Results 161-180 of 3,570 for speaker:Martin Heydon

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Schemes (25 Mar 2025)

Martin Heydon: The Agri-Climate Rural Environment Scheme, or "ACRES" as it is more commonly known, is the first scheme of its kind to upscale results-based payments to a national level. The implementation of such an ambitious and innovative scheme is a significant change in the way agri-environmental schemes are delivered, and this change has come with complexities and challenges. As of March 21st,...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Diseases (25 Mar 2025)

Martin Heydon: In 2024, my Department provided advice to Dublin Zoo in relation to import requirements that may have been applicable to hyperimmune serum that was being imported from Chester Zoo. The Zoo was advised by my Department that this product was exempt from import controls as it was classed as a veterinary medicinal product. My Department has no role in the operational management of elephant...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Harbours and Piers (25 Mar 2025)

Martin Heydon: The responsibility for the development and maintenance of local authority owned piers, harbours and slipways rests with each local authority. The relevant local authority in the case of Cé Heilbhic is Waterford City & County Council. As part of the annual Fishery Harbour and Coastal Infrastructure Development Programme, my Department provides funding to assist coastal local...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Fisheries Protection (25 Mar 2025)

Martin Heydon: In 2018, a transition period to a ban on vessels over 18 metres trawling in inshore waters, inside the six nautical mile zone and the baselines, was announced. This measure, however, was the subject of extended legal proceedings resulting in the measure being overturned in 2023. In 2024, over a period of eight weeks, the Minister held a new public consultation on a review of trawling...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forestry Sector (25 Mar 2025)

Martin Heydon: The afforestation rates for the years 2020-2024 are as follows: In 2020, 2,434 hectares were planted and in 2021, 2,016 hectares. In 2022, 2,073 hectares were planted. In 2023, 1,651 hectares were planted. Last year there were 1,573 hectares of new planting. The current forestry programme is the best funded in the state's history providing the most attractive financial...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Fisheries Protection (25 Mar 2025)

Martin Heydon: In 2018, a transition period to a ban on vessels over 18 metres trawling in inshore waters, inside the six nautical mile zone and the baselines, was announced. This measure, however, was the subject of extended legal proceedings resulting in the measure being overturned in 2023. In 2024, over a period of eight weeks, the Minister held a new public consultation on a review of trawling...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Trade Sanctions (25 Mar 2025)

Martin Heydon: As a small, open exporting economy, Ireland is sensitive to any change in global trading conditions. Therefore, any imposition of tariffs by the U.S. authorities will if enacted have the potential to pose significant challenges for Irish exporters of agri-food products to the US. This is of particular concern as the US is the second largest market for Irish agri-food exports after the UK...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Supports (25 Mar 2025)

Martin Heydon: I would like to thank the Deputy for raising this question on such an important issue. Farm safety, health and wellbeing 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. Through dedicated funding of €2.5 million allocated in Budget 2025,...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Schemes (25 Mar 2025)

Martin Heydon: Budget 2025 allocated a sum of €22 million for the continuation and expansion of the National Sheep Welfare Scheme (NSWS). The increased funding will provide for an additional €5 breeding ewe payment bringing the total scheme payment rate for participants to €13 per ewe this year. The increased payment rate will ensure that, when combined with the €12 per ewe...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Welfare (25 Mar 2025)

Martin Heydon: The Programme for Government places an emphasis on animal welfare and specifically commits to the continued robust enforcement of the Animal Health and Welfare Act 2013, which provides a modern framework for regulating and applying standards in the area of animal health and welfare. My Department takes its responsibilities for protecting animal welfare most seriously and strongly...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Horticulture Sector (25 Mar 2025)

Martin Heydon: The 2025 Scheme of Investment Aid for the Development of the Commercial Horticulture Sector was reopened in response to damage caused to horticulture structures as a result of Storm Éowyn. The targeted reopening of the 2025 Scheme was specifically for growers proposing investments in response to the damage caused by Storm Éowyn. The Scheme of Investment Aid for the Development...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Welfare (25 Mar 2025)

Martin Heydon: The welfare of equines is protected by legislation and appropriate enforcement action is undertaken by my Department and authorised officers under the Animal Health and Welfare Act 2013, including An Garda Síochána, Customs agents, authorised officers appointed by local authorities, the Irish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ISPCA) and the Dublin Society for the...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Welfare (25 Mar 2025)

Martin Heydon: We have robust legislation in this country to protect the welfare of animals. In the case of pigs there is sector specific legislation in place which is based on the EU pig welfare legislation. Official veterinarians in my Department carry out a number of inspections of pig farms each year to check compliance with the requirements of this legislation. Herds are selected based on...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Schemes (25 Mar 2025)

Martin Heydon: I can confirm that a total of 2,020 farmers with holdings in County Cavan are currently active participants in ACRES. Of this total, 166 farmers are currently awaiting their 2024 scheme year advance payments, of which 54 are also awaiting finalisation of 2023 payments. With regard to County Monaghan, 953 farmers are currently active participants in the scheme, with 64 participants...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forestry Sector (25 Mar 2025)

Martin Heydon: I am more than aware of the devastation that Storm Éowyn has caused to forest owners throughout the country and understand their need to clear wind-blown sites. More than 63% of affected forests have licences in place already, with another 11% in the system prioritised for processing. I would encourage those remaining 25% of affected forest owners to engage with their foresters and to...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Fishery Harbour Centres (25 Mar 2025)

Martin Heydon: My Department operates and maintains six designated State-owned Fishery Harbour Centres, located at Castletownbere, Dingle, Dunmore East, Howth, Killybegs and Ros An Mhíl, under statute. The responsibility for the development and maintenance of local authority-owned piers, harbours and slipways rests with each local authority in the first instance, and with their parent Department,...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Nitrates Usage (25 Mar 2025)

Martin Heydon: Ensuring that there is an understanding of the importance of the Nitrates derogation among EU counterparts is something that my Department have been proactively engaged on for some time. In November 2023, at the Irish Government's request, the then European Commissioner for the Environment, Oceans and Fisheries visited Ireland. Furthermore, last September, senior Commission Officials...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Food Prices (25 Mar 2025)

Martin Heydon: To be clear at the outset as Minister for Agriculture I do not have a role in setting or controlling prices for any commodity. My Department does, as part of its role in supporting the sector, monitor general developments and trends in prices received and costs borne by Irish farmers. The price paid for malting barley is a matter between buyers and sellers and a function of supply and...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Schemes (25 Mar 2025)

Martin Heydon: In the new CAP Strategic Plan for the period 2023-2027, funding of €256 million has been allocated to the Organic Farming Scheme - approximately a five-fold increase from the previous CAP. This increase in allocation is to support farmers converting to, and maintaining, organic farming practices. Over the past three years there has been a trebling of the numbers farming organically,...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Schemes (25 Mar 2025)

Martin Heydon: More than €440 million has been paid to ACRES participants to date. A total of €247.4 million has been paid to 42,631 participants (25,537 General and 17,094 Co-operation), or 95% of all ACRES participants, in respect of their participation in the Scheme in 2023. A further 2,302 farmers have yet to receive their final payments for 2023. Of these, 2,008 have already received an...