Results 721-740 of 3,577 for speaker:Martin Heydon

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Wastewater Treatment (28 Sep 2023)

Martin Heydon: I thank Senator Conway for raising this important issue. I know the impact and the importance of this type of critical investment in wastewater treatment for the very reasons he has outlined that are important to his communities in Clare relating to the future sustainable development and growth of towns and villages. I am responding on behalf of the Minister, Deputy Darragh O'Brien, who...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Wastewater Treatment (28 Sep 2023)

Martin Heydon: I again thank Senator Conway. To allay the concern he raises that the expert panel could perhaps say that nowhere needs the scheme, we all know of places all over Ireland - I have them in my constituency of Kildare - that need this level of investment. I take heart from the line in the original response which talks about taking a demonstration project model approach. I do not think there...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna (Atógáil) - Commencement Matters (Resumed): Sports Facilities (28 Sep 2023)

Martin Heydon: I thank Senator Crowe for raising what I know is a huge issue not just for Galway but for the west of Ireland. I know the Acting Chair has a great interest in rugby, and we all share that interest, particularly in these months. From that perspective, this is a very important project. It gets to the heart of the Government's approach of supporting balanced regional development, and is a...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna (Atógáil) - Commencement Matters (Resumed): Sports Facilities (28 Sep 2023)

Martin Heydon: I thank the Senator again for raising this matter. It gets to the heart of these large-scale sports infrastructure projects, of which 33 were allocated funding under the previous Government. Obviously, things changed dramatically after January 2020. The 33 projects in question all increased massively in cost because they were delayed due to the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic. In addition,...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (11 Jul 2023)

Martin Heydon: I thank Deputy Kerrane for raising this important issue. I and my Department condemn the cruelty we witnessed in the programme last night. I share the Deputy’s sentiments on that. We in the Department take any such breaches of our strict animal welfare guidelines very seriously and wish people who have any information around them to share it with us. We have requested from RTÉ...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (5 Jul 2023)

Martin Heydon: I agree with Deputy Cathal Crowe, who outlined that we have robust animal welfare legislation in this country. The Minister, Deputy McConalogue, through the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, funds a number of animal welfare charities with grant aid to assist with and defray some of their costs. We work closely with our local authority system and the veterinary staff in local...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (5 Jul 2023)

Martin Heydon: I will respond to the Deputy. ACRES is a hugely important agri-environment scheme and we have seen a massive amount of ambition from Irish farmers in this, with 46,000 of them signing up for it. It was a big undertaking for us in the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine to make sure we could facilitate that oversubscription because originally there were only 30,000 places...

Culling the National Herd: Motion (Resumed) [Private Members] (28 Jun 2023)

Martin Heydon: Your stomach sounds like a charade.

Culling the National Herd: Motion (Resumed) [Private Members] (28 Jun 2023)

Martin Heydon: It is the reason it is smart to be bringing forward that point. I will get to the Deputy's point.

Culling the National Herd: Motion (Resumed) [Private Members] (28 Jun 2023)

Martin Heydon: The Deputy is very worried about what I am saying here. It is good to know he is paying attention and I thank him for that. This also means focusing on our environmental and climate credentials and facilitating the sector to contribute to our national ambitions on climate in a fair and balanced way. That is a road the sector is already travelling and I have seen first hand the steps...

Culling the National Herd: Motion (Resumed) [Private Members] (28 Jun 2023)

Martin Heydon: These measures will be optional. It is my firm believe the best results come from bringing people with you and not by imposing obligations on them. That approach is reflected in the Food Vision dairy and beef reports. These reports were prepared through a process of collaboration and co-operation and represent a broad consensus with some reservations on the key actions required. Contrary...

Culling the National Herd: Motion (Resumed) [Private Members] (28 Jun 2023)

Martin Heydon: It is called context, Deputy.

Culling the National Herd: Motion (Resumed) [Private Members] (28 Jun 2023)

Martin Heydon: Deputies referred to import figures for beef. On a point of information, the CSO recently corrected its trade data for beef imports in 2022 and 2023. The correct figures are that we imported almost 37,000 tonnes of beef in 2022, compared with Irish exports of 492,000 tonnes of beef last year. To the end of April this year, we imported 11,000 tonnes of beef, compared with exports of 154,000...

Our Rural Future Policy: Statements (14 Jun 2023)

Martin Heydon: I am sharing time with Deputy English. I thank the Minister for her leadership, energy and enthusiasm, which are evident in her 15-minute statement. As a Deputy who was first elected to this House in 2011, the greatest charge against me from the Opposition benches, as a rural-based Government backbencher from 2011 to 2016, was that we were seeing the death of rural Ireland. Nobody is...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Homeless Persons Supports (1 Jun 2023)

Martin Heydon: I thank Senator Boyhan for raising this important matter. Regarding his initial comments, I look forward to attending Bloom this afternoon with my ministerial colleagues. It is a great opportunity and great credit is due to Bord Bia, an organisation that we support extensively through our Department. It comes directly under my remit in the Department. Great credit is due to Bord Bia for...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Homeless Persons Supports (1 Jun 2023)

Martin Heydon: Senator Boyhan is absolutely right. The major strength of the strategy is that it is more than the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, with the Department talking to NGOs, coming up with a strategy and talking to those with the lived experience, to those who work in the voluntary sector and to other Government Departments. This goes beyond housing. It deals with health...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Fire Service (1 Jun 2023)

Martin Heydon: I would like to start by thanking Senator Keogan for raising what is a very important issue. It is important we discuss this in advance of any potential action. The provision of a fire service in its functional area, as the Senator will be aware, including the establishment and maintenance of a fire brigade, the assessment of fire cover needs and the provision of fire station premises, is a...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Fire Service (1 Jun 2023)

Martin Heydon: The Senator might not have heard my initial response and taken all of it fully on board. The key element is that SIPTU has confirmed it will adhere to the 1992 Act. We have a responsibility not to scaremonger. Public safety will be safeguarded by staff and management at all times. The Senator referenced Blanchardstown. If I were a member of the public looking at this debate, I would...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Fire Service (1 Jun 2023)

Martin Heydon: SIPTU has committed to that, in line with the 1992 Act, and we should not stand up in this House and allude to people that if there is a fire emergency, the fire service will not attend. I will get to my point about the retained fire service. I deal with the retained fire service in Kildare and know how it needs to be treated better. However, let us not scaremonger in the House and try to...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Mental Health Services (1 Jun 2023)

Martin Heydon: I thank Senator Lombard. I know this is an issue that is particularly close to his heart which I have heard him raise and articulate on a number of occasions, particularly how much it impacts the Cork and Kerry area, the region he is from. It is timely that we get to discuss this here today and shine a light on it. The programme for government commits to improving all aspects of CAMHS in...