Results 21-40 of 4,956 for speaker:Martin Heydon

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Breeding (21 Oct 2025)

Martin Heydon: The Veterinary Council of Ireland (VCI) announced in April 2024 that it had updated its Code of Professional Conduct for Veterinary Practitioners to prohibit veterinarians from carrying out surgical artificial insemination in dogs due to ethical and welfare considerations. However, this new prohibition does not apply to greyhounds, as the practice is provided for in legislation under the...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Welfare (21 Oct 2025)

Martin Heydon: The use of remotely controlled electronic shock collars in dogs and cats has been banned in several European countries on the grounds of animal welfare. The Advisory Council on Companion Animal Welfare, which was established by my Department under an independent chair, as part of my Department's wider animal welfare strategy, advises me on animal welfare matters and considered the question of...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Control of Dogs (21 Oct 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 is available on the the dog control statistics page www.gov.ie/en/department-of-rural-and-community-development- and-the-gaeltacht/collections/dog-control-statistics/. The 2024 dog control statistics report is at an advanced stage...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Control of Dogs (21 Oct 2025)

Martin Heydon: I propose to take Questions Nos. 641 and 642 together. From 1 June 2025, all policy and legislative responsibility for the Control of Dogs Act transferred to my Department from the Department of Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht. This was followed by policy and legislative responsibility for the Dog Breeding Establishments Act on 1 August 2025. In March 2024, the then...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Welfare (21 Oct 2025)

Martin Heydon: In November 2021, the then Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue, established the Advisory Council on Companion Animal Welfare (ACCAW) comprising independent members, with a range of expertise and experience. ACCAW advises me on policy matters and where appropriate, issues guidelines and recommendations in relation to companion animals. Among items under...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Welfare (21 Oct 2025)

Martin Heydon: The Programme for Government 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 keeps the Act under review in light of key developments in the area of animal health and welfare, the legislative environment more generally, and...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Airport Policy (21 Oct 2025)

Martin Heydon: My Department has a presence in Dublin Airport, both at the border control post (BCP) performing sanitary and phytosanitary controls on consignments imported into the EU through Dublin Airport and in the arrivals hall in Terminals 1 and 2 where compliance checks on pets arriving into Ireland and inspection of passenger baggage for personal consignments of food or plants are performed....

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Emigrant Support Services (21 Oct 2025)

Martin Heydon: I wish to advise the Deputy that my Department has no specific remit in relation to returning emigrants.

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Departmental Properties (21 Oct 2025)

Martin Heydon: The sheds and lands in question are privately owned and are not part of my Departments portfolio.

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Departmental Policies (21 Oct 2025)

Martin Heydon: I propose to take Questions Nos. 652 and 653 together. The European Commission adopted proposals for new regulations on Plant Reproductive Material (PRM) and New Genomic Techniques (NGT) in July 2023. Ireland supports both proposals and has contributed constructively to discussions on these proposals at Council Working Party meetings. Negotiations on both proposals continue. The NGT...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Breeding (21 Oct 2025)

Martin Heydon: As part of the programme for Government, my Department is committed to supporting both the thoroughbred and sport horse industries. A range of supports are currently available to the equine sector under the Targeted Agriculture Modernisation Scheme (TAMS 3). This Scheme was first available in mid-March 2023 for this sector. Grant aid of 40% is available with an additional top-up of 20%...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Horse Racing Industry (21 Oct 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 development of a second all-weather racetrack in Ireland is a key element of HRI's Strategic Plan 2024-2028. A Final Business Case for the development of an...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Breeding (21 Oct 2025)

Martin Heydon: Facilitating the establishment of a new equine slaughter facility is an action under my plan to give effect to the recommendations of the Wall Report to improve equine welfare and traceability. Two Notifications of Intent have been submitted to operate as an equine slaughter premises, one of which has passed this initial stage. The next stage is the submission of a formal application. My...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Schemes (21 Oct 2025)

Martin Heydon: The Areas of Natural Constraints (ANC) scheme (previously referred to as the Disadvantaged Areas Scheme) provides payments to people farming land in designated areas facing significant hardships from factors such as remoteness, difficult topography, climatic problems, and poor soil conditions. Prior to the economic challenges faced in the late 2000’s, the average annual funding...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Welfare (21 Oct 2025)

Martin Heydon: The use of sulkies on public roads specifically, as with the use of all vehicles, including animal-drawn vehicles, is governed by the relevant provisions of the Roads and Road Traffic Acts. Matters in connection with this legislation would be a matter for the Minister for Transport. The drivers of all vehicles used on public roads, including horse-drawn carriages, are required to comply...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Budget 2026 (21 Oct 2025)

Martin Heydon: A breakdown of my Department's allocation for Budget 2026 across all programmes will form part of the Revised Estimates Volume for the Public Service. This will be published in December.

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Departmental Websites (21 Oct 2025)

Martin Heydon: My Department provides several channels to our farmers to support any queries or issues they may encounter accessing online services, from online guidance documentation to explanatory videos, a chatbot, email contact address and Telephone Helpdesk where Department staff directly assist farmers. Farmers with concerns can access any one of these channels. My Department also continues to engage...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Planning Issues (21 Oct 2025)

Martin Heydon: My Department has been made aware of the proposed development and has corresponded with the developer in relation to the potential impacts of the proposed development on certain lands vested in the Minister under the Irish Land Commission (Dissolution) Act, 1992.

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Departmental Properties (21 Oct 2025)

Martin Heydon: I wish to advise that my Department does not have any vacant properties in Dublin 2, 4, 6, or 6W. As regards the 13 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 Agencies and have requested that a response should issue within 10 days.

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Diseases (21 Oct 2025)

Martin Heydon: State-owned wildlife facilities fall under the remit of the National Parks and Wildlife Service, to which questions on that topic may be directed. The Animal Health and Welfare Act 2013 provides that compensation to owners of animals may be payable if a cull of those animals is directed by my Department in the event of an outbreak in that herd or flock of certain diseases, including...