Parliamentary questions

632. Deputy Pat Buckley asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine for an exhaustive list of those who have been appointed as ‘authorised officers’ under the Animal Health and Welfare Act 2013. [56681/25]

633. Deputy Eoghan Kenny asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the amount that has been spent by his Department to conduct tendering processes for public infrastructure projects in 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56685/25]

634. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he is considering raising the TB compensation ceilings to closer align with actual value to farmers who suffer huge financial lost when impacted by TB; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56702/25]

635. Deputy Pat Buckley asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason the Control of Dogs Act 1986 and the Dog Breeding Establishments Act 2010 were not on the Summer Legislative Agenda despite previously being on the legislative agenda since Autumn 2020 (Dog Breeding Establishments Act 2010) and Autumn 2023 (Control of Dogs Act 1986). [56720/25]

636. Deputy Pat Buckley asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the division of responsibility for dog control and dog breeding since legislative and policy control have moved to his Department. [56721/25]

637. Deputy Pat Buckley asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine in view of the fact that legislative and policy control for the control of dogs has moved to his Department, who specifically will be responsible for deciding which dogs in local authority dog shelters will be euthanised; and if a standard national euthanasia policy will be implemented. [56722/25]

638. Deputy Pat Buckley asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the specific date for making the results of his Department’s consultation on surgical artificial insemination in greyhounds available for public review; and a specific timeline in respect of the next steps following this consultation. [56723/25]

639. Deputy Pat Buckley asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the specific date when he expects the publication, and entry into force, of the regulations banning the use of dogs and cats electronic shock collars operated by hand-held remote controls. [56724/25]

640. Deputy Pat Buckley asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the date when the Dog Control Statistics for 2024 will be published. [56725/25]

641. Deputy Pat Buckley asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine regarding the Dog Control Stakeholder Group, the sub groups which have been, or are in the process, of being set up; the membership of any such sub-groups; if terms of reference will be put in place for any such sub-groups; if so, if they will be made publicly available; if the minutes of any such sub-group meetings wi…

642. Deputy Pat Buckley asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine regarding the Advisory Council on Companion Animal Welfare if he will confirm if any members of the council or any of its sub-groups are being paid for their roles; if there is any overlap with the work of the Dog Control Stakeholder Group; and, if so, the way this is being dealt with in practice. [56727/25]

643. Deputy Pat Buckley asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if consideration has been given to preparing a "positive list" i.e. a list of species permitted to be kept as pets by private owners, particularly given the recent public outcry following footage of a zebra inside a pub in County Clare. [56728/25]

644. Deputy Pat Buckley asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if consideration has been given to implementing Lucy’s Law in the Republic of Ireland given that it is being implemented in Northern Ireland and in view of the fact the puppy trade is exacerbated given the Border (details supplied). [56729/25]

645. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the estimated full-year costs that would be needed to ensure his Department officials are present at Dublin Airport between the hours of 7am-10.30pm, seven days a week. [56741/25]

646. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine for an update on the work being done by his Department, and agencies under its remit, to facilitate, in line with the commitment under the Programme for Government, the easier return to Ireland for emigrants; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56780/25]

647. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of instances of illegal tree felling and hedgerow removal that have been reported to his Department; the number of investigations conducted into same; and the number of offences determined to be found, from 2023 to date, in tabular form. [56799/25]

648. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of prosecutions taken by his Department in instances of illegal tree felling and hedgerow removal; and to provide details of enforcement actions conducted, from 2020 to date, in tabular form. [56800/25]

649. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his attention has been drawn to a National Parks and Wildlife Service report (details supplied); the actions his Department is taking to investigate this instance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56801/25]

650. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to outline the circumstances in which farmers are required to apply for tree felling licenses, screening and consent from his Department; whether licenses, screening or consent has ever been issued by his Department retrospectively; and to outline the consequences for failures to comply with regulations. [56802/25]

651. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine whether his Department owns sheds at a location (details supplied); if he's aware that the old asbestos roofs of these sheds are badly damaged and broken; if he will outline his Departments plans to remediate these sheds; the intended future use of these sheds; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56877/25]

652. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his policy towards the European Commission's legislative proposals to reform rules on plant reproductive material and to deregulate new genomic techniques; the extent of his Department's engagement with the Commission in this process; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56892/25]

653. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to address concerns that proposed reforms on plant reproductive material and new genomic techniques will threaten the conservation and circulation of the diversity of cultivated plants, significantly burden and exclude small scale seed producers, restrict farmers in harvesting, using, and exchanging their own seeds, a…

654. Deputy John Paul O'Shea asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the increased supports that will be put in place for equine breeders, such as inclusion in farm investment schemes like TAMS, directing a portion of prize funds to breeders, and supporting thoroughbred foal levies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56908/25]

655. Deputy John Paul O'Shea asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the status of the development of an all-weather horse racing track in Tipperary, which will be a huge asset to the southern region economically and for the equine industry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56909/25]

656. Deputy John Paul O'Shea asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the status of the development of a high welfare end of life equine facility in conjunction with equine breeders; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56910/25]