Questions

38. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the steps he is taking, including during Ireland’s EU Presidency, to secure an adequately funded, ring-fenced CAP budget post-2027; and the steps he is taking to oppose the proposed reduction in CAP funding. [69777/26]

611. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if consideration will be given to ensuring that small and part-time farmers who have incurred fertiliser costs can access the payment under the EU emergency fertiliser package; and if he will ensure that the scheme provides equitable support across farms of different sizes. [68213/26]

612. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when the €15.4 million EU emergency fertiliser package will be made available to farmers; if he will confirm whether additional Government funding will be provided under Budget 2027 to supplement this allocation; and the proposed eligibility criteria and minimum payment thresholds under the scheme. [68212/26]

69. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the progress made in implementing the twenty-eight recommendations of the Food Vision Tillage Group Report; the actions completed to date; the timeline for implementing the remaining recommendations to support the expansion of the tillage sector towards the Climate Action Plan target of 400,000 hectares by 2030; and if he will make a stat…

174. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine in the context of Ireland’s Presidency of the Council of the European Union, the steps being taken to secure an increased CAP budget that reflects the strategic importance of agriculture for food security, environmental sustainability and rural development; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52202/26]

175. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the engagement undertaken at EU level regarding the carbon border adjustment mechanism (CBAM) and its potential impact on Irish agri-food exports; the assessment his Department has made of the implications of CBAM for the competitiveness of Irish agriculture and food processing sectors; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [522…

176. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if consideration will be given to ensuring that the new biomethane capital grant programme provides support for farm-scale biogas plants; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52204/26]

177. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will consider revising the current valuation ceilings under the on-farm market valuation scheme for TB compensation to ensure compensation reflects open market value; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52205/26]

178. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the average length of time taken from initiation to conclusion of the arbitration process under the TB compensation arrangement scheme; the number of cases currently awaiting determination by the arbitration panel; whether delays have increased in recent years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52206/26]

88. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine whether consideration is being given to allowing farmers who are currently below slurry storage compliance requirements to access support under the targeted agricultural modernisation schemes, specifically for the purpose of achieving compliance; the pathways available for young qualified farmers and newly established farm partnerships in…

121. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the position of the Government in relation to proposals emerging at EU level for the next CAP post 2027, particularly concerns regarding a reduction or restructuring of direct farm payments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35069/26]

170. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to outline the current position regarding restrictions affecting the export of Irish livestock to mainland Britain; and to provide a clear timeline for when these restrictions are expected to be reviewed, eased, or lifted; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35395/26]

171. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to clarify, given that livestock movements to Northern Ireland have resumed under specific protocols, the reason similar arrangements have not yet been fully established for exports to mainland Britain; and whether the Department is working to introduce equivalent pathway; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35396/26]

172. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to detail the precise animal health protocols currently required for the export of livestock to mainland Britain, including requirements relating to bluetongue vaccination and/or blood testing; and to confirm whether compliance with these measures will guarantee access to the market; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35397/…

173. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the engagement that has taken place with UK authorities to agree practical, proportionate, and science-based measures that would facilitate the continued export of Irish livestock to mainland Britain; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35398/26]

174. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to provide an assessment of the expected duration of the current restrictions to the export of Irish livestock to mainland Britain, including whether they are considered temporary, seasonal, or likely to remain in place for a prolonged period; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35399/26]

175. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the assessment that has been carried out regarding the economic impact of restrictions to the export of Irish livestock to mainland Britain on farmers and livestock exporters, particularly in relation to farm incomes, cashflow, and market access; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35400/26]

903. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the steps being taken to support generational renewal in farming, particularly in light of rising land, machinery and input costs facing young farmers seeking to enter the sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35252/26]

904. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the cumulative impact of the new TB testing rules introduced in April 2026, in conjunction with the current export restrictions, particularly in terms of additional costs, labour requirements, and movement limitations imposed on farmers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35253/26]

905. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his Department has considered proposals to recognise native honey bee hives as livestock units under the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), including the suggestion that one hive of native Irish honey bees would constitute one livestock unit, with the first four units eligible for €500 per livestock unit and subsequent units for €250 e…

906. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the rationale for the new regulations granting the Agri-Food Regulator additional powers to compel price and market information; the reasons for the lead-in time before commencement; and the basis for excluding small businesses from the scope of these measures; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35255/26]

300. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine whether the Government intends to introduce a national temporary farm fuels support scheme to provide monthly payments to farmers and agricultural contractors in respect of increased fuel costs compared to 2025 levels, and if such a scheme will be backdated to 1 March 2026; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27537/26]

301. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if consideration has been given to expanding the existing farm diesel carbon tax relief to include agricultural contractors and to simplify the scheme to improve uptake; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27538/26]

302. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the measures being considered to address the indirect impact of rising fuel and fertiliser costs on farm operations, including contractor services and transport; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27539/26]

303. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine whether a national tillage sustainability support scheme is under consideration in light of increased input costs, particularly fuel and fertiliser; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27540/26]