Parliamentary questions

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 subsequ…

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]

907. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his Department has examined the recommendations contained within the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals 2026 to 2030 strategy regarding animal welfare reform; whether legislative or policy changes are under consideration arising from the strategy; and if he will make a statement on the matt…

908. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the current number of authorised animal welfare inspectors operating nationally; whether consideration is being given to increasing resources for animal welfare enforcement in view of ongoing reports of animal cruelty and neglect; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35269/26]

909. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the actions being taken to strengthen penalties and enforcement measures under the Animal Health and Welfare Act 2013 for persons convicted of serious animal cruelty offences; whether consideration is being given to mandatory lifetime bans on animal ownership in the most serious cases; and if he will make a statemen…

910. Deputy John Paul O'Shea asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when the scientific assessment into the threats posed by imported non-native honey bees, commissioned by his Department and reportedly completed in December 2024, will be published; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35321/26]

911. Deputy John Paul O'Shea asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the current status of the Protection of the Native Irish Honey Bee Bill 2021; the reason for the delay at Stage 2 in Dáil Éireann previously; the timeframe for progressing the legislation now; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35322/26]

398. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to give favourable consideration to a TB valuation appeal in respect of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33482/26]

399. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the total annual revenue generated by Coillte in each of the years 2020 to 2025, broken down by timber production, land transactions, renewable energy partnerships, and other commercial activities; and whether his Department has assessed the balance between commercial return and delivery of national climate and biodive…

400. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the estimated cost to the State, whether direct or indirect, of increasing the proportion of Coillte lands managed for biodiversity from 20% to 30% and the projected cost of achieving the long-term target of 50%; and the funding sources identified to support this transition. [33485/26]

401. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine whether any binding or enforceable targets have been set by his Department in respect of biodiversity outcomes, native woodland expansion, or land-use change on Coillte-managed lands; and if so, the nature of those targets and any consequences for non-compliance. [33486/26]

402. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine whether any independent audit, review, or evaluation has been conducted since 2020 in respect of environmental, biodiversity, or climate-related claims made by Coillte; if so, to provide details of such audits and their findings; and if not, the reason for same. [33487/26]

403. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to set out the formal oversight mechanisms his Department applies to monitor the performance of Coillte in delivering national forestry policy objectives; and whether such oversight includes regular reporting, performance metrics, or compliance assessments. [33488/26]

404. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the current breakdown of land managed by Coillte by category, including commercial forestry, land managed primarily for biodiversity, recreational use, and other uses; and whether this breakdown is reviewed annually at Departmental level. [33489/26]

405. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine whether his Department has set specific targets for increasing the proportion of native tree species within the Coillte estate; and the timeline and policy instruments in place to achieve any such targets. [33490/26]

406. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to provide a list of the public bodies participating in the Planting on Public Lands initiative; the total hectares identified for afforestation under this initiative; and the number of hectares planted to date. [33491/26]

407. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when the updated Shareholder Letter of Expectation for Coillte will be finalised; whether it will include specific, measurable environmental and biodiversity performance indicators; and if it will be published. [33492/26]

408. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine whether his Department has conducted any formal assessment of the potential conflict between Coillte's commercial mandate under the Forestry Act 1988 and its expanding role in delivering climate and biodiversity objectives; and if so, to provide details of that assessment. [33493/26]

409. Deputy Catherine Callaghan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will provide a list of all capital projects including fishery harbour, forestry, agri-food and other infrastructure projects delivered under the remit of his Department, and bodies under its aegis, which have been completed on time and within budget in Carlow in each of the past five years, in tabular for…

410. Deputy Catherine Callaghan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will provide a list of all capital projects including fishery harbour, forestry, agri-food and other infrastructure projects delivered under the remit of his Department, and bodies under its aegis, which have been completed on time and within budget in Kilkenny in each of the past five years, in tabular f…

411. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of animal welfare complaints received by his Department, the number investigated, the number resulting in enforcement action, the number resulting in seizure of animals, and the number resulting in prosecution, by year from 2014 to 2025,; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33638/26]

412. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine whether his Department maintains a central database of animal welfare complaints, inspections, enforcement actions, animal seizures, prosecutions and outcomes under the Animal Health and Welfare Act 2013; and if he will outline the data fields recorded. [33639/26]

413. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine whether a formal memorandum of understanding, protocol, guidance document, or operational agreement exists between his Department, An Garda Síochána, Local Authorities, Customs, and animal welfare organisations in relation to suspected animal cruelty or neglect cases; and if he will publish or summarise same. [33640/26…

414. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine whether the 226 successful prosecutions under the Animal Health and Welfare Act 2013 since March 2014 are recorded by offence type, animal type, county, prosecuting authority, penalty imposed, and whether animals were seized; and if he will provide a breakdown. [33641/26]

415. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine whether his Department has assessed the adequacy of current enforcement resources for animal welfare investigations, including authorised officers, veterinary support, inspection capacity and legal follow-through; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33642/26]