Parliamentary questions

962. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the position regarding the total level of Exchequer funding spent on funding NGOs by his Department, in each of the years since 2022, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11808/26]

963. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the position regarding the assessments that are carried out to determine the level of Exchequer funding that any NGO receives from his Department on an annual basis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11826/26]

964. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the position regarding any direct lobbying he has received from any NGO in relation to his annual funding; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11846/26]

965. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the projects, if any, which he has designated under s.20 of the Future Ireland Fund and Infrastructure, Climate and Nature Fund Act 2024; the dates of their designation; and to supply a copy of the designations. [11889/26]

966. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to provide an update on the public consultation on the management of the crayfish fishery held in 2021 by his Department; if any report was finalised following that consultation; if so, the reason it was never published; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11907/26]

967. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the details of the number of submissions received by his Department as part of the public consultation on the management of the crayfish fishery; to provide a summary of those submissions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11908/26]

968. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the work being carried out to support the development of sustainable conservation measures for the crayfish fishery inside 12NM between Mizen Head and Loop Head; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11909/26]

969. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will, in light of the recent Marine Institute study on bycatch in the crayfishery, introduce tangle net exclusion zones from critical shark habitats; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11910/26]

970. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will introduce a payment scheme to support inshore fishers in the crayfishery, as a just transition mechanism, and as part of robust management measures to protect critically endangered species currently at risk from tangle nets; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11911/26]

971. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the systems in place to agree performance metrics of Chief Executives of agencies within the aegis of his Department; the way in which these are measured; the person or body that carries out the assessment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11951/26]

972. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when decision letters will issue to applicants of the third window for non-productive investments (NPI) available to participants in the co-operation approach of ACRES which commenced on 5 August 2025 and closed on 17 October 2025; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12025/26]

973. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his views on the effect of biodiversity loss on food system and supply chain resilience; the updated figures on the value and volume of agri-food imports for the 2019-2025 period; his views on the way the Government is taking steps to build sustainable food systems to ensure domestic food security, in tabular form…

974. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he is aware of the recent death of a horse in a sulky race (details supplied); the current legal status of sulky racing in Ireland; if there are measures to better regulate this practice; his plans for better animal welfare regulations, particularly in the equine sports sector; and if he will make a statement …

975. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will address the concerns regarding Bord Bia governance raised in correspondence (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12275/26]

976. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to ensure that Ireland gets the best possible CAP deal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12416/26]

977. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if traceability records will be made publicly accessible; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12620/26]

978. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if processors will be required to publish the proportions of Irish and non-Irish products of animal origin processed in their plants, and that are contained in their final products, whether ready to eat or non ready to eat; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12621/26]

979. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the quantity of third country imports of products of animal origin that went to each of the approved/registered meat establishments disaggregated by species and activity; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12622/26]

980. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine for the number of farmers still impacted by the delay in payments under the ACRES scheme for 2023 on a county by county basis, when the issue will be resolved; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12638/26]

981. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the posts within his Department which necessitate a person being a qualified veterinarian; the WTE of each, by category; the number of which currently vacant and the length of any such vacancy, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12693/26]

982. Deputy Pat Buckley asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the measures currently in place to ensure equine welfare; if horses can be rehomed if seized by State agents; and the process by which horses are licenced under current legislation. [12861/26]

983. Deputy Pat Buckley asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he is satisfied with current animal welfare legislation; if he has considered establishing a specific unit within his Department to combat animal abuse cruelty; and if he has considered reform of legislation relating to the protection of horses. [12862/26]

984. Deputy Pat Buckley asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his position on the regulation of urban horses; and if he has concerns over the abuse of horses in urban areas. [12863/26]

481. Deputy John Paul O'Shea asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if an ACRES rare breeds penalty applied to a farmer in County Kerry (details supplied) will be reviewed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11156/26]

482. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if there is a canteen in his Department headquarters; and if the Minister can provide assurances that all meat sold or provided in that canteen is of Irish origin. [11174/26]