Results 521-540 of 4,255 for speaker:Martin Heydon

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Agriculture Industry (14 May 2025)

Martin Heydon: I thank Senator Cosgrove for raising a really important issue and giving me the opportunity to put on the record of the House a reassurance to farmers in her area and all over the country who are concerned about GAEC 2. The Senator has outlined those concerns, and I know from my colleagues here in Donegal and Kerry as well that those concerns are shared by farmers. Much of this is down to...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Agriculture Industry (14 May 2025)

Martin Heydon: Apologies. I did not answer two of the Senator's earlier questions. One was on appeals and the other was on splitting the parcel. Farmers can split the parcel if there is a natural boundary like a wall or hedge in an existing land parcel. They can just do that on the application. There will be an appeals mechanism. Most farmers will not need to appeal this. It will not change their...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Departmental Contracts (14 May 2025)

Martin Heydon: Procurement's for the acquisition of IT equipment undertaken by my Department are conducted within the Office of Government Procurement guidelines.

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Diseases (14 May 2025)

Martin Heydon: The outbreaks of foot and mouth disease (FMD) in Germany in January and in Hungary and Slovakia more recently have highlighted the ongoing threat this disease poses to Irish livestock. Within my Department, preparations are ongoing to heighten our preparedness for all eventualities and to ensure a prompt and effective response to any suspect FMD case. My Department also carries out...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Diseases (14 May 2025)

Martin Heydon: My Department maintains an ongoing information campaign in relation to foot and mouth disease (FMD). This includes posters and pull up displays at ports, airports and ferry terminals advising travellers of the risk of inadvertently carrying FMD back to Ireland. My Department also has continuous engagement with livestock owners, hauliers and other industry stakeholders, highlighting the...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Farm Partnerships (14 May 2025)

Martin Heydon: Applications for a Registered Farm Partnership (RFP) are accepted and processed by the Department all year round. However, if an applicant wished to have their RFP number in time for the 2025 Basic Income Support for Sustainability deadline, applications with all accompanying documentation must have been received by the Department on or before Monday, 10 February 2025. There was an issue...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Schemes (14 May 2025)

Martin Heydon: The person named submitted an application under the ACRES General stream and was approved into Tranche 1 of the scheme, with a commencement date of 1st January 2023. An interim payment of €4,000 issued to the herd owner in March 2024 in respect of their participation in Scheme Year 2023. To date this case has not passed the 2023 balance payment validations. A dedicated team has...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Supports (14 May 2025)

Martin Heydon: The table below details the total payments made under the Ash Dieback schemes and associated Climate Action Performance Payment 2013 to 9th May 2025. Reconstitution Ash Dieback Scheme (RAD) Reconstitution & Underplanting (Ash Dieback) Scheme (RUS) Climate Action Performance Payment Scheme (CAPP) Year € €...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Schemes (14 May 2025)

Martin Heydon: The below table presents the Agri-Climate Rural Environment Scheme (ACRES) payment details for the 954 farmers participating in the scheme in County Monaghan. Of these 954 participants, 689 joined Tranche 1 while the remaining 265 are in Tranche 2. 2023 Scheme Year - Applications fully processed 673 2023 Total Amount paid €3,144,151.51 ...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Nitrates Usage (14 May 2025)

Martin Heydon: The Programme for Government clearly sets out this Governments ambition to present the best case possible for continuance of Ireland's current Nitrates Derogation whilst working with farmers to deliver improved water quality. Ireland's current Nitrates Action Programme and Derogation remain in place until the end of 2025. A Cabinet Committee on water quality chaired by the Taoiseach to...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Schemes (14 May 2025)

Martin Heydon: Bovine tuberculosis (bTB) is a challenging disease to control and eradicate. I am committed to making real progress in eradicating TB as I am acutely aware of the emotional and financial trauma associated with a TB breakdown for farmers. The table attached outlines the overall cost to the Exchequer of the TB Programme, excluding staff costs, between 2019 and 2024. Expenditure has increased...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Supports (14 May 2025)

Martin Heydon: GAEC 2 is a mandatory condition of the payment of the Basic Income Support for Farmers (BISS). It is intended to protect peatlands and wetlands. The EU Regulation governing the CAP Strategic Plans requires all Member States to have a standard in place this year at the latest. The proposal was submitted by my Department and approved by the European Commission on 30th April 2025 and is now...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Climate Action Plan (13 May 2025)

Martin Heydon: At the moment, there is no known published scientific data or studies on the carbon footprint of Irish wool and therefore it is not possible to compare it to other textiles. One important aspect that would need to be considered in such a comparison is the longer life cycle of wool compared to other textiles and this would have a bearing on its carbon footprint. Recently, the Environmental...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forestry Sector (13 May 2025)

Martin Heydon: I propose to take Questions Nos. 916 and 917 together. The number of hectares of land newly licensed for afforestation in the years 2023 to date, by quarter, in tabular form is set out below. Afforestation H/a Licences Issued - Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Yearly Total 2023 86 47 47 610.80 789 ...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forestry Sector (13 May 2025)

Martin Heydon: The table below illustrates the planting per quarter from 2023 to 7th May 2025 as requested. The Afforestation Scheme is demand led, and my department is pursuing a comprehensive communications strategy to promote the forestry options to farmers and other land owners. Already in 2025 there is a significant increase in afforestation planted on the same period last year. Year ...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forestry Sector (13 May 2025)

Martin Heydon: My Department will publish the Forestry Licensing Plan for 2025 in the coming weeks, taking account of developments on foot of the fallout from the recent storms, Darragh and Éowyn. The Plan will cover Afforestation, Roads, Private and Coillte felling licences. Now that the satellite assessment of the extent of the damage is complete, my Department can assess information being...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Energy Usage (13 May 2025)

Martin Heydon: The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine Climate Action Roadmap outlines activities aiming to achieve a 51% reduction in carbon emissions and 50% more energy efficient by 2030 and net zero by 2050, in line with the Climate Action Plan (CAP) and Public Sector Mandate. These measures include infrastructure investment, service improvements and behavioural changes. My Department has...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Schemes (13 May 2025)

Martin Heydon: The person named submitted an application under the ACRES General stream and was approved into Tranche 2 of the scheme, with a commencement date of 1st January 2024. To date this case has not passed all the required 2024 advance payment validations due to an unresolved issue on the commonage claim. The case is being worked on and I expect this issue to be resolved in the coming weeks. My...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agricultural Colleges (13 May 2025)

Martin Heydon: My Department has no role in reviewing individual education courses for ‘trained farmer’ status to enable qualifying farmers avail of certain tax reliefs and scheme payments. As the leading provider of agricultural education courses in Ireland, Teagasc is responsible by law for assessing whether individual courses meet the agreed requirements for ‘trained...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Marine Institute (13 May 2025)

Martin Heydon: I propose to take Questions Nos. 923 to 925, inclusive, together. My Department supports the provision of essential training and skills development for those working, or intending to work, in the Irish commercial seafood sector in a number of ways. My Department funds two National Fisheries Colleges of Ireland operated by our national seafood development agency Bord Iascaigh Mhara (BIM),...