Results 61-80 of 756 for in 'Dáil debates' speaker:Martin Heydon

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: An Garda Síochána (28 Sep 2023)

Martin Heydon: I thank the Deputy for that supplementary response. I take on board the points. It is hard to stand up here and highlight negative facts about his constituency but he does that to highlight his concern. I appreciate that. I accept it and believe it is done in good faith. I also counter that by saying that surely the people who are making the key decisions about the new districts are the...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Forestry Sector (28 Sep 2023)

Martin Heydon: I start by thanking Deputy Cahill not only for raising this point in the House but also for his ongoing work as Chair of the Joint Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine, and that of his committee members, in advocating on behalf of those farmers impacted. I concur with him on the impact it has on the broader forestry sector. I offer the apologies of the Minister of State at the...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: An Garda Síochána (28 Sep 2023)

Martin Heydon: I thank the Deputy for raising this important issue and to pass on the apologies of the Minister, who is in Brussels and, unfortunately, cannot be here. As he will be aware, the Garda Commissioner determines the divisional structures throughout the State. The Minister does not have a role nor can she seek to direct the Commissioner regarding such matters. This is for good reason. We in...

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...

Nature Restoration Law and Irish Agriculture: Statements (31 May 2023)

Martin Heydon: Central government, local authorities and State bodies all have to play their part as well.

Nature Restoration Law and Irish Agriculture: Statements (31 May 2023)

Martin Heydon: Together with those across the agriculture, forestry and fisheries sectors we have a really positive impact.

Nature Restoration Law and Irish Agriculture: Statements (31 May 2023)

Martin Heydon: It is important too that the right funding mechanism is in place. The Deputy will not shut me down on that one. The CAP cannot be the sole delivery mechanism-----

Nature Restoration Law and Irish Agriculture: Statements (31 May 2023)

Martin Heydon: The Deputy should let me make my point; I did not interrupt him. The CAP cannot be the sole delivery mechanism for all obligations of the proposed regulation and we must fully consider all financial instruments available, including the opportunity to leverage private financial investment. I again acknowledge the clear concerns over the proposed regulation. Our focus here is to...

Nature Restoration Law and Irish Agriculture: Statements (31 May 2023)

Martin Heydon: Before I make my closing points, I acknowledge the confusion here. There is confusion for a very obvious reason, that is, there are currently two proposals in Europe. One of them is with the Council of the European Union, which represents national governments, and the other is with the European Parliament, which the MEPs discuss. They are very different. The Parliament proposal talks...

Nature Restoration Law and Irish Agriculture: Statements (31 May 2023)

Martin Heydon: There are different proposals here.

Nature Restoration Law and Irish Agriculture: Statements (31 May 2023)

Martin Heydon: Some people in this House understand that very clearly, but have not articulated it. These statements are very important. They are an opportunity to set out what Government does to ensure the concerns of rural and coastal communities around the nature restoration law are addressed. This is an emotive area, as we saw today, for those farming on peat-based soils. Thus, it is important we...