Results 761-780 of 4,255 for speaker:Martin Heydon

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Environmental Schemes (2 Apr 2025)

Martin Heydon: I am delighted to again have the opportunity to speak on GAEC 2, which was raised in the House earlier. As a reminder, GAEC 2 is a baseline requirement under the CAP regulations for the protection of carbon-rich soils. It is legally required to be put in place for 2025 as part of the conditionality requirements for the basic income support for sustainability, BISS, payment scheme. The...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Agriculture Industry (2 Apr 2025)

Martin Heydon: I thank the Deputy again for raising this. There are two points at the heart of his question. One is the importance of our tillage sector, on which I absolutely concur with him. There is a reason my Department has had a number of interventions to support the tillage sector, which has come through a couple of really difficult years, from straw incorporation and protein aid to the tillage...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Agriculture Supports (2 Apr 2025)

Martin Heydon: I thank the Deputy for raising this question on such an important issue. Farm safety, health and well-being is a priority for this Government. There is a specific focus in the programme for Government on farmer mental health and well-being, recognising the unique challenges faced by the sector. I secured dedicated funding of €2.5 million in budget 2025 to build on previous...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Agriculture Supports (2 Apr 2025)

Martin Heydon: The Deputy is dead right. The work is isolated in nature. I know that from my time farming at home. The days were long. If I was in the tractor on my own all day doing a job or out tending to fencing or to livestock, I could have too much time with my own thoughts, I used to find. It does not happen in politics much; we tend to be much busier and kept well distracted. I am being...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Agriculture Supports (2 Apr 2025)

Martin Heydon: Exactly. There are a lot of pressures in farming from price to weather to rushing around and all those different elements. The pandemic really brought home the fact that the lockdown took away the key social engagements that farmers had that they really depended upon such as the trip to the mart, maybe the trip to mass or religious service at the weekend, a trip to a pub or a trip to a...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Agriculture Industry (2 Apr 2025)

Martin Heydon: I thank the Deputy for raising this issue and the specific example of north Kildare, an area I obviously know well and is close to my heart. As the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, I am committed to driving sustainable agriculture practices that underpin Ireland's food sector and contribute more broadly to food security through an export market valued at €19 billion....

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Agriculture Industry (2 Apr 2025)

Martin Heydon: I understand that concern among farmers who see highly productive agricultural land have ground solar put in and that land come out of food production or definitely reduced. As landowners subject to planning and other considerations, farmers have property rights which are protected by the Constitution and a legitimate interest in maximising the income from their holdings. However, it is...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Dairy Sector (2 Apr 2025)

Martin Heydon: The value of agricultural output rose by 8% to €12.2 billion in 2024. This was driven mainly by a 17% increase in milk prices as milk accounts for one third of the value of agricultural output overall. These trends can change, however. As we know, there is considerable volatility in the sector and this presents a really big challenge for our farmers and food industry. My Department...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Animal Diseases (2 Apr 2025)

Martin Heydon: I thank Deputy McGreehan for raising what is a really important point. The recent outbreaks of foot and mouth disease in Hungary, Slovakia and Germany have highlighted the ongoing threat posed by the disease to Irish livestock. FMD is present in large parts of the developing world, causing major losses to livestock farmers and presenting a continuous risk of spread to parts of the world...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Animal Diseases (2 Apr 2025)

Martin Heydon: On the point on our island status, I have collaborated very closely with my counterpart Andrew Muir in Stormont, who has responsibility on his side of the Border, be it in respect of avian flu, the potential risk of FMD or, as the Deputy mentioned in her original question, bluetongue. Bluetongue is prevalent in England and is it a very major concern for us as we head into the time of year...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Animal Diseases (2 Apr 2025)

Martin Heydon: I understand the historic nature of the issue and respect the fact that the Deputy is raising it almost 24 years since the outbreak in 2001, which had a dreadful impact on the whole country but particularly on the Cooley area. I take on board the points the Deputy raised. The matter has an historic nature. I am aware that there were legal cases.

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Environmental Schemes (2 Apr 2025)

Martin Heydon: There was extensive analysis of this by officials in my Department and engagement with farm organisations over past two years on trying to come to a solution. This is the most practical approach. It will have no direct impact on a farmer's daily activity on that land. I take issue with the statement that this will have a detrimental effect on farmers. In response to the Deputy's...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Environmental Schemes (2 Apr 2025)

Martin Heydon: I agree because what is being presented is not what is reality. The Deputy used the word "designation", so I am not surprised that farmers are petrified. This is not a designation. It is a baseline requirement for applying for a single farm payment, or the basic income support for sustainability, BISS, scheme, as it is now known. Of course farmers would have concerns on that but a...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Dairy Sector (2 Apr 2025)

Martin Heydon: I agree. Everyone is concerned about what will happen with the tariffs from the United States and the impact they will have on our agrifood sector. America is our second biggest market. We export €2 billion worth of agrifood and drink products to there, with butter and dairy being a key component of that, the butter market alone accounting for nearly €500 million. Of the...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Dairy Sector (2 Apr 2025)

Martin Heydon: That is why new markets and continuing to grow our market share in existing markets is so important. Our job in the Department of agriculture is to meet all of the regulatory requirements of other countries so that we can can gain market access and trade there. It is then up to the Irish food processors and food companies to see that the price they are getting for Irish farmers’...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Farm Costs (2 Apr 2025)

Martin Heydon: I start my first Oral Questions as Minister for Agriculture, Food and Marine by wishing Deputy O'Donoghue well in his role as agriculture spokesperson for Labour and Deputy Kenny as agriculture spokesperson for Sinn Féin. Deputy Mac Lochlainn, who has left because he has an engagement, and the Minister of State, Deputy Dooley, will work on all things to do with fisheries. We look...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Farm Costs (2 Apr 2025)

Martin Heydon: As the Deputy outlined, volatility is a significant issue. The volatility in input and output costs was reflected in family farm income. Following record years for income in 2021 and 2022, incomes fell in 2023. However, estimates for 2024 and the forecast for 2025 are more positive. Teagasc estimates an average increase of 49% for 2024 - admittedly from a low base - with all sectors...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Farm Costs (2 Apr 2025)

Martin Heydon: The points raised by Deputy O'Donoghue illustrate some of the other challenges we face in this sector. At its heart is the challenge relating to succession. Income is also a key issue - the income the next generation of young male and female farmers can expect to attain. It feeds into their decision as to whether they want to take on the farm or not. That is why Food Vision 2030, our...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Environmental Schemes (2 Apr 2025)

Martin Heydon: I thank Deputy Kenny and look forward to working with him in the term ahead. I thank the Deputy for raising this really important issue about which there has been a lot of concern - I absolutely understand that - for farmers who are working on peat-based or carbon-rich soils. There has been an element of misinformation or misunderstanding of what the GAECs are. I am happy to have the...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Schemes (2 Apr 2025)

Martin Heydon: I can confirm that over €441 million has been paid to date to participants in the ACRES Scheme. A total of €248 million has been paid to 43,032 participants, or 96% of all ACRES participants, in respect of their participation in the Scheme in 2023. Of the 1,876 farmers that have yet to receive their final payments for 2023,1,582 have received an interim payment of either...