Results 61-80 of 4,255 for speaker:Martin Heydon

Select Committee on Agriculture and Food: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 30 - Agriculture, Food and the Marine (Further Revised) (18 Jun 2025)

Martin Heydon: No. That would be different from Rosslare.

Select Committee on Agriculture and Food: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 30 - Agriculture, Food and the Marine (Further Revised) (18 Jun 2025)

Martin Heydon: Obviously I set an ambitious target here. We changed the structures inside it and I gave extra supports to my officials in Wexford to try to get through this and get farmers paid as quickly as possible. When I came into this job on 23 January, we had 14,500 farmers unpaid historically. That was not acceptable to me. With 1,700 of them cleared last week, we now have it down to 2,961...

Select Committee on Agriculture and Food: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 30 - Agriculture, Food and the Marine (Further Revised) (18 Jun 2025)

Martin Heydon: Some are outside of our control. With issues such as title deed, the challenge is not on our side. I am not taking my foot off the gas and we have made significant progress in recent weeks. I understand that if you are one of those 2,961, even though it is a much-reduced figure from 14,500 when I came into this role, it is still cold comfort because you have not been sorted. We are doing...

Select Committee on Agriculture and Food: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 30 - Agriculture, Food and the Marine (Further Revised) (18 Jun 2025)

Martin Heydon: TAMS in general has been popular among farmers. We are seeing significant drawdowns. I have to manage that budget to the end of 2027. Tranches 6, 7 and 8 have a 100% approval rate for valid applications. The enhanced grant aid for nutrient storage investments was opened to applications in January. There is 60% grant aid, up from the current 40%. We do not have a figure for that, do we?

Select Committee on Agriculture and Food: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 30 - Agriculture, Food and the Marine (Further Revised) (18 Jun 2025)

Martin Heydon: Regarding the knowledge transfer, the scheme was only coming on board in 2024, so it commenced in 2025, with a first round of payments issuing to farmers in March, with payments to adviser participants issuing shortly. The scheduling affected the flow of the money. The other question was about forgotten farmers.

Select Committee on Agriculture and Food: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 30 - Agriculture, Food and the Marine (Further Revised) (18 Jun 2025)

Martin Heydon: This has been a long-standing commitment where I want to put all the legacy issues to bed. Since the Department was first approached with regard to the group commonly referred to as forgotten farmers, who are defined as young farmers who were under the age of 40 in 2015 and established their holdings prior to 2008, I opened a public consultation process for people to put themselves forward....

Select Committee on Agriculture and Food: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 30 - Agriculture, Food and the Marine (Further Revised) (18 Jun 2025)

Martin Heydon: I said clearly that I have €5 million budgeted for this year. We do not know how many farmers come under this. They have to put themselves forward first. Once they do, we will examine them on a case-by-case basis and see if they qualify. Of course I will publish the figures of people who qualify in this regard. The process I am going through now is to see if there is enough in the...

Select Committee on Agriculture and Food: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 30 - Agriculture, Food and the Marine (Further Revised) (18 Jun 2025)

Martin Heydon: No. It was an opportunity for farmers to put themselves forward to see if they qualify. That is the first step that we had to take. We will go through those cases and that will give us a good sense of what we can do this year.

Select Committee on Agriculture and Food: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 30 - Agriculture, Food and the Marine (Further Revised) (18 Jun 2025)

Martin Heydon: Not necessarily, but we have to examine those who put themselves forward first.

Select Committee on Agriculture and Food: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 30 - Agriculture, Food and the Marine (Further Revised) (18 Jun 2025)

Martin Heydon: I have €5 million in my budget this year so I will absolutely spend that.

Select Committee on Agriculture and Food: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 30 - Agriculture, Food and the Marine (Further Revised) (18 Jun 2025)

Martin Heydon: I set up a special tranche of TAMS in response to Storm Éowyn. I announced last week that there was 100% approval for all valid applications received under that. Emergency tranche 7 covered Storm Éowyn. It closed for applications on 28 March. A total of 1,945 applications were submitted in respect of the agreed emergency investments to cover back-up generators; sheep, bovine and...

Select Committee on Agriculture and Food: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 30 - Agriculture, Food and the Marine (Further Revised) (18 Jun 2025)

Martin Heydon: I could not fund things retrospectively through the TAMS to cover roofs being blown off sheds. Historically, a TAMS grant would only cover a new shed or structure. A number of cases were brought to me. Deputy Fitzmaurice and others gave me examples of sheds whose roofs had been blown off and just needed new power lines, rafters and roofing, but the rest of the structure was sound. I have...

Select Committee on Agriculture and Food: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 30 - Agriculture, Food and the Marine (Further Revised) (18 Jun 2025)

Martin Heydon: Tranche 7 is closed. That was the back-up generators and all those elements. It is closed. A total of 1,945 people applied. They are issuing letters now. That tranche covers the back-up generators, fencing and those elements that were in it. Obviously, there is less risk of a big storm at this time of year. I need the work to be done during the summer in order that we are well placed...

Select Committee on Agriculture and Food: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 30 - Agriculture, Food and the Marine (Further Revised) (18 Jun 2025)

Martin Heydon: I would happily answer it, but there would be a demarcation dispute in this committee.

Select Committee on Agriculture and Food: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 30 - Agriculture, Food and the Marine (Further Revised) (18 Jun 2025)

Martin Heydon: Yes. It is not about Storm Éowyn; it is about learning from Storm Éowyn, where sheds were structurally sound but had roof damage. I want future TAMS grants to be able to cover a scenario where a shed roof is damaged by a storm but the rest of the shed is fine. In that instance, a farmer does not need a brand-new shed; he or she needs a new roof. We know the damage the weight of...

Select Committee on Agriculture and Food: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 30 - Agriculture, Food and the Marine (Further Revised) (18 Jun 2025)

Martin Heydon: I opened a special tranche especially for those impacted by Storm Éowyn. It was open for two weeks under emergency tranche 7. It closed on 28 March. A total of 1,945 farmers applied, who are being issued with letters now. I announced last week that 100% of those applications were going to be approved and funded. No one was left behind. Everyone who applied under the back-up...

Select Committee on Agriculture and Food: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 30 - Agriculture, Food and the Marine (Further Revised) (18 Jun 2025)

Martin Heydon: No.

Select Committee on Agriculture and Food: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 30 - Agriculture, Food and the Marine (Further Revised) (18 Jun 2025)

Martin Heydon: If it is a reactor, it is not.

Select Committee on Agriculture and Food: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 30 - Agriculture, Food and the Marine (Further Revised) (18 Jun 2025)

Martin Heydon: If it is clear, then yes.

Select Committee on Agriculture and Food: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 30 - Agriculture, Food and the Marine (Further Revised) (18 Jun 2025)

Martin Heydon: Following engagement I have had with all stakeholders and farm organisations, I have taken on board the Deputy's concern. Most farmers are petrified are having a reactor and a breakdown in his or her herd, even more than what the Deputy has just outlined, but I understand the concern about that. I am reflecting on those points of concern that have been raised with regard to herd...