Parliamentary questions

584. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when the Young Fisher Scheme will commence again; and when financial assistance will start to be released under the scheme. [47554/26]

585. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the total landholding of his Department, broken down by county, including the amount currently unused or vacant, the portion zoned for development, and the number of sites that include vacant or derelict properties. [47617/26]

586. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to confirmation that certain infant formula products contaminated with cereulide were manufactured in Ireland and exported, the findings of any investigation conducted by his Department, which regulates the relevant manufacturing facilities, into the way the contaminated ingredient arachidonic acid oil e…

587. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine given that analysis reported in February 2026 found the contamination of arachidonic acid oil with cereulide dated back to October 2024 and persisted throughout 2025, whether any infant formula manufactured in or placed on the market in the State during that period was affected; whether any cases of illness in t…

588. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the controls applied to imported ingredients used in the manufacture of infant formula in the State, with particular reference to arachidonic acid oil sourced from outside the European Union; whether those controls have been strengthened since the cereulide contamination incident; and if he will make a statement…

419. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the current and capital annual budget allocated for the Fishery Harbour Centre and Coastal Infrastructure Development Programme for each of the years 2025 and 2026; the estimated cost of increasing this budget by 5% and 10% respectively, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46408/2…

420. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the total current and capital annual budget allocated by his Department to the Marine Institute for each of the years 2025 and 2026; if he will provide a breakdown of any additional co-funding or external program funding channelled through his Department to the institute in those years; the projected cost of …

421. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the total annual budget allocated to the Sea Fisheries Protection Authority for 2026; if he will provide a breakdown of this allocation between current operational expenditure and capital expenditure; the total funding drawn down by the authority in 2025, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on th…

422. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the current and capital annual budget allocated to the Aquaculture Licences Appeals Board for 2025 and 2026; the baseline financial allocation required to increase this budget by 10% and 15% respectively, to assist with operational capacity, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [464…

423. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine whether his Department has examined the introduction of a time limited inshore weather and safety compensation scheme for active inshore fishing vessels affected by prolonged unsafe sea conditions, reduced safe fishing days and climate driven weather disruption; whether Met Éireann, the Marine Institute or an…

424. Deputy Danny Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine for an update on a scheme (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46442/26]

425. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to review the case of a farmer (details supplied) who has received notice of a possible basic payment scheme reduction following a nitrates records check relating to a 2022 inspection; the reason a decision is issuing approximately four years after the relevant period; whether the time elapsed will be considered bef…

426. Deputy Noel McCarthy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the current situation with respect to the maintenance of roadways which provide access to forestry as well as to private dwellings; who maintains responsibility for the resurfacing of such roads; if such roads can be upgraded to a public road standard for public vehicle use or must they remain as a forest road suitab…

427. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to urgently examine an issue for a person (details supplied) regarding difficulties with the delivery of BVD samples; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46564/26]

428. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question No. 326 of 10 April 2025, and the commitments made to review forestry setbacks and corridors in relation to the safeguarding of the electrical network, the reason replanting of forestry is being allowed at present, that will clearly not conform with the new regulations and also takin…

143. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his Department will ban or restrict the use of rotenone (a natural piscicide) for the potential eradication of gyrodactylus salaris in Irish freshwater ecosystems, considering the recent NASCO (North Atlantic Salmon Conservation Organisation) policy paper stating that rotenone is required “to preserve natural bi…

144. Deputy Ryan O'Meara asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to provide clarity on the way in which prices received by CFUs and factory owned CFUs are reported to his Department; if this is done on a weekly basis; if this process is monitored and inspected; if so, how often is it inspected; if non-compliances have been found; if so, the way in which are non-compliances handled;…

145. Deputy Ryan O'Meara asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the way in which payments are made by beef processors to CFUs and factory owned CFUs; if they are in accordance with the same methods as standard producers; if any other alternative methods are used; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45996/26]

146. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the proportion of grain used in the production of Irish single grain whiskey that is sourced domestically; the measures that are in place to support the use of Irish-grown grain in whiskey production; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46083/26]

147. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine whether consideration has been given to strengthening requirements or supports for the use of Irish-grown grain in single grain whiskey production, in the context of protecting the integrity and value of the Irish whiskey designation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46084/26]

148. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his attention has been drawn to delays being experienced by farmers in the delivery of BVD samples to approved laboratories; if concerns have been raised with his Department regarding postal delays affecting the timely processing of samples and the sale/movement of livestock; the engagement his Department has had…

149. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the total number of greyhound deaths recorded in each of the past five years, broken down by race-day deaths, injuries resulting in euthanasia, and deaths in training or at stud facilities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46204/26]

150. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of welfare inspections carried out by RCÉ in each of the past five years per venue, including follow-up inspections relating to injury or death; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46205/26]

151. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to provide details of all felling licence applications, approvals or active licences relating to Curragh Wood, Midleton, County Cork, from 2024 to date in 2026; to include the licence reference number, applicant, date of application, date of decision, area covered, proposed felling type, species composition, replanting…

152. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the ecological, hydrological, appropriate assessment or EIA screening that was carried out in respect of proposed felling at Curragh Wood, Midleton, County Cork; the consideration that was given to the river Leamlara, mixed woodland habitat, protected species, recreational use and long-established woodland characterist…