Parliamentary questions

296. Deputy John Paul O'Shea asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if ‘force majeure’ will be accepted in respect of the submission of late sheep census from a farmer in County Kerry (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54262/25]

297. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of external consultancy contracts entered into by his Department in the past five years, including the original estimated cost, the final cost, and the reasoning for contracting this work rather than using internal resources. [54321/25]

298. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to confirm if any staff devices (laptops, phones, USBs) containing departmental information or sensitive data were reported lost or stolen in the past five years; the number of devices reported; the data risk involved; and the associated cost of mitigation. [54381/25]

299. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to detail the instances in which software or IT systems procured by his Department or agencies were later deemed unfit for purpose; and the costs of replacement or remediation. [54391/25]

300. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the outcome of the most recent discussions he has had with the EU Commission and at the Agriculture Council in relation to the retention of the Nitrates Derogation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54531/25]

301. Deputy James O'Connor asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he could address the concerns raised by hill farmers in correspondence (details supplied) regarding issues with controlled burning during the legal window due to weather conditions along with other matters; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54545/25]

287. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question No. 154 of 1 October 2025, if he will provide a copy of the repealed legislation referred in the Parliamentary Question; and if changed legislation went to a vote in Dáil, to provide a list of TDs who voted in favour. [53998/25]

288. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will provide information on the Teagasc Grass10 recruitment programme; if he will clarify the reason a person who finished third on the recruitment panel in 2024 would not be called for an interview in the 2025 campaign. [54028/25]

289. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the amount of uptake on the TAMS 3 solar capital investment scheme to date for farmers for self-consumption; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54206/25]

480. Deputy Erin McGreehan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine whether the Asian hornet monitoring programme includes dedicated resourcing for ports in response to recent sightings of the Asian hornet. [52933/25]

481. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will seek to have the National Ploughing Championships hosted in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53065/25]

482. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of non-coursing greyhounds whose year of birth was 2021 that were active on the race management system between the dates of 14 August 2025 and 24 September 2025; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53070/25]

483. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he accepts that the tillage sector is experiencing a prolonged period of challenges; the efforts he is making to support the sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53135/25]

484. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will respond to reports that Ireland will have to use more than 75 per cent of its allocation from the Regional and National Partnership Plan (NRPP) to maintain the CAP budget at its 2027 level; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53136/25]

485. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if additional funding will be made available in Budget 2026 for animal welfare charities given the very challenging circumstances at present and the unprecedented number of abandoned and surrendered animals; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53174/25]

486. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to reopen the east coast mussel seed fishery at the earliest possible date and take into consideration the importance of this measure to the industry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53222/25]

487. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to review the pension payments of a retired person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53353/25]

488. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number and percentage of veterinary inspectors employed by his Department that are female, as of 30 September 2025; if he will provide same figures as of 30 September 2021, in tabular form. [53363/25]

489. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question No. 1721 of 8 September 2025, the number of non-coursing greyhounds active on the Rásaíocht Con Éireann Race Management System on 13 June 2025 and not the twelve months previously (details supplied), by year of birth; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53379/25]

490. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if there is currently a facility in the State licensed to slaughter equines; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53406/25]

491. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the current strength of the poultry sector; how the situation in relation to export stands; if he has concerns about the volume of poultry products being imported into the country; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53407/25]

492. Deputy Charles Ward asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when works on a new passenger embarkation pontoon at Killybegs Fisheries Harbour Centre will be fully completed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53624/25]

493. Deputy Charles Ward asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when works on a new smooth point phase three at Killybegs Fisheries Harbour Centre will be fully completed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53625/25]

494. Deputy Maurice Quinlivan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of horses seized under the Control of Horses Act 2015 in each of the past three years, by local authority, in tabular form. [53705/25]

495. Deputy Maurice Quinlivan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of horses that were seized and/or impounded for trespass and for non-compliance with chipping law and regulation, by county, each year from 2020 to date in 2025, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53706/25]