Department allocates funding under the Fishery Harbour Centre and Coastal Infrastructure Development Programme, which includes details of the capital projects planned for each...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forestry Sector (24 Jun 2025)

Martin Heydon: I propose to take Questions Nos. 693 and 694 together. Under the 2014-2020 Forestry Programme, a pure Oak plantation approved under the relevant Grant and Premium Category at the time cannot be changed to Agroforestry. Similarly, if the Ash Dieback site has previously been reconstituted and already planted with Oak, it cannot be changed to Agroforestry. However, if the site has not yet...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Horse Racing Industry (24 Jun 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. Whilst I have not yet formally met with the CEO of HRI, I have met the CEO as part of my wider engagements with the horse racing industry and it is my intention to meet...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Greyhound Industry (24 Jun 2025)

Martin Heydon: Rásaíocht Con Éireann (RCÉ) is a commercial state body, established under the Greyhound Industry Act, 1958 chiefly to control greyhound racing and to improve and develop the greyhound industry. RCÉ is a body corporate and a separate legal entity to the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine. Whilst I have not yet formally met with the CEO of RCÉ,...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Fishing Industry (24 Jun 2025)

Martin Heydon: My Department has responsibility for foreshore licensing functions in respect of designated fishery harbour centres, activities wholly or primarily for the use, development or support of aquaculture, and activities which are wholly or primarily for the use, development, or support of wild fisheries. Applications for foreshore licences are considered in accordance with the provisions of...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Water Pollution (24 Jun 2025)

Martin Heydon: There is currently an unprecedented, significant and very welcome engagement across the entire agri-food industry to drive improvements in our water quality, and the Government is playing its part too. The current Nitrates Action Programme, introduced in 2022, provides the strongest protections yet regarding water quality from an agricultural perspective. Earlier this year, the regulatory...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Departmental Reviews (24 Jun 2025)

Martin Heydon: My Department has conducted a search of our systems and the herdowners in question do not appear to have any outstanding bovine TB or bovine brucellosis compensation payments. If the herdowners have any further information in relation to this matter they can contact their local Regional Veterinary Office for direct assistance.

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Departmental Expenditure (24 Jun 2025)

Martin Heydon: The persons named submitted an application under the ACRES General stream and were approved into Tranche 1 of the scheme, with a commencement date of 1st January 2023. An ACRES interim payment issued to the herd owners in April 2024 in the sum of €4,000. This case is progressing through validation checks and payment will issue when all such checks have been successfully passed....

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Charitable and Voluntary Organisations (24 Jun 2025)

Martin Heydon: Animal welfare is a key priority for me as Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine and for the Government. My Department provides considerable funding to support, eligible, animal welfare charities, nationwide, through the annual Animal Welfare Grant Programme. The information requested by the Deputy is set out below, in tabular form. Donkey Sanctuary awards through the Animal...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Waste Management (19 Jun 2025)

Martin Heydon: The Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage has responsibility for the overall development of national planning policy and legislation, which includes the appropriate setback rules for anaerobic digestion facilities. These facilities, and other integrated assets, are required to undergo a planning process to ensure proper consideration of a range of factors, including location,...

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

Martin Heydon: The Areas of Natural Constraints (ANC) scheme provides financial compensation to farmers in recognition of the additional cost they incur in farming land that is designated as disadvantaged/constrained. In 2019, Ireland was required, under Articles 31 and 32 of Regulation (EU) No 1305/2013, to change the approach used to designating land as eligible for payment under the scheme. Up to that...

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

Martin Heydon: As part of Budget 2025, my Department secured an allocation of €5 million to provide support to the group of farmers commonly referred to as ‘forgotten farmers’. A key first step in this process was to launch an online survey to assist in determining the number of farmers who meet the long-standing criteria for forgotten farmers. This survey closed on Friday, 30 May...

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

Martin Heydon: The table below shows the numbers of staff in my Department remotely working up to three days per week from home, or fully on site, in December of 2022 2023,2024 and June of 2025 for my Department. - Hybrid Hybrid Fully on site Fully on site Part-time Full-time Part-time Full-time ...

Select Committee on Agriculture and Food: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 30 - Agriculture, Food and the Marine (Further Revised) (18 Jun 2025)

Martin Heydon: Members have the rest of the opening statement. They can take it as read or they can read on.

Select Committee on Agriculture and Food: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 30 - Agriculture, Food and the Marine (Further Revised) (18 Jun 2025)

Martin Heydon: I will leave it in the committee's hands. Whatever members like.

Select Committee on Agriculture and Food: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 30 - Agriculture, Food and the Marine (Further Revised) (18 Jun 2025)

Martin Heydon: I thank Deputy Kenny for raising those points. He spent a good part of the afternoon on the area of TB. It is taking up much of my time now as well. It is understandably a huge cause of concern for farmers. Let us be honest. We are seeing incidence now that we have not seen before. I do not remember any of my neighbours having 40 or 50 reactors in one herd when I was growing up at home,...