Results 481-500 of 4,955 for speaker:Martin Heydon

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Supports (29 Jul 2025)

Martin Heydon: I propose to take Questions Nos. 2246 and 2247 together. Advancing the role of women in the agriculture sector is a key priority for me and is included in the new Programme for Government. Delivery of the National Dialogue on Women in Agriculture and publication of the Women in Agriculture Action Plan were two major milestones in progressing this aim. All 12 actions in the Plan have been...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Schemes (29 Jul 2025)

Martin Heydon: I propose to take Questions Nos. 2248, 2249, 2251 and 2252 together. My Department operates a wide range of area-based schemes to support farmers. In order for farmers to draw down payment under any of these schemes they must annually submit a "Basic Income Support for Sustainability (BISS) and other area-based schemes" form via the agfood system. Farmers or their appointed agents are...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Schemes (29 Jul 2025)

Martin Heydon: This Government recognises the importance of the tillage sector and wants to grow the area under tillage crops in the years ahead. Reflecting this importance, my Department has provided significant direct supports to tillage farmers in recent years. This year, the budget for the Protein Aid Scheme is €10m and will remain at €10m for the remainder of the current CAP...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Departmental Meetings (17 Jul 2025)

Martin Heydon: ICBF was set up support improvements in breeding of the national herd to the benefit of farmers and to provide direction for national breeding policy. It is wholly owned by its shareholders, which include the farm bodies, AI and milk recording companies along with the breed societies, both dairy and beef. ICBF review and update economic values, based on latest economic models as provided by...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Renewable Energy Generation (17 Jul 2025)

Martin Heydon: My Department does not have the requested information available to it. Issues regarding planning of solar farms fall under the remit of the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage. The rights of farmers and other landowners are, of course, subject to the usual Constitutional protections. As Minister for Agriculture Food and the Marine, I am committed to driving sustainable...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Departmental Data (17 Jul 2025)

Martin Heydon: The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine has not purchased farmland in 2023, 2024 or to date in 2025. It should be noted that the Minister can reply only for his Department, and not for other agencies or Departments.

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Departmental Data (17 Jul 2025)

Martin Heydon: In the last number of years approximately 20 unique farm payment schemes have operated in my Department. These schemes in the main are run through offices in Portlaoise and Johnstown Castle in Wexford. A full report for 2024 is not readily available. Once the data is available my department will be in contact with the Deputy to provide the requested information.

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Public Procurement Contracts (17 Jul 2025)

Martin Heydon: My Department does not maintain a record of procurement competitions that did not result in a contract award due to insufficient submissions, legal challenges, disqualification of bidders, or internal cancellation nor has it calculated costs associated with collapsed or rerun procurement competitions.

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Public Private Partnerships (17 Jul 2025)

Martin Heydon: I wish to inform the Deputy that my Department has had no Public-Private Partnership projects since 2010.

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Welfare (17 Jul 2025)

Martin Heydon: I am aware, that as of the 22nd of July 2024 the Animal Welfare (Livestock Exports) Act 2024 of the United Kingdom has banned the export of cattle, sheep, pigs, goats and horses for fattening and slaughter from Great Britain. The ban does not prevent the export of livestock and horses for breeding or competitions, and it does not apply in Northern Ireland. The ban applies to journeys...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Legislative Measures (17 Jul 2025)

Martin Heydon: I propose to take Questions Nos. 458 and 459 together. 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...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Departmental Data (17 Jul 2025)

Martin Heydon: The Basic Income Support for Sustainability (BISS) replaced the Basic Payment Scheme (BPS) in 2023. The BISS is designed to provide a direct income support to Irish farmers to underpin their continued sustainability and viability. While BISS replaced BPS in 2023 as part of the new CAP, some Pillar 1 funding was allocated to the Complementary Income Support for Sustainability (CRISS) as well...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Departmental Data (17 Jul 2025)

Martin Heydon: My Department’s Rural Innovation and Development Fund (RIDF) provides funding for initiatives that promote the reduction of food waste generated by food businesses, retailer/wholesalers or suppliers in rural areas. As the programme does not allocate funding on a county basis, the details as requested are not available. Rather my Department issues calls for funding for initiatives...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Departmental Data (17 Jul 2025)

Martin Heydon: The Knowledge Transfer programme 2024 -2026 builds on the previous KT Programme in the previous CAP and its objectives are to provide support for high quality and targeted advice, while also delivering knowledge and targeted skills to farmers. The programme operates over three years 2024 - 2026 inclusive. KT participant who successfully complete each year of the programme will receive a...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Departmental Data (17 Jul 2025)

Martin Heydon: The Targeted Agricultural Modernisation Scheme (TAMS) provides grants to farmers to build and/or improve a specified range of farm buildings and equipment on their holdings. Following the success of TAMS II, I increased the number of investment items available in TAMS 3. Overall, the scheme has proved very popular, with an unprecedented level of applications received. The Farm Safety...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Departmental Data (17 Jul 2025)

Martin Heydon: [Attachment omitted]

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Departmental Data (17 Jul 2025)

Martin Heydon: The Traditional Farm Buildings Grant Scheme is an annual grants scheme for the conservation and repair of traditional farm buildings and related structures. My Department co-funds the scheme under the Rural Development Programme and it is administered by the Heritage Council. The principal objective of this scheme is to ensure that traditional farm buildings and other related structures...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Departmental Data (17 Jul 2025)

Martin Heydon: The Targeted Agricultural Modernisation Scheme (TAMS) provides grants to farmers to build and/or improve a specified range of farm buildings and equipment on their holdings. Following the success of TAMS II, I increased the number of investment items available in TAMS 3. Overall, the scheme has proved very popular, with an unprecedented level of applications received. The Animal Welfare and...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Departmental Data (17 Jul 2025)

Martin Heydon: The Targeted Agricultural Modernisation Scheme (TAMS) provides grants to farmers to build and/or improve a specified range of farm buildings and equipment on their holdings. Following the success of TAMS II, I increased the number of investment items available in TAMS 3. Overall, the scheme has proved very popular, with an unprecedented level of applications received. The Young Farmer...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Departmental Data (17 Jul 2025)

Martin Heydon: A call for proposals under the ‘Shared Island Fund Bioeconomy Demonstration Initiative Scheme', was first announced in 2024, offering total funding of €9 million. Applications under this call were then subject to a rigorous and detailed evaluation by DAFM and DAERA. Contract negotiations with the successful projects are almost concluded and a public announcement is...