Results 81-100 of 2,944 for speaker:Martin Heydon

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Scéimeanna Rannach (28 Sep 2023)

Martin Heydon: I will inform the Minister of State, Deputy O'Donovan, of the Deputy's query. I will ask him to ensure that he or his officials respond directly to the Deputy on this point to clarify it for him. There are still some applications outstanding. As I was saying, 15% of the payment claims have been received and the Department is also awaiting completed paperwork from 9% of the Irish-language...

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

Martin Heydon: I thank Deputy Cahill for those points, which I will relay to the Minister of State, Senator Hackett. I completely concur that, when confidence is low in a sector like the forestry sector, the running sores have to be addressed and fixed. This is one such item. In fairness to the Minister of State, that is what she is attempting to do with this review. We look forward to its publication...

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...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Healthcare Policy (28 Sep 2023)

Martin Heydon: I thank the Senator for raising this important issue and pass on the apologies of the Minister for Health, who could not be here to take this Commencement matter. The response I have been given focused on the title, which was around breastfeeding facilities specifically, but I take on board the Senator's point on the importance of ensuring we have those facilities for men or women who are...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Healthcare Policy (28 Sep 2023)

Martin Heydon: I again thank the Senator. He articulated the impediment and the societal challenges really well. I take his points of view on board and will bring them back to the Minister. We know the importance of ensuring breastfeeding mothers can breastfeed freely and comfortably in the workplace and the wider community. Research indicates breastfeeding gives a child an optimum start in life....

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Wastewater Treatment (28 Sep 2023)

Martin Heydon: I thank Senator Conway for raising this important issue. I know the impact and the importance of this type of critical investment in wastewater treatment for the very reasons he has outlined that are important to his communities in Clare relating to the future sustainable development and growth of towns and villages. I am responding on behalf of the Minister, Deputy Darragh O'Brien, who...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Wastewater Treatment (28 Sep 2023)

Martin Heydon: I again thank Senator Conway. To allay the concern he raises that the expert panel could perhaps say that nowhere needs the scheme, we all know of places all over Ireland - I have them in my constituency of Kildare - that need this level of investment. I take heart from the line in the original response which talks about taking a demonstration project model approach. I do not think there...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna (Atógáil) - Commencement Matters (Resumed): Sports Facilities (28 Sep 2023)

Martin Heydon: I thank Senator Crowe for raising what I know is a huge issue not just for Galway but for the west of Ireland. I know the Acting Chair has a great interest in rugby, and we all share that interest, particularly in these months. From that perspective, this is a very important project. It gets to the heart of the Government's approach of supporting balanced regional development, and is a...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna (Atógáil) - Commencement Matters (Resumed): Sports Facilities (28 Sep 2023)

Martin Heydon: I thank the Senator again for raising this matter. It gets to the heart of these large-scale sports infrastructure projects, of which 33 were allocated funding under the previous Government. Obviously, things changed dramatically after January 2020. The 33 projects in question all increased massively in cost because they were delayed due to the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic. In addition,...

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...