Parliamentary questions

393. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason for the delays in ACRES payments across Kerry; the measures he is taking to address this; his plans to simplify and expedite the process; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13213/25]

394. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question No. 862 of 5 February 2025, if all outstanding GLAS and ACRES payments have been made; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13214/25]

395. Deputy Martin Kenny asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the rationale behind the decision to include mineral soils under GAEC2 despite the clear intent that GAEC2 should solely apply to peatland and wetlands; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13259/25]

396. Deputy Martin Kenny asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will take steps to amend Ireland’s proposal on GAEC2 in order that it is fairer for all farmers and not impact smaller family farms more than those larger farm enterprises; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13260/25]

397. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his Department, or any agency under his Department’s remit, have, since 1 November 2024, entered any contract in respect of a hotel (details supplied) or have had any discussions, or received any offers, in respect of using these premises for any reason; the details of same; and if he will make a statement on the ma…

1226. Deputy Maeve O'Connell asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his Department is aware of the amount of funding that has been provided by Rásaíocht Con Éireann to a charity (details supplied) in the past 12 months, along with any other actions taken by his Department to fulfil the commitment in the programme for Government to ‘Ensure that Rásaíocht Con Éireann continues to…

1227. Deputy Maeve O'Connell asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the progress of the commitment in the programme for Government to ‘Bring forward a Control of Horses Bill to modernise legislation in this area’. [10557/25]

1228. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if livestock passport applications (details supplied) will be expedited; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10595/25]

1229. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if a grant application (details supplied) for a drive shaft cover under the area of natural constraints scheme will be expedited; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10596/25]

1230. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will provide a breakdown of costs in relation to the money given to two care home providers (details supplied) for the years 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10620/25]

1231. Deputy James Geoghegan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will outline his Department’s policy on illegal puppy farming; if he will provide an update on the progress made under this policy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10632/25]

1232. Deputy Ryan O'Meara asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine following the damage done by Storm Éowyn, if timber harvested from private forestry can be sold on a volume rather than a tonnage basis, given much of the timber that fell during the storm will take an extended period of time to be harvested and transported to sawmills, meaning that the weight of the timber will be r…

1233. Deputy Ryan O'Meara asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will direct his departmental staff to work in sawmills nationally to measure and verify the volumes of timber being sold to the mills from private forests, thus ensuring that farmers can sell timber that fell during storm Éowyn on a volume- rather than tonnage basis; and if he will make a statement on the matte…

1234. Deputy Ryan O'Meara asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will introduce a scheme to grant aid the price difference of harvesting forests following Storm Éowyn, given that harvesting crews could normally harvest 180 tonnes per day for €15 per tonne but in windblown forests, harvesters are charging upwards of €25 per tonne and only harvesting 60-70 tonnes per day; and …

1235. Deputy Ryan O'Meara asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will introduce a scheme to grant aid the cost of additional diggers and track machines required to harvest windblown forests following Storm Éowyn; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10643/25]

1236. Deputy Ryan O'Meara asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will introduce a scheme to grant aid the additional transport costs of transporting timber harvested from windblown forests, given the normal price of transport has increased from €14 per tonne to €20 per tonne; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10644/25]

1237. Deputy Ryan O'Meara asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to consider introducing an intervention scheme for forestry for windblown forests to ensure that timber that has fallen during Storm Éowyn can be harvested and stored in a timely manner to avoid it decaying on the ground; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10645/25]

1238. Deputy Ryan O'Meara asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to introduce a replanting grant for windblown forests in recognition of the fact that the less-mature timber that fell during Storm Éowyn will now be sold at a lesser price than anticipated by the farmer had the forests fully matured, given that replating is going to be more expensive than usual as additional rehabil…

1239. Deputy Natasha Newsome Drennan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will provide an update on an ACRES payment application by a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10663/25]

1240. Deputy Fionntán Ó Súilleabháin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will review the case of a person (details supplied) with a view to getting justice for him and his family, as discussed on many occasions during the last Oireachtas term. [10708/25]

1241. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will consider implementing a ban on transporting domestic animals in car boots that are closed and have no light or windows; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10727/25]

1242. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the grants available to promote a safe place for fishing on one’s farmland; if there are any such grants for wooden infrastructure along the riverbank; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10728/25]

1243. Deputy Ryan O'Meara asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his Department has given consideration to introducing further regulations on protected urea fertiliser labels, specifically the inclusion of NBPT inhibitor application dates and expected efficacy duration and more transparent labels regarding storage and handling conditions that may impact inhibitor effectiveness;…

1244. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will instruct his Department to amend the Animal Health and Welfare Act 2013 in order to ban the transport of cats and dogs in the boots of cars; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10740/25]

1245. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will consider the appointment of an animal welfare director, as it is obvious that there is a considerable public appetite for such a public position now and the most energetic agencies tend to be individuals and NGOs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10771/25]