Results 381-400 of 4,955 for speaker:Martin Heydon

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Trade Agreements (8 Sep 2025)

Martin Heydon: The Programme for Government is clear, whereby it includes a commitment to “work with like-minded EU countries to stand up for Irish farmers and defend our interests in opposing the current Mercosur trade deal”. Irish and EU farmers are subject to complex regulations requiring them to farm in a sustainable manner, which is why it is difficult to explain to them why...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Renewable Energy Generation (8 Sep 2025)

Martin Heydon: The Targeted Agricultural Modernisation Scheme (TAMS 3) provides grants to farmers to build and/or improve a specified range of farm buildings and equipment on their holdings.  The Solar Capital Investment scheme is one of these measures, and provides support to farmers wishing to invest in renewable energy. To encourage on-farm renewable technology uptake and usage, grant aid is...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Aquaculture Industry (8 Sep 2025)

Martin Heydon: The Aquaculture Licence Appeals Board (ALAB) is an independent appeals body established under the Fisheries (Amendment) Act 1997.  The purpose of ALAB is to provide an independent authority for the determination of appeals against decisions of the Minister on aquaculture licence applications. Pursuant to Section 62(2) of the Fisheries (Amendment) Act 1997, the Minister may not...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Control of Dogs (8 Sep 2025)

Martin Heydon: The Microchipping of Dogs Regulation 2015 and Microchipping of Dogs (Amendment) Regulations 2015 require that all dogs over 12 weeks of age (or younger if sold before 12 weeks) must be microchipped and the microchip number must be registered to one of four approved databases.  Animal Welfare Officers are authorised to obtain information from the approved databases in relation to...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Control of Dogs (8 Sep 2025)

Martin Heydon: The Microchipping of Dogs Regulation 2015 and Microchipping of Dogs (Amendment) Regulations 2015 require that all dogs over 12 weeks of age (or younger if sold before 12 weeks) must be microchipped and the microchip number must be registered to one of 4 approved databases.  Animal Welfare Officers are authorised to obtain information from the approved databases in relation to...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Breeding (8 Sep 2025)

Martin Heydon: All policy and Legislative responsibility for Dog control transferred to my Department from the Department of Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht on 1 June 2025 and for Dog breeding establishments on 1 August 2025. Local authorities retain responsibility for all operational, implementation and enforcement matters.  All dog breeding establishments are required to undergo an...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Assisted Animal Reproduction (8 Sep 2025)

Martin Heydon: On 1 June 2025, all policy and legislative responsibility for the Control of Dogs Acts transferred to my Department from the Department of Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht (DRCDG) and all policy responsibility in relation to the Dog breeding Establishments Acts transferred on 1 August 2025.  It must be noted that local authorities retain responsibility for all...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Departmental Schemes (8 Sep 2025)

Martin Heydon: In March 2024, the Minister for Rural and Community Development established a high level stakeholder group to review the Control of Dogs Acts and the Dog Breeding Establishments Act.  The stakeholder group's remit includes considering the need for legislative change. This required in-depth analysis and consultation to ensure any suggested amendments or recommendations would not just be...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Food Security (8 Sep 2025)

Martin Heydon: Some 80% of animal feed in Ireland is derived from grazed grass/preserved forage and about 4.8 million tonnes of feed in the form of cereals, oilseeds, minerals, vegetable oils, fats, citrus pulp and beet pulp is also consumed as feed for animals. Approximately 1.7 million tonnes of this is home-grown cereals – barley, wheat and oats, while approximately 6.5 million tonnes is...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Departmental Data (8 Sep 2025)

Martin Heydon: In 2006, the EU introduced a restructuring mechanism intended to reduce overall production of sugar, acknowledging the then global over supply and resultant low prices. Ireland secured €353 million as part of the reform package with some €220 million being distributed to beet growers and a further €6 million to machinery contractors in the sector. Since 2006, a number...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Departmental Data (8 Sep 2025)

Martin Heydon: At present Ireland does not produce any inorganic fertiliser products. All Nitrogen (including Ammonia) and Potassium inorganic fertiliser products are imported into the State. The question regarding estimated annual phosphate recovery from wastewater and rendering is a matter for Uisce Éireann. The Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage have advised my department that...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Food Security (8 Sep 2025)

Martin Heydon: Ireland is actively involved in the conservation and sustainable use of genetic resources for food and agriculture. My Department maintains a seedbank at Backweston, Co Kildare consisting of 573 accessions of cereals and crop wild relatives. My Department also maintais the potato seedbank at Tops Potato Centre in Raphoe, Co Donegal consisting of 735 varieties of potatoes and 46 varieties of...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Sales (8 Sep 2025)

Martin Heydon: My Department provides a range of financial supports that focus on compensating farmers for both direct and indirect losses incurred as a result of a TB breakdown on the farm. The On Farm Market Valuation scheme provides compensation to affected herdowners up to the market value that each individual animal would have attained on the open market had it...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Departmental Policies (8 Sep 2025)

Martin Heydon: I am fully committed to ensuring that An Rialálaí Agraibhia is equipped with the necessary powers to adequately fulfil its function in providing more transparency to all stakeholders along the agrifood supply chain. The additional powers recommended in the Regulator’s statutory report are novel powers which exceed those of our European partners. As such, it was...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Trade Agreements (8 Sep 2025)

Martin Heydon: The Programme for Government is clear, whereby it includes a commitment to “work with like-minded EU countries to stand up for Irish farmers and defend our interests in opposing the current Mercosur trade deal”. Irish and EU farmers are subject to complex regulations requiring them to farm in a sustainable manner, which is why it is difficult to explain to them why...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Departmental Reports (8 Sep 2025)

Martin Heydon: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1835 and 1836 together. The Programme for Government prioritises “supporting inter-generational farm succession”. Food Vision 2030, our shared strategy for the agri-food sector, states that generational renewal in farming is critically important to ensure the future viability and social sustainability of the Irish agri-food sector and of...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Departmental Meetings (8 Sep 2025)

Martin Heydon: My Department, along with the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage established the Irish Deer Management Strategy group to develop a strategy for the sustainable management of deer in Ireland. The Group comprised representatives from my Department, National Parks & Wildlife Service (NPWS) and Coillte.  A report was published into “Developing a...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Diseases (8 Sep 2025)

Martin Heydon: Following recent outbreaks of lumpy skin disease in France and Italy, my Department has engaged in a targeted communication campaign to highlight the risk of lumpy skin disease and raise awareness among farmers, veterinary practitioners and other stakeholders of its clinical signs in cattle.  This was done by providing updates on the disease at meetings with cattle industry...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Capital Expenditure Programme (8 Sep 2025)

Martin Heydon: I wish to advise the Deputy that as Parliamentary Question No. 2209 of 29 July 2025 related to operational matters, my Department requested that the State Bodies under the aegis of my Department reply to the Deputy directly. My Department has verified that each of the State Bodies under the aegis of my Department have issued a response to the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Capital Expenditure Programme (8 Sep 2025)

Martin Heydon: I wish to advise the Deputy that as Parliamentary Question No. 2210 of 29 July 2025 related to operational matters, my Department requested that the State Bodies under the aegis of my Department reply to the Deputy directly. My Department has verified that each of the State Bodies under the aegis of my Department have issued a response to the Deputy.