184. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will review the new contract for milk suppliers to a company (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52316/26]
Topics / Dairy Sector
A subject heading for parliamentary questionsDairy Sector
19 questions from 7 TDs, between 22 January 2025 and 8 July 2026.
19
questions
18 written, 1 oral
7
TDs have asked
3
parties and groups
Independents counted together
2
departments asked
Questions per month
The record holds no questions for August, when the Dáil does not sit.
Jan 2025Oct 2026
Show as a table
| Month | Questions |
|---|---|
| January 2025 | 1 |
| February 2025 | 0 |
| March 2025 | 0 |
| April 2025 | 1 |
| May 2025 | 0 |
| June 2025 | 0 |
| July 2025 | 0 |
| August 2025 | 0 |
| September 2025 | 0 |
| October 2025 | 1 |
| November 2025 | 3 |
| December 2025 | 11 |
| January 2026 | 0 |
| February 2026 | 0 |
| March 2026 | 0 |
| April 2026 | 1 |
| May 2026 | 0 |
| June 2026 | 0 |
| July 2026 | 1 |
| August 2026 | 0 |
| September 2026 | 0 |
| October 2026 | 0 |
Who asks, by party
The party each TD belonged to on the day, in alphabetical order. Parties differ a lot in size, and members of the Government answer questions rather than ask them, so this shows who raised it, not how much a party cares about it.
The TDs who asked most
Members of the Government answer questions rather than ask them. Each question counts once.
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Asked of
Debated under the same heading
Debates whose official heading is exactly these words.
The questions
383. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his views on an EU-wide voluntary milk supply reduction scheme whereby the proposed measure will provide milk producers with a financial payment per litre to voluntarily not produce milk for a defined period; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31548/26]
377. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment in light of the recent announcement that the quota for general employment permits for dairy farm assistants has been exhausted, with no new applications being accepted, the representations his Department has received from farming representative bodies regarding the urgent need to increase the quota for the upcoming spring season. [7…
378. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment given the critical labour shortages being reported in the dairy-farming sector, particularly during the busy spring calving season, if he will commit to immediately reopening or extending the quota for dairy farm assistants, or otherwise fast-tracking additional permits to ensure farms have sufficient staff for the spring workload. […
379. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment the timeframe for when the current review of the occupations lists for employment permits will conclude; and if the Department will publish interim arrangements or special allowances for agricultural employers facing urgent labour shortages while that review is ongoing. [71065/25]
513. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his Department considers the exhaustion of the permit quota for dairy farm workers, at a time when labour demand in the sector is especially high, to pose a risk to farm productivity and food output in the spring; and if so, the actions his Department propose to support farmers under labour pressure. [71066/25]
514. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his Department will collaborate with the Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment to provide evidence to support a quota increase for dairy farm assistants, given the clearly demonstrated ongoing shortage and the urgency described by farmers themselves. [71067/25]
364. Deputy John Paul O'Shea asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment the rationale for setting a maximum number of general employment permits for dairy farm assistants; the criteria used to determine this figure; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [69778/25]
365. Deputy John Paul O'Shea asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment if he intends to review or increase the quota for general employment permits for dairy farm assistants, in light of evidence that the current quota has already been filled; the timeline for such a review; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [69779/25]
366. Deputy John Paul O'Shea asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment the number of applicants who have been refused a general employment permit for the role of dairy farm assistant solely on the basis that the quota has been filled for the years 2022 to 2025 inclusive; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [69781/25]
368. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment if his Department will be reopening quota’s for dairy farm assistants under the general employment permits scheme; when this is likely to commence, in view that the quota has been reached and now all subsequent applications have been rejected, taking into account that many employers urgently require dairy farm assistants for the upcoming…
370. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment the total number of dairy farm assistants applications received since eligibility was first introduced in 2018, and for each subsequent year from 2019 to 2024, and from 1 January to the 30 November 2025; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [69840/25]
374. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment the process in place whereby if a general employment permit for a dairy farm assistant has not been taken up/activated or if the applicant has been made redundant, if a mechanism is in place to facilitate an applicant whose application was rejected as the maximum number of general employment permits that may be granted to dairy farm assi…
1395. Deputy Martin Kenny asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine for a breakdown of the number of dairy calves and suckler calves registered with his Department from 2020 to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [57697/25]
1396. Deputy Martin Kenny asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine for a breakdown of the number of dairy cattle and suckler cattle on farms for the years 2020 to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [57698/25]
1397. Deputy Martin Kenny asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine for a breakdown of the number of male and female dairy and suckler cattle on farms for the years 2020 to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [57699/25]
726. Deputy Ryan O'Meara asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of official controls carried by his Department in 2024 at milk testing laboratories for the purpose of validating accuracy of testing for somatic cell count, total bacterial count, fat and protein content and the results of these control checks; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54611/25]
5. Deputy Martin Kenny asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the way his Department will address the increases in the cost of production of milk in order that these costs are not passed on to consumers in supermarkets; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13672/25]
428. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the engagements that he, or any representative of his Department or associated State agencies, have had with management of a company (details supplied) in 2024; the current number of employees at this factory; if he has received any indication of a timeframe as to when this factory will become fully operational; and if he will make a stat…