Louis O'Hara (Galway East, Sinn Fein)
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344. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question No. 876 of 5 February 2025, if eligibility for back-up power take-off generators applies to all farmers including small beef and sheep farmers; if he will consider providing for fixed diesel generators under the scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8810/25]

Martin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael)
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The Targeted Agriculture Modernisation Scheme (TAMS 3) provides support to any farmer, regardless of their farming enterprise, to purchase backup generators.

I am actively examining the extent to which existing investment items that are eligible for support under TAMS 3 may be suitable in the context of the response to Storm Éowyn. I am also considering whether there may be other suitable investment items that may be included in TAMS 3 over the longer term, although this will in turn be dependent on the availability of the required funding.

Michael Cahill (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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345. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will consider in conjunction with the Minister for Transport introducing a small grant for example of €60 per km for landowners and farmers to cut roadside hedges and €100 per km to cut roadside trees, ensuring the safety of all road users given increasing strong winds and storms here (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8836/25]

Martin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael)
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My Department does not offer funding for the removal of roadside trees or trees outside of forests for ash or any other species, but has published guidance on the subject of roadside trees (“A Guide for Landowners to Managing Roadside Trees”). This publication provides information on how to identify trees that have ash dieback and outlines specific issues related to health and safety in tree work. It also gives practical guidance to those working with chainsaws taking out hazardous trees. My Department produced this publication in partnership with the Tree Council of Ireland and it can be found on my Department’s website.

Section 70 of the Roads Act 1993 sets out the responsibility of landowners to take all reasonable steps to ensure that trees, hedges and other vegetation growing on their land are not, or could not become, a danger to people using a public road or interfere with the safe use of a public road or the maintenance of a public road. This responsibility includes the preservation, felling, cutting, lopping, trimming or removal of any such tree, shrub, hedge or other vegetation' in question. The implementation of the legislation on the management or removal of dangerous roadside trees is the responsibility of the local authority, in its capacity as the relevant road authority.

The care and management of trees adjacent to roads is the responsibility of the landowner on whose land the roadside trees are growing. It is advisable that landowners make themselves aware of the full legal extent of their land ownership and of any obligations arising from this.

Peter Cleere (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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346. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine for an update on the introduction of a farm retirement scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8852/25]

Martin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael)
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Last October, an independent Commission on Generational Renewal in Farming was established. Farm succession is a complex area and there are many factors that impact farmers’ decisions in this regard.

The Commission is adopting an objective, evidence-based approach to examining the various factors involved and is engaging closely with stakeholders. It will issue a report on options for the future, which will inform our next steps on this issue.