Results 61-80 of 3,588 for speaker:Martin Heydon

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Welfare (8 Apr 2025)

Martin Heydon: I am aware of the incident and officials from my Department are liaising with National Parks and Wildlife Services (NPWS) in relation to this matter. It would not be appropriate to comment on individual cases. My Department operates a confidential animal welfare helpline and email through which members of the public can report incidents of animal cruelty or neglect. The Helpline number...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Departmental Communications (8 Apr 2025)

Martin Heydon: Coillte was established as a private commercial company under the Forestry Act, 1988, and day-to-day operational matters, such as the issue raised, are the responsibility of the company. I have referred the matter to Coillte for direct follow-up with the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Departmental Staff (8 Apr 2025)

Martin Heydon: In response to the Deputy's question, the table beneath provides a current breakdown of Ministerial staff and Private Secretaries within my Department. Where it is the case that the salary costs are borne by my Department, the related information is included. These positions are further supported by additional Department team members within my Corporate Affairs Division. ...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Departmental Staff (8 Apr 2025)

Martin Heydon: Pesticide Controls Division (PCD) is responsible for implementing the regulatory system and official controls for the placing on the market and use of plant protection and biocidal products in Ireland. In cases where a detailed technical risk assessment of the scientific data is required, this is carried out by scientific experts in the Pesticide Registration Division. The number of staff...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Departmental Records (8 Apr 2025)

Martin Heydon: The Pesticide Controls Division (PCD) of my Department implements an integrated scheduling system for applicants seeking authorisation to place plant protection products (PPPs) on the Irish market. There are currently a total of 524 PPP applications submitted to PCD for new PPPs and re-authorisation of existing PPPs as part of the EU review process. These include applications for which...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Supports (8 Apr 2025)

Martin Heydon: My Department provides a range of financial supports that focus on compensating farmers for both direct and indirect losses incurred as a result of a TB breakdown on the farm. The On Farm Market Valuation Scheme is the principal compensation measure available to herd-owners whose herds are affected by a bovine TB breakdown in their herd. The Scheme aims to compensate farmers up to the...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Schemes (8 Apr 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. My Department is...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forestry Sector (8 Apr 2025)

Martin Heydon: The Basic Income Support for Sustainability (BISS) Scheme is an income support paid directly to farmers, which is 100% funded under EU Regulation. Applicants are paid per hectare of eligible land farmed and for which they hold payment entitlements. Historic iterations of this scheme would also have governed the criteria applicable at the time as to whether land was eligible or not under the...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Schemes (8 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: Departmental Policies (8 Apr 2025)

Martin Heydon: Wool is a natural and renewable fibre produced by sheep reared in both lowland or upland settings. It is natural product, produced sustainably. The determination of the sustainability of wool value chains is undertaken using Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and this type of analysis distributes the emissions of sheep farming among its different products to reflect their contributions as...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Slaughtering (8 Apr 2025)

Martin Heydon: I propose to take Questions Nos. 783 and 784 together. There is EU and National legislation in place to protect the welfare of animals during slaughter for human consumption. The legislation is clear that animals such as cattle, sheep and pigs must be spared any avoidable pain or suffering during the slaughtering process and that they must only slaughtered by persons who are properly...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Departmental Legal Cases (8 Apr 2025)

Martin Heydon: I am aware of the legal challenge brought by the named organisation against the European Commission, relating to the registration of the Irish Grass Fed Beef PGI, before the Court of Justice of the European Union. At the request of my Department, Ireland has through the Office of the Attorney General intervened in the case. My officials and the Office of the Attorney General are fully...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Departmental Properties (8 Apr 2025)

Martin Heydon: I wish to inform the Deputy that my Department has no vacant or derelict buildings in Dublin-Rathdown.

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Departmental Communications (8 Apr 2025)

Martin Heydon: My Department has not been in communication with the Department for Social Protection in relation to this particular group and is not currently a member of this interdepartmental group.

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Welfare (8 Apr 2025)

Martin Heydon: The Programme for Government provides a commitment to ensure that all legislation and policy in relation to the control of dogs, dog welfare and dog breeding establishments, will transfer to my Department. Discussions involving the relevant Government Departments, including my Department, on the approach to implementation of the above have commenced. These discussions will continue over the...

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

Martin Heydon: There is no doubt that, when a new agri-environmental scheme commences at the start of a CAP process, it brings a lot of teething problems. I remember that GLAS in 2015 struggled in that first year. It is a big undertaking. We had a number of different measures coming together at this one time. Let me be clear. While I am pointing to the momentum I have managed to build in this...

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

Martin Heydon: The Deputy is articulating the frustration that is felt by many farmers across the country. The points he raised are not ones I am hearing for the first time. We will have the Presidency of the EU in the second half of 2026, and in my determination as Minister, right at the time of the AGRIFISH Council when the other 26 ministers for agriculture are all looking to agree the new CAP, Ireland...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Tillage Sector (2 Apr 2025)

Martin Heydon: Deputy Aird and I attended the Irish Grain Growers AGM earlier this year, where we heard at first hand the challenges and opportunities for the tillage sector, which is an integral part of Irish farming and makes a significant contribution to overall agricultural output. The Government recognises the importance of the tillage sector and wants to grow the area under tillage crops in the years...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Tillage Sector (2 Apr 2025)

Martin Heydon: I will go down to visit the flour mill and Deputy Byrne can get me a couple of boxes of Wexford wine while we are there.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Tillage Sector (2 Apr 2025)

Martin Heydon: At the Mallow festival, I was presented with Wexford wine and it was very impressive. I am delighted to see that market go from strength to strength. The programme for Government includes support for the development of knock-on industries from the tillage sector. That value-added factor is important, in addition to the basic fundamental of the sector that Deputy Aird articulated so...