Parliamentary questions

659. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine whether his Department has undertaken an assessment of the growing retention crisis within the veterinary nursing profession, including evidence of emigration and exits from the sector; the risks this poses to animal welfare and service provision [28684/26]

660. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine whether he will undertake a review of employment practices within the veterinary sector to ensure veterinary nurses are afforded fair pay, proper recognition, and sustainable working conditions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28686/26]

261. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to examine the introduction of salary bands for veterinary nurses; if any consideration is being given to provide greater oversight of corporate veterinary employment practices to ensure fair competition and protect staff welfare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27717/26]

262. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason for the reduction in the funding eligibility threshold for applications under the animal welfare nutrient storage scheme from 80% to 60% under targeted agriculture modernisation schemes 3 (TAMS 3), tranche 10; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27746/26]

263. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will review the ranking and selection threshold for the animal welfare and nutrient storage scheme to ensure that 100% of eligible applications can access funding under TAMS 3, tranche 10; the additional funding that would be required to achieve this; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27747/26]

264. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the total number of applications received under the animal welfare and nutrient storage scheme in TAMS 3, tranche 10; the number and percentage of those applications that are now eligible for funding following the reduction to 60%; the total funding allocated to the scheme in this tranche; and if he will make a stateme…

265. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will increase overall TAMS funding to accommodate 100% of eligible animal welfare and nutrient storage scheme applications, given the urgent need for expanded nutrient storage to meet increasing regulatory requirements under the sixth Nitrates Action Programme (NAP), to protect water quality, and to support a fut…

266. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his views on the impact of the reduction in the animal welfare and nutrient storage scheme funding threshold on farmers’ ability to comply with the sixth Nitrates Action Programme, particularly in view of the co-benefits of expanded nutrient storage such as improved nutrient efficiency, maintained grass production and …

299. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to explain the discrepancy in the numbers given by his Department regarding the number of greyhounds homed by an organisation (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27528/26]

300. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine whether the Government intends to introduce a national temporary farm fuels support scheme to provide monthly payments to farmers and agricultural contractors in respect of increased fuel costs compared to 2025 levels, and if such a scheme will be backdated to 1 March 2026; and if he will make a statement on the matte…

301. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if consideration has been given to expanding the existing farm diesel carbon tax relief to include agricultural contractors and to simplify the scheme to improve uptake; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27538/26]

302. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the measures being considered to address the indirect impact of rising fuel and fertiliser costs on farm operations, including contractor services and transport; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27539/26]

303. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine whether a national tillage sustainability support scheme is under consideration in light of increased input costs, particularly fuel and fertiliser; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27540/26]

304. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the total number of hectares of agricultural land currently classified as set-aside or otherwise unused; whether an assessment has been undertaken of the potential to utilise such lands for the cultivation of alternative sustainable crops, including hemp; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27541/26]

305. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine whether his Department has examined historical and current practices of crop diversification, including the cultivation of hemp in Ireland; whether engagement has taken place with farms or enterprises currently producing hemp for industrial or construction purposes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2754…

306. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the supports, advisory services or pricing models are currently available to farmers who may wish to diversify. [27543/26]

307. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to comment on alleged animal abuse (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27566/26]

308. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the current status of the 23,760 non-coursing greyhounds subject to traceability on the Rásaíocht Con Éireann Traceability System in 2021 (details supplied) with a breakdown into active, inactive, exported, reported dead; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27609/26]

2179. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the powers available to local authority officials and authorised officers under the Control of Horses Act 1996 to enter lands, inspect animals, and seize horses; and whether he is satisfied that these powers are being fully utilised. [26292/26]

2180. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine whether his Department maintains oversight of enforcement activity by local authorities under the Control of Horses Act 1996; and if so, the mechanisms in place to ensure consistency of enforcement across counties. [26293/26]

2181. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the level of resources allocated to local authorities in 2025 to support enforcement of the Control of Horses Act 1996 and whether additional funding or staffing is under consideration [26296/26]

2182. Deputy Donna McGettigan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the oversight mechanisms that are currently in place to monitor the welfare and conditions of greyhounds; to investigate alleged cases of ill-treatment of greyhounds, punishment, neglect or ill-treatment; the plans he has to make these more robust; the standards applied in the inspection of such cases; the way in…

2183. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his Department’s assessment of Ireland’s exposure to global fertiliser supply disruptions; to detail any analysis undertaken regarding the potential impact on farm input costs, agricultural output, and food price inflation; and to set out any measures being considered to support the agricultural sector in the event of…

2184. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the amount the ACRES teams are being paid for the participation of each farmer; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23711/26]

2185. Deputy Martin Kenny asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the amount of funds provided to a body (details supplied) over the past five years by his Department directly or by third parties dispersing departmental funds; if he is aware of a recent legal settlement involving named individuals or businesses; if any funding provided by his Department was used to settle that lega…