Results 1-20 of 2,634 for in 'Written Answers' speaker:Martin Heydon

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Horse Racing Industry (2 Jul 2025)

Martin Heydon: Horse Racing Ireland (HRI) is a commercial state body established under the Horse and Greyhound Racing Act, 2001, and is responsible for the overall administration, promotion and development of the horse racing industry. The Leopardstown Club Ltd is a 100% subsidiary company of HRI and operates a racecourse and golf centre on lands at Leopardstown. Leopardstown is the only racecourse in...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Sales (2 Jul 2025)

Martin Heydon: I propose to take Questions Nos. 190 and 191 together. All persons owning livestock must apply for a herd number from my Department. The process for obtaining a herd number include an assessment of suitability against a number of criteria including biosecurity, suitability of the establishment in relation to the numbers and types of animals proposed to be held, handling facilities,...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Supports (2 Jul 2025)

Martin Heydon: In order for a farmer to avail of funding under Cap Strategic Plan and Nationally funded farm schemes, they may in the first instance be required to submit a valid BISS and other Area Based Schemes application. This is an annual application submitted via my Department’s online system and provides details of the area farmed and the nature of farming undertaken by the applicant in a...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Schemes (2 Jul 2025)

Martin Heydon: The new Programme for Government prioritises “supporting inter-generational farm succession”. Food Vision 2030, our shared strategy for the agri-food sector, states that generational renewal in farming is critically important to ensure the future viability and social sustainability of the Irish agri-food sector and of rural Ireland. While supporting young farmers and new...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Domestic Pets (2 Jul 2025)

Martin Heydon: The Microchipping of Dogs Regulation 2015 and Microchipping of Dogs (Amendment) Regulations 2015 require that all dogs over 12 weeks of age (or younger if sold before 12 weeks) must be microchipped and the microchip number must be registered to one of 4 approved databases. Animal Welfare Officers are authorised to obtain information from the approved databases in relation to individual...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Wildlife Protection (2 Jul 2025)

Martin Heydon: My Department, along with the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage established the Irish Deer Management Strategy group to develop a strategy for the sustainable management of deer in Ireland. The Group comprised representatives from my Department, National Parks & Wildlife Service (NPWS) and Coillte. A report was published into “Developing a Sustainable Deer...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Departmental Staff (2 Jul 2025)

Martin Heydon: My Department is committed to ensuring that a highly skilled and motivated workforce is in place to meet business needs and uses workforce planning to identify and assess these needs for all locations. Recruitment is ongoing in my Department at present, and employment opportunities continue to be advertised either by the Public Jobs or by my Department's Human Resources Division. I am aware...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Nitrates Usage (2 Jul 2025)

Martin Heydon: The Programme for Government clearly sets out the Government's commitment to present the best case for continuance of Ireland's current Nitrates Derogation whilst working with farmers to deliver improved water quality. A Cabinet Committee on water quality chaired by the Taoiseach to coordinate water quality improvements and to work to secure Ireland's Nitrates Derogation at EU level has...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Schemes (2 Jul 2025)

Martin Heydon: In early 2024, my Department requested Teagasc to lead a multi-actor water quality advisory campaign to deliver clear, simple and positive messaging to enhance the understanding of farmers, as well as the broader agri-food industry of the agriculture pressures on water quality and the need for improvement. Arising from that request, Teagasc launched their Better Farming for Water...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Culls (2 Jul 2025)

Martin Heydon: Population control of badgers is a key component of the wildlife programme in the bovine TB programme in areas of high disease incidence and where the source of a TB outbreak is attributed to badgers. My Department's wildlife programme uses both vaccination and culling of badgers where appropriate. I can confirm that the number of badgers culled and vaccinated to date in 2025 is 4424 and 1795...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Diseases (2 Jul 2025)

Martin Heydon: Bovine TB is a challenging disease to control and eradicate. In recent years, bovine TB (bTB) levels have continued to deteriorate. Herd incidence has increased from 4.31% in 2022 to 6.04% in 2024, resulting in a 36% increase in the number of herds restricted between 2022 and 2024. As of 22nd June 2025, over a 12 month period we had a herd incidence of 6.43 % with over 43,455 reactors....

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Diseases (2 Jul 2025)

Martin Heydon: Bovine TB is a challenging disease to control and eradicate. In recent years, bovine TB (bTB) levels have continued to deteriorate. Herd incidence has increased from 4.31% in 2022 to 6.04% in 2024, resulting in a 36% increase in the number of herds restricted between 2022 and 2024. As of 22nd June 2025, over a 12 month period we had a herd incidence of 6.43 % with over 43,455 reactors....

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Wild Fires (2 Jul 2025)

Martin Heydon: My Department is satisfied with the recent Multi-agency response to recent fires on Tara Hill, which occurred during particularly challenging weather conditions for fire, and in difficult terrain. My Department is not aware of ongoing issues with emergency service access at this site, either on public roads or within the forest area itself. By their nature forest fires in rural areas...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Welfare (2 Jul 2025)

Martin Heydon: My Department, along with other public sector bodies was involved in an extensive investigation of animal health and environmental concerns on the farm of the person for whom the Deputy has provided details. An inter-agency group (IAG) was convened in June 2004 and comprised my Department’s Laboratories, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Teagasc, the Health Services...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Industry (2 Jul 2025)

Martin Heydon: My Department provides a range of financial supports that focus on compensating farmers for both direct and indirect losses incurred as a result of a TB breakdown on the farm. The On Farm Market Valuation scheme provides compensation to affected herdowners up to the market value that each individual animal would have attained on the open market had it not been affected by disease. ...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Departmental Strategies (1 Jul 2025)

Martin Heydon: My Department together with the Department of Environment, Climate and Communications co-published an agri centric National Biomethane Strategy in May of 2024. This was Ireland’s first major policy statement on biomethane and is an important milestone in the development of an indigenous sector. Strategy development was guided by a working group which was chaired by my Department with...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Departmental Programmes (1 Jul 2025)

Martin Heydon: I propose to take Questions Nos. 604 and 606 together. The pilot Farm Environmental Study (FES) was introduced during the CAP transitional period with the objective of providing a baseline measurement of biodiversity on farms before the commencement of the CAP Strategic Plan (CSP) in order to support the introduction of the CSP programme. Following a public procurement process, a...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Departmental Policies (1 Jul 2025)

Martin Heydon: Pesticide active substances, such as glyphosate, contained in plant protection products are approved, or not, centrally at EU level, based on a rigorous scientific peer review process managed by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). Products containing EU-approved active substances are subsequently authorised, or not, nationally, in accordance with evaluation and decision-making...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Departmental Schemes (1 Jul 2025)

Martin Heydon: My understanding is that the local improvement scheme operated by the Department of Community and Rural Development provides for the kind of investment referred to by the Deputy. My Department does not have funding for this purpose, nor am I aware of any request from any other Government Department for such funding. I will pass the Deputy’s enquiry on to that Minister for direct reply.

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Schemes (1 Jul 2025)

Martin Heydon: To date 44,186 or 99% of those who commenced their Agri-Climate Rural Environment Scheme contracts in 2023 have received full payment for that year. This means that 514 participant are awaiting finalisation of their 2023 contracts. Of these, 236 have already received an interim payment of either €4,000 or €5,000, respectively. In many instances, this will cover the entire...