Parliamentary questions

211. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the animal welfare standards which are applied to non-stun slaughter in Ireland; if these standards meet EU animal welfare regulations; and if he will consider prohibiting non-stun slaughter on animal welfare grounds; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [68191/25]

212. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will confirm whether Irish farmers are informed or consulted before their animals are slaughtered without stunning for Halal markets; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [68192/25]

213. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will review the licensing and oversight of slaughterhouses engaged in non-stun slaughter; and if he will consider introducing mandatory stunning for all animals slaughtered in Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [68193/25]

214. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will provide details of audits or inspections carried out on slaughterhouses performing non-stun slaughter; the findings of these audits; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [68194/25]

215. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the economic value of the Halal market to Irish meat exports; and if he will consider whether this market justifies the continuation of non-stun slaughter practices given animal welfare concerns; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [68195/25]

216. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the approach his Department, Bord Bia and other agencies will take to enhance the trade and investment relationship between Ireland and Arab states in the Middle East and North Africa in the areas of agri-food and equine sectors. [68294/25]

217. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if the practice of non-stun animal slaughter is permitted in Ireland in cases of religious slaughter. [68299/25]

218. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of non-stun slaughters which are permitted and carried out in Ireland annually on religious grounds. [68300/25]

219. Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question No. 2148 of 4 November 2025 to the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science in which he confirmed that, although not required by statute, his Department voluntarily publishes its annual consultancy spending online in the interest of transparency and …

447. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will outline all grants and funding supports available to farmers for the repair or restoration of farm buildings; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [67269/25]

448. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the forestry grants and funding schemes that are currently open for applications; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [67290/25]

449. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if Greyhound Racing Ireland has commissioned any analysis of the economic and financial significance of the Irish greyhound racing industry or similar reports since a report was published in 2021 (details supplied); and if so, the cost of such analyses, and if he will make a statement. [67291/25]

450. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the litigation, if any, Greyhound Racing Ireland is currently engaged in or defending; when this litigation commenced; and the subject matter of this litigation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [67292/25]

451. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the position regarding the planned support measures for the tillage sector as announced in Budget 2026. [67301/25]

452. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the supports in place for the development of vertical farming; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [67391/25]

453. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of sheep farmers in the State; the number of organic sheep farmers; the supports that will be available to organic and non-organic sheep farmers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [67431/25]

454. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the progress which has been made regarding securing a market for sheep wool; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [67453/25]

455. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the type of training provided to staff within his Department in the use of, or understanding of artificial intelligence; if a programme is planned for all staff on their obligations under the EU Artificial Intelligence (AI) Act; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [67455/25]

456. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will intervene to resolve a long-running issue affecting a payment (details supplied). [67522/25]

457. Deputy Tom Brabazon asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the actions his Department will take to close puppy farms. [67561/25]

458. Deputy Paul Donnelly asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he plans to have an agriculture attaché to the Irish embassy in Singapore; the locations currently where agriculture attaché are located at Irish embassies worldwide, in tabular form. [67637/25]

459. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will engage with stakeholders including NPWS, Teagasc, county councils, and the fire service to develop a multiyear fire prevention plan for the Comeragh Mountains, addressing the increased risk posed by heavy heather growth and rising tourist numbers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [67704/25]

460. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will review the impact of current burning restrictions under the Wildlife Act 1976 on upland farmers, particularly in relation to CAP payment eligibility, and consider introducing a regulated application process similar to the EIA legislation for hedgerow removal; and if he will make a statement on the matter.…

461. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the measures being taken to address the encroachment of bracken on upland areas (details supplied) which is reducing biodiversity and farming viability; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [67706/25]

462. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question No. 801 of 12 November 2025 if he will confirm the money allocated to each project application in 2025 under the equine technical support scheme, the percentage rate of funding; the unsuccessful applications, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6771…