Results 61-80 of 4,911 for speaker:Martin Heydon

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Emergency Planning (14 Oct 2025)

Martin Heydon: I thank the Deputy. I have one last point. To ensure farmers are more resilient in advance of weather events, I have announced plans to introduce grant support under TAMS for the replacement of roofs. Up to now, TAMS covered only new structures. A farmer could not modify an existing structure under it. Subject to appropriate professional analysis confirming that a storm-damaged...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: EU Meetings (14 Oct 2025)

Martin Heydon: I thank the Deputy for raising this point. Of all the big issues we are dealing with and will discuss in this House, be it the budget just passed or all the other challenges, nothing is as central as the CAP, because it sets out the framework for the seven years beyond 2027. At the most recent Agriculture and Fisheries Council meeting, held in Brussels in September 2025, I took the...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: EU Meetings (14 Oct 2025)

Martin Heydon: I concur. It comes down to brass tacks, or money, and that is why I stress the budget dimension is of central importance. I stressed this to Commissioner Hansen. I welcome his efforts in securing a €296 billion ring-fenced EU-wide CAP envelope. This is a significant achievement in the context of there being no commitments to ring-fencing beforehand. It has been very clear there...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Regulatory Bodies (14 Oct 2025)

Martin Heydon: The independent Agri-Food Regulator established under the Agricultural and Food Supply Chain Act 2023 performs two key functions:It enforces the law on unfair trading practices;It performs a price and market analysis and reporting function.As the Deputy is aware, the Agri-food Regulator has reported to me that it requires enhanced powers to compel businesses to provide information that is not...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Tillage Sector (14 Oct 2025)

Martin Heydon: The tillage sector is an integral part of Irish farming, making a significant contribution to agricultural output, and is indeed recognised as a very low greenhouse gas emitting sector. This Government is committed to growing the area under tillage crops in line with Climate Action Plan targets. The Food Vision Tillage Group report sets out a roadmap for the sector’s growth and...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Supports (14 Oct 2025)

Martin Heydon: I fully acknowledge the challenges Irish farmers face due to climate impacts, including the persistent heavy rainfall that affected crop yields and working conditions in 2024. The Government is committed to ensuring that family farms remain viable, resilient, and central to Ireland’s sustainable food system. Ireland’s agri-food strategy, Food Vision 2030, was developed by...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Greenhouse Gas Emissions (14 Oct 2025)

Martin Heydon: I would like to begin by pointing out that the Nitrates Regulations limit the amount of organic nitrogen applied to land. They do not limit the number of animals held by a farmer. The derogation therefore does not directly impact on emissions from the sector.Retaining Ireland's nitrates derogation is a Government priority that is justified by our grass-based system which is very efficient...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Industry (14 Oct 2025)

Martin Heydon: The Programme for Government prioritises supporting inter-generational farm succession. Supporting young farmers and facilitating generational renewal is critical to ensuring a bright future for the agri-food sector. There are a range of supports available under the CAP Strategic Plan 2023-2027, and these supports are complemented by strong taxation measures, access to finance supports, and...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Tillage Sector (14 Oct 2025)

Martin Heydon: I propose to take Questions Nos. 106 and 116 together. I fully recognise the pressures facing the tillage sector, not least the very challenging market outlook and downward price pressure this season, and I have recently engaged directly with the farming organisations to hear their concerns. This Government recognises the importance of the tillage sector and wants to grow the area...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Industry (14 Oct 2025)

Martin Heydon: The challenge of attracting young people into a career in farming is widely recognised, both at national and EU level. Demographic challenges for the agricultural sector are not unique to Ireland – our statistics, which show that 4.35% of farmers are under 35 years of age, and over 37% are over 65, similar to EU average figures. Supporting young farmers and facilitating generational...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Gender Equality (14 Oct 2025)

Martin Heydon: Gender equality in agriculture is a key priority of mine. I am actively promoting gender equality, under Ireland’s CAP Strategic Plan (CSP), through initiatives such as:An increased grant rate of 60% under the Women Farmers’ Capital Investment Scheme to fund on-farm investments by trained women farmers.The inclusion of an option to establish women-only groups in the current...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Special Protection Areas (14 Oct 2025)

Martin Heydon: In relation to Lady’s Island Lake, I am engaging with my colleague, Minister of State, Christopher O’Sullivan T.D., who is leading the government engagement in this area. My officials, along with Teagasc experts, are centrally engaged in the inter-departmental Lady’s Island Oversight Group, led by Wexford County Council, which also involves the Department of Housing,...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Greyhound Industry (14 Oct 2025)

Martin Heydon: The Veterinary Council of Ireland (VCI) announced in April 2024 that it had updated its Code of Professional Conduct for Veterinary Practitioners to prohibit veterinarians from carrying out surgical artificial insemination in dogs due to ethical and welfare considerations. However, this new prohibition does not apply to greyhounds, as the practice is provided for in legislation under the...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Supports (14 Oct 2025)

Martin Heydon: The Basic Income Support for Sustainability (BISS) replaced the Basic Payment Scheme (BPS) from 2023. The BISS is designed to provide a direct income support to Irish farmers to underpin their continued sustainability and viability. Applications for all area-based schemes, including BISS, are accepted via my Department’s online application system, which is accessed through...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Water Pollution (14 Oct 2025)

Martin Heydon: There is currently an unprecedented engagement right across the agri-food sector to reduce its impact on water quality. My colleague Minister Browne's Department is responsible for the Nitrates Regulations. My Department works very closely with his Department on development of these Regulations, the associated Nitrates Action Programme and of course operation of the Nitrates derogation. ...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Greyhound Industry (14 Oct 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 from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine. RCÉ have informed my Department that the number of...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Supports (14 Oct 2025)

Martin Heydon: Teagasc operates as a non-commercial state agency under the remit of my Department. Its programmes and activities are developed in conjunction with clients and partners, and overseen by an Authority that is representative of the main stakeholder groups in the agri-food sector. Teagasc’s mission is to support science-based innovation in the agri-food sector and the broader...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Welfare (14 Oct 2025)

Martin Heydon: Under the Animal Health and Welfare Act, 2013, my Department has primary policy responsibility for the welfare of all animals. Since the introduction of the Act, approximately 1,000 staff within my Department have been designated as authorised officers, under the Act. A large number of these authorised officers are based in my Department’s network of Regional Veterinary Offices...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Diseases (14 Oct 2025)

Martin Heydon: Bovine TB is an ongoing challenge for Irish farmers. I am acutely aware of the emotional and financial impacts of bovine TB on farmers, their families and rural Ireland. In recent years we have seen a significant increase in bTB levels nationally with over 6,000 farm families affected by a TB outbreak in 2024 and herd incidence was at 6.04%. The Programme for Government commits to review...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Schemes (14 Oct 2025)

Martin Heydon: The Agri-Climate Rural Environment Scheme, or ‘ACRES’, is the national agri-environment/climate measure provided under Ireland’s CAP Strategic Plan 2023-2027. The Government has committed over €1.5 billion to the scheme over its duration, the largest amount ever allocated to an agri-environment scheme. The achievements to date under this scheme include the...