Results 441-460 of 3,570 for speaker:Martin Heydon

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Diseases (20 Feb 2025)

Martin Heydon: My Department takes the threat of avian influenza seriously. My officials are monitoring the situation regarding avian influenza in Northern Ireland and continuously engaging with stakeholders in the poultry sector and also with colleagues in Northern Ireland on this issue. Strict biosecurity is the most effective tool to protect poultry against avian influenza. This is why the Government...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Live Exports (20 Feb 2025)

Martin Heydon: The trade in and the export of animals is a private commercial activity, but it is heavily regulated by European and National law which my Department enforces. In order for a dedicated livestock vessel to operate out of Ireland it must be approved by my Department in accordance with the provisions of Statutory Instrument (S.I.) No. 356/2016 - Carriage of Livestock by Sea Regulations 2016....

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Schemes (20 Feb 2025)

Martin Heydon: As part of Budget 2025 my Department secured an allocation of €5 million for 2025 to support the group of farmers commonly referred to as forgotten farmers. Work is ongoing to address a number of remaining issues, before the details of the eligibility requirements and benefits to successful applicants under any scheme can be finalised. I am committed to delivering for these...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Schemes (20 Feb 2025)

Martin Heydon: ACRES is the first scheme of its kind to upscale results-based payments to a national level. This is a significant change in implementing such an innovative and ambitious scheme, but it has come with complexities and challenges. There is significant work involved in the verification of payment claims, and in the calculation and issuing of payments to over 54,000 participants from all...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Artificial Intelligence (20 Feb 2025)

Martin Heydon: My Department has taken advice in respect of the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in the Department during the development of the artificial intelligence policy, from the following organisations.The Artificial Intelligence Advisory Council.Gartner Ireland Limited Research and Consultancy Service.CeADAR the National Centre for AI and the European Digital Innovation Hub for AI in Ireland. ...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Veterinary Services (20 Feb 2025)

Martin Heydon: Officials of my Department have conducted 412 animal welfare transport inspections on equine export trucks in the last six months of 2024, and 54 to date in 2025. The animal welfare transport inspections are conducted in both Rosslare Europort and Dublin Port on both EU and non-EU destined equine transporters. Microchip identity checks at the ports of departure by either Department officials...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: State Bodies (19 Feb 2025)

Martin Heydon: The attached table details the expenditure on the procurement of services to develop or maintain digital or IT systems for the five years 2020 – up to and including 5/2/25 incl. vat The information requested by the Deputy is an operational matter for the State Bodies themselves. I have referred this query to the State Bodies under the aegis of my Department and have asked that they...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: State Bodies (19 Feb 2025)

Martin Heydon: I propose to take Questions Nos. 159 and 161 together. The information requested by the Deputy is an operational matter for the State Bodies themselves. I have referred this query to the State Bodies under the aegis of my Department and have asked that they respond directly to the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: State Bodies (19 Feb 2025)

Martin Heydon: The Departments website is hosted by the Office of the Government Chief Information Officer, incurring no direct annual cost to the Department. My Department maintains several external websites that incur the following annual services/licensing costs. Vendor Spend (incl Vat) Terminal 4 CMS €21,097 Readspeaker ...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Child Protection (19 Feb 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. The question raised by the Deputy is a matter for RCÉ and,...

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

Martin Heydon: I wish to inform the Deputy that the information requested is set out in the attached table. 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: Agriculture Schemes (19 Feb 2025)

Martin Heydon: I understand that the Deputy is referring to the Landscape Action element of the Co-operation approach of the Agri-Climate Rural Environment Scheme (ACRES). ACRES was implemented on a phased basis in view of the high level of participation and the range of opportunities available under the Scheme, all of which required the development of new and extensive IT functionality. Non-Productive...

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

Martin Heydon: As the Deputy has requested, the following table represents the number of farmers in each Co-operation zone awaiting the finalisation of ACRES payments for the 2024 scheme year. ACRES Burren /Aran 368 ACRES Donegal 823 ACRES Leinster 240 ACRES Munster South Connacht 787 ACRES...

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

Martin Heydon: My Department has not provided any funding to the named organisation for linear profile training since 2019.

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

Martin Heydon: I propose to take Questions Nos. 167, 168, 170, 171, 172, 174, 175 and 176 together. 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,...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Greyhound Industry (19 Feb 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: Greyhound Industry (19 Feb 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. RCÉ has informed my Department that the stakeholder...

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

Martin Heydon: The Irish Coursing Club (ICC) is the organisation charged with the role of Keeper of the Irish Greyhound Stud Book (IGSB) since 1923. The Stud Book records pedigrees, ownerships, breeding data and transfers of ownership of all greyhounds. The ICC is subject to the general control and direction of Rásaíocht Con Éireann. The ICC has informed my Department that the number of...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Flexible Work Practices (19 Feb 2025)

Martin Heydon: As required under the Blended Working Policy Framework for Civil Service Organisations, my Department implemented its own Blended Working Policy in 2022 to facilitate a mix of remote working and attendance in the workplace, within a formalised structure that supports the business needs of the Department. My Department is committed to embracing opportunities for remote and blended working,...

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

Martin Heydon: As part of its remit, Teagasc routinely hosts international scientific conferences to bring together the latest science available on a particular topic and to facilitate discussion around that science. In October 2022, Teagasc hosted, and was one of the organisers of, an international summit on the societal role of meat. An outcome of the event was that summit attendees with academic...