Results 401-420 of 3,588 for speaker:Martin Heydon

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Schemes (4 Mar 2025)

Martin Heydon: A total of €436 million has been paid out to farmers to date in respect of their participation in the Agri-Climate Rural Environment Scheme (ACRES). My Department has made significant progress in 2024. Almost all ACRES participants have received a payment (either interim or final) in respect of their participation in the Scheme in 2023, and remaining balancing payments continue to...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Supports (4 Mar 2025)

Martin Heydon: I propose to take Questions Nos. 585 and 586 together. My Department recognises that the recent storms Darragh and Éowyn, have caused varying degrees of damage around the country, including significant damage to trees. Alongside Minister of State Michael Healy-Rae, I invited key stakeholders to participate in a taskforce to ensure that storm-damaged forests are managed safely and...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Departmental Regulations (4 Mar 2025)

Martin Heydon: The Green Cert is an accredited education programme delivered by approved providers including Teagasc. Successful completion of the Green Cert qualifies graduates for ‘trained farmer’ status. Teagasc acknowledge the importance of providing accessible pathways for individuals seeking to qualify as “trained farmers” and courses are available on full time, part...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Schemes (4 Mar 2025)

Martin Heydon: The person named was accepted into ACRES Tranche 1, with a contract commencement date of January 1st 2023. An interim payment of €4,000 issued to the herd owner in March 2024 in respect of their participation in the Scheme in 2023. My Department is currently investigating the issue preventing this case from passing the required validations for the balancing payment for 2023. Further...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Departmental Staff (4 Mar 2025)

Martin Heydon: My Department is committed to ensuring that a skilled and motivated workforce is in place to meet its priority business needs. To achieve this, workforce planning is utilised in identifying the needs across all our locations. Recruitment is currently underway in my Department to address these prioritised needs. Technical posts continue to be filled through several mechanisms, including...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (27 Feb 2025)

Martin Heydon: I thank the Deputy for raising this important issue. To reassure her, the Government cannot be any clearer on our position in relation to the Mercosur proposals. We clearly outlined it in our programme for Government. In two-and-a-half hours of debate here in the Dáil last Thursday, I discussed it at length and put clearly on the record of this House our concerns and our opposition to...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Welfare (27 Feb 2025)

Martin Heydon: The Animal Health and Welfare Act 2013 provides a modern framework for regulating and applying standards in the area of animal health and welfare and replaced a number of enactments dating back over a century. The Act was passed, after a lengthy and constructive debate in both Houses of the Oireachtas and came into operation on 6th March 2014. The Act is kept under constant review. My...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Diseases (27 Feb 2025)

Martin Heydon: My Department takes the threat of highly pathogenic avian influenza seriously. Strict biosecurity is the most effective tool to protect poultry against avian influenza. This is why I introduced the Avian Influenza (Biosecurity Measures) Regulations last December and introduced the Avian Influenza (Precautionary Confinement of Birds and Restriction on Assembly of Live Birds) Regulations 2025...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Welfare (27 Feb 2025)

Martin Heydon: Animal welfare is a key priority for my Department and considerable funding is provided to support eligible animal welfare charities nationwide, through the annual Animal Welfare Grant Programme, which is administered by my Department. Grants are to support operational activities of such registered animal welfare charities that meet certain criteria. In November 2024, my Department provided...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Welfare (27 Feb 2025)

Martin Heydon: This Animal Health and Welfare Act provides a modern framework for regulating and applying standards in the area of animal health and welfare and replaced a number of enactments dating back over a century. The Act was passed, after a lengthy and constructive debate in both Houses of the Oireachtas and came into operation on 6th March 2014. The Act is kept under constant review. My...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Welfare (27 Feb 2025)

Martin Heydon: My Department is responsible for S.I. No 63/2015, the Microchipping of Dogs Regulation 2015 and S.I. 427/2015 - Microchipping of Dogs (Amendment) Regulations 2015. Under these Regulations, all dogs over 12 weeks of age (or younger if sold before 12 weeks) must be microchipped. These regulations were made under the Animal Health & Welfare Act, 2013 and therefore can be enforced by any...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Welfare (27 Feb 2025)

Martin Heydon: My Department provides funding to animal welfare charities throughout the country, many of which provide reduced cost veterinary care to animals. In November 2024, this funding amounted to almost €6 million and was awarded to 101 animal welfare bodies. An important element, taken into account when allocating these funds, is the critical role of education and dissemination of...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Welfare (27 Feb 2025)

Martin Heydon: Under the Animal Health and Welfare Act, 2013, my Department has primary policy responsibility for the welfare of all animals. Since the introduction of the Act, over 1,000 Department officials have been designated as authorised officers under the Act and their responsibilities include the enforcement of animal welfare legislation provided for under the Act. A large number of these...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Departmental Strategies (27 Feb 2025)

Martin Heydon: My Department together with the Department of Environment, Climate and Communications co-published an agri centric National Biomethane Strategy in May of 2024. This was Ireland’s first major policy statement on biomethane and is an important milestone in the development of an indigenous sector. Strategy development was guided by a working group which was chaired by my Department with...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Grant Payments (27 Feb 2025)

Martin Heydon: The Targeted Agriculture Modernisation Scheme (TAMS) currently provides grant aid for investment in new structures rather than repair of existing structures. In such cases, it is open to farmers to apply for support for the construction of new buildings under TAMS. I am actively examining the extent to which existing investment items that are eligible for support under TAMS 3 may be...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Schemes (27 Feb 2025)

Martin Heydon: The Targeted Agriculture Modernisation Scheme (TAMS 3) provides support to any farmer, regardless of their farming enterprise, to purchase backup generators. I am actively examining the extent to which existing investment items that are eligible for support under TAMS 3 may be suitable in the context of the response to Storm Éowyn. I am also considering whether there may be other...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Schemes (27 Feb 2025)

Martin Heydon: My Department does not offer funding for the removal of roadside trees or trees outside of forests for ash or any other species, but has published guidance on the subject of roadside trees (“A Guide for Landowners to Managing Roadside Trees”). This publication provides information on how to identify trees that have ash dieback and outlines specific issues related to health and...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Schemes (27 Feb 2025)

Martin Heydon: Last October, an independent Commission on Generational Renewal in Farming was established. Farm succession is a complex area and there are many factors that impact farmers’ decisions in this regard. The Commission is adopting an objective, evidence-based approach to examining the various factors involved and is engaging closely with stakeholders. It will issue a report on options...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Suicide Prevention (27 Feb 2025)

Martin Heydon: Primary responsibility for mental health lies with the Department of Health and the Health Service Executive including strategies and interventions that support farmers’ mental health. Farmers are not immune to the tragedy of suicide. Every death by suicide is one too many and leaves behind a devastated family. Research by Teagasc has found that overall, the incidence of death by...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forestry Sector (27 Feb 2025)

Martin Heydon: My Department recognises that the recent storms Darragh and Éowyn, have caused varying degrees of damage around the country, including significant damage to trees. Alongside Minister of State Michael Healy-Rae, I invited key stakeholders to participate in a taskforce to ensure that storm-damaged forests are managed safely and appropriately. The Taskforce is meeting regularly and...