Results 601-620 of 4,255 for speaker:Martin Heydon

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Welfare (29 Apr 2025)

Martin Heydon: All slaughterhouses must be approved by my Department. There are ongoing inspections at slaughterhouses, including their lairages, and they are regularly audited. These inspections cover food safety checks including traceability, animal welfare and animal health checks. Where breaches of regulations are detected appropriate enforcement action is taken by my Department. The slaughterhouse...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Greyhound Industry (29 Apr 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 an operational matter for...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Greyhound Industry (29 Apr 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 primarily 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...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Greyhound Industry (29 Apr 2025)

Martin Heydon: I am not aware of the allegations referred to by the Deputy. 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. ...

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

Martin Heydon: Significant progress has been achieved with many farmers embracing the change to Low Emission Slurry Spreading (LESS) technology, supported by grant aid under TAMS, and this is to be commended. I fully understand the issues raised in relation to LESS on more “marginal” land and this is one of the reasons why LESS has not yet been rolled out to all farmers. Farmers with a...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Employment Rights (29 Apr 2025)

Martin Heydon: Employment rights across all sectors are the responsibility of the Department of Enterprise, Trade & Employment. I am not aware of any plans to regulate employment terms and conditions in the equine sector at present.

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forestry Sector (29 Apr 2025)

Martin Heydon: My Department has received 117 applications to date in 2025 representing 464.24 hectares under the Reconstitution Ash Dieback scheme. A total of €3,267,144 has been paid to date in 2025 in relation to ash dieback, this includes payments under reconstitution schemes and the Climate Action Performance Payment, which may be availed of once reconstitution under the Departmental scheme has...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Common Agricultural Policy (29 Apr 2025)

Martin Heydon: Under the previous Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), the Department of Agriculture Food and the Marine (DAFM) operated the Green, Low-Carbon, Agri-Environment Scheme (GLAS). The scheme provided payments to farmers to help tackle climate change, preserve biodiversity, protect habitats and promote environmentally-friendly farming. In GLAS, commonages which were above 10 hectares required...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: EU Directives (29 Apr 2025)

Martin Heydon: My Department considers applications for aquaculture licences in accordance with the provisions of the Fisheries (Amendment) Act 1997, the Foreshore Act 1933 (as amended) and applicable national and EU legislation. The licensing process involves consultation with a wide range of scientific and technical advisers as well as various Statutory Consultees. The legislation also provides for a...

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

Martin Heydon: The Climate Action Plan has set a target of growing the tillage area to 400,000 hectares by 2030. The Food Vision 2030 Tillage Group Report, published in May 2024, sets out a road map for the growth and development of the sector between now and 2030. Adding value to tillage crops grown on Irish farms and sharing this value with farmers is one way of ensuring the long-term viability of the...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forestry Sector (29 Apr 2025)

Martin Heydon: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1681 and 1710 together. I recognise that the recent storms Darragh and Éowyn have caused varying degrees of damage around the country, including significant damage to trees and that this presents challenges to all stakeholders in forestry. The total area estimated to be affected by storms Darragh and Éowyn is 26,050 hectares. Of this Coillte...

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

Martin Heydon: ACRES is the flagship environmental scheme provided under the 2023-2027 CAP Strategic Plan, with €1.5 billion in Exchequer and EU funding allocated over the course of the scheme. As of 28th April 2025, across the first two years of the scheme (2023 & 2024), a total of €452 million has been paid to participants in respect of their participation in ACRES. Payments...

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

Martin Heydon: The total number of active participants in ACRES, as of 28 April 2025, is 54,177. Of these, 44,860 commenced their ACRES contracts on 1 January 2023 (Tranche 1) and 9,317 commenced their contracts on 1 January 2024 (Tranche 2). Following the latest payment run on 25 April 2025, 43,368 ACRES participants, or just under 97%, are fully paid in respect of the 2023 scheme year. This means that...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Horse Racing Industry (29 Apr 2025)

Martin Heydon: Horse Racing Ireland (HRI) is a commercial state body established under the Horse and Greyhound Racing Act, 2001, and is responsible for the overall administration, promotion and development of the horse racing industry. Details relating to racehorse fatalities and injuries is a matter for HRI, therefore, that part of the question has been referred to the body for direct reply. The horse...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Greyhound Industry (29 Apr 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 an operational matter for...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Welfare (29 Apr 2025)

Martin Heydon: My Department does not hold records of the number of thoroughbred horses that have been subjected to wind surgeries in Ireland. My Department takes the matter of animal welfare most seriously. It should be noted that wind surgeries are carried out by qualified Veterinary Practitioners who are regulated by the Veterinary Practice Act 2005, which comes under the remit of the Veterinary...

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

Martin Heydon: The Suckler Carbon Efficiency Programme (SCEP) aims to provide support to beef farmers to improve the environmental sustainability of the national beef herd. The programme aims to build on the gains delivered in recent years through the Beef Data and Genomics Programme (BDGP) and the Beef Environmental Efficiency Programme (BEEP) by improving the genetic merit of the Irish suckler herd. ...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forestry Sector (29 Apr 2025)

Martin Heydon: There are no additional changes/restrictions to the outlined national afforestation policy arising from the implementation of GAEC 2. Sites that apply to be afforested must meet certain requirements before they are issued an afforestation licence and these are outlined in the Land Types for Afforestation document which is available on my Departments website. GAEC 2 (protection of...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Welfare (29 Apr 2025)

Martin Heydon: I am aware of the incident. My Department has liaised with National Parks and Wildlife Services (NPWS) in relation to this matter. It would not be appropriate to comment further on the individual case.

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Welfare (29 Apr 2025)

Martin Heydon: The number of calls received via the animal welfare helpline in 2024 and in 2025 up to 16/04/25 is set out below in tabular form: 2025 up to 16/04/2025 746 2024 2211