Questions

464. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the gross profit margin before interest and tax used in calculating the afforestation grant rate for the forestry programme 2023 to 2027. [66618/26]

465. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the charge rate for approved foresters per day used in calculating the afforestation grant rate for the forestry programme 2023 to 2027. [66616/26]

466. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the breakdown of the fixed overheads used in calculating the afforestation grant rate for the Forestry Programme 2023 to 2027. [66615/26]

467. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine In the COFORD report of 2022 , Economic Activity and employment levels in the Irish Forest Sector; what did the report state average labour cost would need to increase by if contractors were not to be lost to the construction or other sectors. [66613/26]

468. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine In the COFORD report of 2022 , Economic Activity and employment levels in the Irish Forest Sector, for afforestation, the forester and office inputs in days, per hectare planted. [66612/26]

469. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if farmers who are affected by TB in their animals and face loss of animals or wipe out of herds are advised and given information as to the believed reason for the outbreak; and any other information that might be helpful to them. [66633/26]

470. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if work is ongoing in his Department on reducing the incidence of TB with a view to eradicating it entirely; the efforts for reduction and eradication; the additional measure that can be taken to reduce incidence; and the specific actions his Department are taking to make this happen. [66631/26]

471. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to ensure the National Fodder & Food Security Committee is reconvened to provide a clear pathway of actions around a fodder support scheme for farmers under pressure as a result of the long drought and fodder pressures. [66627/26]

472. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will provide the maximum national co-funding under the European Commission's recently announced €540 million fertiliser support package for farmers affected by the ongoing fertiliser crisis. [66619/26]

473. Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine whether he is concerned that the current TAMS rules regarding internal slurry agitation points may unintentionally exclude older but otherwise functional livestock buildings from grant support for safety, animal welfare and environmental improvements; whether his Department has assessed the impact of this provision on investment decision…

474. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the way in which the remaining funds of the fuel income support scheme will be distributed and allocated, in view that approximately €58 million has been left unspent [66769/26]

475. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine whether his Department has identified any fruit or vegetable supply chains where Ireland is particularly dependent on countries or regions considered highly vulnerable to climate change; the products concerned; and the measures being taken to reduce the risk of future disruption. [67061/26]

476. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine in respect of the top 20 countries from which Ireland imports fresh fruit and vegetables, if his Department has assessed the exposure of these supply chains to climate-change risks, including drought, flooding, extreme heat, water scarcity and changing growing conditions. [67059/26]

477. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the top 20 countries by volume and value from which Ireland imported fresh fruit and vegetables in 2024, 2025 and to date in 2026; the quantity and value imported from each country in tabular form. [67058/26]

478. Deputy Ryan O'Meara asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the measures in place to assess the impact of a high concentration of renewable energy infrastructure on rural land; the person or body responsible for undertaking such assessments; and the way in which the effects on the landscape and agricultural land are taken into account. [67097/26]

479. Deputy Martin Kenny asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of hectares of peat land designated as areas of natural constraint land; and the number of hectares in each category. [67129/26]

480. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason there has been a decline in the number of mushroom growers in Ireland; and the strategies he is taking to encourage more mushroom growing. [67178/26]

481. Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine whether he will provide funding in Budget 2027 for a dedicated Agricultural Emissions Reduction Pilot Fund to support the testing and adoption of innovative emissions reduction technologies on commercial farms; and if he will outline the Government's plans to support evidence-based investment in practical measures that assist farmers in …

482. Deputy Cathy Bennett asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality her Departments plans to address recruitment and retention within the early years sector. [66308/26]

483. Deputy Cathy Bennett asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of children receiving AIM supports in counties Cavan and Monaghan in each of the years 2022 to 2025 and to date in 2026, by county, by year, and by duration of wait, in tabular form. [66307/26]

484. Deputy Cathy Bennett asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of children waiting to receive AIM supports in counties Cavan and Monaghan in each of the years 2022 to 2025 and to date in 2026, by county, by year, and by duration of wait, in tabular form. [66306/26]

485. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality to advise when the Equality (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2024 will be progressed. [66367/26]

486. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality to examine correspondence (details supplied). [66361/26]

487. Deputy Shónagh Ní Raghallaigh asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she plans to raise paid paternity leave to eight weeks to improve the lives of young families and facilitate the relationship between fathers and their newborns. [66354/26]

488. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if consideration has been given to creating a system that would allow for parents to be paid the NCS subsidy directly in cases whereby their choice of preschool or childcare centre is not signed up to this scheme and therefore they cannot benefit from it and must pay the full cost of the fees. [66428/26]