Parliamentary questions

450. Deputy Martin Kenny asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the evidence that will be required to show fuel consumption for 2025 as part of the fuel support scheme. [29269/26]

451. Deputy Martin Kenny asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the way in which farmers who purchase fuel at the pump for their tractor and do not keep receipts will be able to access the fuel support scheme. [29270/26]

452. Deputy Martin Kenny asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when the fuel support scheme will open for applications. [29271/26]

453. Deputy Martin Kenny asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his Department will make advance payments, monthly payments or one lump sum payment to those successful applicants of the fuel support scheme. [29272/26]

454. Deputy Martin Kenny asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his Department will be basing fuel consumption for 2025 on the whole 12 months or on specific months. [29273/26]

455. Deputy Martin Kenny asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if there will be a maximum limit to the amount of financial support that one can receive from the fuel support scheme. [29274/26]

456. Deputy Martin Kenny asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if there will be any exceptions in the fuel support scheme, for people who may have expanded their business in 2026 and consequently are using a higher volume of fuel this year compared to 2025. [29275/26]

457. Deputy Martin Kenny asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if people who are not tax compliant due to the current financial pressure from the fuel crisis be accepted into the fuel support scheme. [29276/26]

458. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the position regarding the number of puppy farms that have been shut down by agents and agencies of his Department for each of the years 2024, 2025 and to date in 2026; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29443/26]

459. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the position regarding the work ongoing to address claims in relation to puppy farms in operation in Ireland (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29444/26]

460. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the position regarding work ongoing to improve animal welfare in Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29445/26]

461. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his views on whether there is sufficient funding available to support animal welfare charities across the country on an annual basis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29446/26]

462. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his views on the merits of putting in place multiannual funding for animal welfare charities to allow for longer term plans and projects; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29447/26]

463. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his views on whether there are sufficient checks in place to ensure animal welfare standards are adhered to in the greyhound industry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29448/26]

464. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of inspections carried out by agents and agencies of his Department on greyhound racing facilities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29449/26]

465. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of inspections carried out by agents and agencies of his Department on greyhound breeding facilities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29450/26]

466. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will engage with animal welfare organisations in relation to their specific concerns related to sulky racing on public roads; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29515/26]

467. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his views on whether existing legislation is sufficient to address specific concerns related to sulky racing on public roads; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29518/26]

468. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will engage with An Garda Síochána in relation to specific concerns related to sulky racing on public roads; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29519/26]

469. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the position regarding the number of prosecutions in the past five years specifically related to sulky racing and related offences; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29522/26]

470. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his attention has been drawn to an animal welfare case (details supplied); his views on whether existing animal welfare legislation is sufficient to address cases such as this; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29524/26]

471. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his views on the merits of establishing a standalone Garda animal crime unit to address extreme cases of animal cruelty; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29536/26]

472. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the extent of deforestation in the State over the past five years; the number of hectares of woodland cleared annually; the primary reasons for such deforestation, including commercial, agricultural, or infrastructural activities; to provide information on enforcement actions taken in cases of illegal tree felling; th…

473. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of appeals dealt with by the Aquaculture Licences Appeals Board on a year-on-year basis over the past five years; the percentage of those appeals which were ruled invalid, upheld, or overturned in each year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29601/26]

165. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to provide details of the number of legal actions against his Department that have been resolved without going to court in line with the 2023 State Litigation Principles; if his Department is fully applying the State Litigation Principles in seeking to resolve any current or outstanding legal actions; and if he will ma…