Thursday, 9 Oct 2025

Written Answers Nos. 288-301

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Departmental Funding

Questions (291)

Pádraig O'Sullivan

Question:

291. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his Department was consulted in advance of the ISPCA and DSPCA merger; whether an impact assessment was conducted on implications for public funding distribution; if increased oversight and performance metrics will apply to the newly merged organisation given the significant increase in public funds it will control; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54244/25]

Written answers

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine

Animal welfare is a key priority for me, as Minister, and for the Government.

My Department was notified of a potential merger involving the organisations in question. However, my Department has no involvement in the day-to-day running of animal welfare charities. It is therefore at the discretion of an organisation to deploy resources where they deem they can have the maximum impact with regard to their financial situation.

Each year, my Department invites eligible animal welfare charities to submit a funding application through the Animal Welfare Grants Programme. To qualify, applicants must meet specified requirements, which are made available through the application process, with awards made on the basis of objective criteria which are reviewed on an annual basis.

Last year €6 million of funding was provided to 101 animal welfare charities nationwide, through the animal welfare grant programme. These awards support the provision of education and knowledge sharing to the public on animal welfare and responsible pet ownership, helping to raise animal welfare standards.

The 2025 Animal Welfare grants process is underway, with applications currently under assessment by my Department and I expect to announce the results of the application process in December.

Question No. 292 answered with Question No. 284.

Question No. 293 answered with Question No. 284.

Nitrates Usage

Questions (294)

Barry Ward

Question:

294. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine for an update regarding the enforcement of nitrate pollution related to farming; if his attention has been drawn to algal blooms, related to the overuse of nitrates, causing discoloration and other issues to the water supply; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54254/25]

Written answers

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine

The Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage is responsible for the Good Agricultural Practice for Protection of Waters Regulations (SI 113 of 2022, as amended). These are commonly known as the GAP Regulations and my Department works closely with Minister Browne's Department with regard to these Regulations and the Nitrates Action Programme.

As part of this work, my Department undertakes administrative checks and farm inspections regarding compliance with the GAP Regulations.

All farmers with grazing livestock are subject to annual administrative checks regarding compliance with their stocking rate limits as set down in the GAP Regulations.

The GAP Regulations also provide limits for chemical Nitrogen and Phosphorus depending on stocking levels and soil indexes. These limits prohibit excessive use of nutrients.

In accordance with EU rules, my Department conducts inspections on 1% of farms subject to Conditionality requirements under the direct payment schemes. For farmers availing of the nitrates derogation the annual inspection rate for my Department is at least 10% of eligible applicants as required by the Commission Implementing Decision granting Ireland's current nitrates derogation. Farmers selected for on-farm inspection regarding Conditionality or in response to a nitrates derogation application are also subject to desk-based checks by my Department regarding their chemical Nitrogen and Phosphorus use.

In addition to the aforementioned inspections, on behalf of the Local Authorities my Department also conducts farm inspections specifically focused on the GAP Regulations. In both 2024 and 2025 over 600 of these inspections were conducted by my Department.

The Local Authorities also conduct inspections on farms regarding the GAP Regulations. Under the current Nitrates Action Programme, the National Agricultural Inspection Programme (NAIP) has been established by the EPA facilitating a standardised risk-based approach to these inspections.

Explanatory Handbook for Conditionality Requirements 2023 – 2027 Version 23-0312. Under the NAIP, the Local Authorities are encouraged to where appropriate "cross report" non-compliances identified during their farm inspections under the GAP Regulations. This allows my Department apply financial sanctions where necessary to these farmers' area-based payments. My Department also receives cross reports of non-compliances with the GAP Regulations from Inland Fisheries Ireland.

I am aware of a small number of algal blooms incidents which can arise from excess nutrient from a number of sources including agriculture, waste water treatment etc. My officials have ongoing engaging with officials in Minster's Browne's Department on all water issues associated with nutrient including algal bloom.

Nitrates Usage

Questions (295)

Barry Ward

Question:

295. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his views on whether existing regulations are adequate to prevent the excessive use of nitrates leading to potential run off into the water system; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54255/25]

Written answers

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine

My colleague Minister Browne's department is responsible for leading development of Ireland's Nitrates  Action Programme (NAP) and my department works very closely with his department on this important work area.

Ireland's current NAP introduced significant changes and is providing the strongest protections to date nationally for water quality from an agricultural perspective. In February of this year, additional measures were introduced to further strengthen the current NAP as part of the interim review of that Programme.

The next NAP is due to apply from January 2026. Officials from both departments are engaging with stakeholders through the Agriculture Water Quality Working Group and have developed a list of impactful proposed measures from a water quality perspective for that programme.

There has been significant engagement with the agrifood sector over the last number of years in relation to improving water quality and it is vital to continue this momentum. The Nitrates Regulations form the baseline for reducing nutrient losses and improving water quality, however incentivisation, industry support, as well as knowledge exchange and advisory are also key aspects required to achieve the optimum overall approach.

The Agricultural Sustainability Support and Advisory Programme is providing free advice to farmers located in priority areas for action. The 'Farming for Water' EIP is providing significant funding to incentivise farmers to target additional measures in priority areas. The Teagasc 'Better Farming for Water' Campaign is promoting eight key actions for change related to nutrient management, farmyard management and land management, and many dairy co-ops have developed sustainability schemes which sets standards for environmental protection, including water quality.

I am confident a combination of current and future measures under the NAP, combined with a continuation of the existing significant commitment and engagement by the entire agrifood sector will translate into improved water quality.

Agriculture Industry

Questions (296)

John Paul O'Shea

Question:

296. Deputy John Paul O'Shea asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if ‘force majeure’ will be accepted in respect of the submission of late sheep census from a farmer in County Kerry (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54262/25]

Written answers

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine

The Sheep Improvement Scheme is funded under Ireland’s CAP Strategic Plan. It provides support to sheep farmers for carrying out actions that improve animal health and welfare in the sheep sector, and builds on the progress made by the previous Sheep Welfare Scheme (SWS). As part of the eligibility requirements applicants are required to submit a Sheep Census return within the specified time-frame for each year during the lifetime of the scheme with Breeding Ewes declared on it.

Following administrative checks by my Department's Sheep Section, it was established that the herd number provided had not submitted a Sheep Census return for any of the years since joining the Sheep Improvement Scheme in January 2023.

Applicants who do not submit a Sheep Census return declaring Breeding Ewes in a scheme year are deemed ineligible for that year of the scheme as per the Terms and Conditions of the scheme. Accordingly the farmer was removed from the Sheep Improvement Scheme and a letter to that effect issued to the farmer on 8th July 2025. To date no request for review regarding the applicant’s removal from the Sheep Improvement Scheme has been received by the Sheep Scheme section of my Department. If the farmer concerned wishes to seek a review of the decision to remove them from the Sheep Improvement Scheme, they may do so by submitting a request for a review in writing, enclosing any current relevant evidence or supporting documentation they consider relevant to the matter. Review requests can be sent to Sheep Improvement Scheme, Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Old Abbeyleix Road, Government Offices, Portlaoise, Co. Laois, R32 RPA6.

Departmental Contracts

Questions (297)

Naoise Ó Cearúil

Question:

297. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of external consultancy contracts entered into by his Department in the past five years, including the original estimated cost, the final cost, and the reasoning for contracting this work rather than using internal resources. [54321/25]

Written answers

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine

I wish to inform the Deputy that the information requested, in relation to the number of external consultancy contracts entered into by my Department in the past five years, is set out in the attached table.

My Department seeks to minimise the use of consultants and only engages consultancy companies when particular additional expertise is required for delivery of the services which support the business processes of the Department. Such services are used in areas where the Department does not have the necessary expertise or internal capacity to deliver the services and where it would not make practical, operational or economic sense to build up this capability within the Department.

Some engagements are necessary to satisfy auditing and EU regulatory requirements as to independent review. All contracts are negotiated with a view to achieving best value for money and keeping expenditure to a minimum.

External consultancy contracts 2020-2025>

Departmental Equipment

Questions (298)

Naoise Ó Cearúil

Question:

298. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to confirm if any staff devices (laptops, phones, USBs) containing departmental information or sensitive data were reported lost or stolen in the past five years; the number of devices reported; the data risk involved; and the associated cost of mitigation. [54381/25]

Written answers

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine

My Department’s policy is that official data must be stored centrally in appropriate file management systems and that data should not be stored locally on end user devices such as Laptops or Mobile Phones. The Department secures all laptops with advanced encryption and employs multilayered security protocols on official devices to safeguard data. All mobile devices are managed using a leading Mobile Device Management product. In the event that a mobile device is reported lost or stolen, a device-wipe signal is sent to the device. Strict policies govern the use of USBs, including mandatory encryption.

These security measures and controls, supported by my Department’s policies in this area, ensures that the data risks involved are effectively managed and as such are considered to be low. The security mitigations, controls, measures, and policies have been implemented as part of an overall suite of enterprise security systems for all the Department’s data and ICT assets and therefore it is not possible to provide a cost for the specific mitigations indicated.

The table below lists the number of laptops and mobile phones owned by my Department, that have been reported as lost or stolen in each of the past five years.

Device*	Lost/Stolen	2020	2021	2022	2023	2024
Laptop	Lost	0	0	1	2	0
	Stolen	0	1	0	0	0
Mobile	Lost	15	11	17	19	3
	Stolen	4	4	0	2	2

*USB figures are not recorded.

Departmental Expenditure

Questions (299)

Naoise Ó Cearúil

Question:

299. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to detail the instances in which software or IT systems procured by his Department or agencies were later deemed unfit for purpose; and the costs of replacement or remediation. [54391/25]

Written answers

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine

My Department has not procured any software or IT system that was not fit for purpose within its expected lifetime of operation in the Department.

As regards the agencies under the aegis of my Department, the information requested is an operational matter for the agencies themselves. I have referred the Deputy’s question to the Agencies and have requested that a response should issue within 10 days.

Nitrates Usage

Questions (300)

Brendan Smith

Question:

300. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the outcome of the most recent discussions he has had with the EU Commission and at the Agriculture Council in relation to the retention of the Nitrates Derogation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54531/25]

Written answers

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine

As the Deputy will be aware, at the Nitrates Committee meeting in December 2024, my officials advised that in accordance with the Nitrates Directive, Ireland wished to apply for permission to continue applying in excess of 170 kg of livestock manure Nitrogen per hectare from 2026, subject to a set of conditions that will ensure that application is scientifically justified and will continue to contribute to the achievement of the Nitrates Directive’s objectives.

Since then Ireland has made a number of presentations to the EU Nitrates Committee, the most recent of which was on the 19th of September. Bilateral engagement with the Commission at official level has been ongoing throughout 2025.

I also recently welcomed senior officials from the European Commission Services to Ireland for a discussion regarding the importance of Ireland's Nitrates Derogation. In addition to providing an opportunity for an engagement with agrifood stakeholders, this visit also enabled the officials to witness first-hand on-farm our outdoor grass-based system which is unique in a European context.

On the 23rd of September, I met Commissioner Roswall in Brussels regarding Ireland’s Nitrates Derogation. At that meeting Commissioner Roswall confirmed her intention to visit Ireland in the coming weeks in response to my invitation. I look forward to that visit which will provide a further opportunity to demonstrate our unique grass-based system and to highlight the work taking place across Ireland's agrifood sector to reduce its impact on water quality.

The Government will continue to engage with the European Commission and other EU Member States to ensure we get the best possible outcome for Ireland post-2025.

Departmental Correspondence

Questions (301)

James O'Connor

Question:

301. Deputy James O'Connor asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he could address the concerns raised by hill farmers in correspondence (details supplied) regarding issues with controlled burning during the legal window due to weather conditions along with other matters; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54545/25]

Written answers

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine

Under Section 40 of the Wildlife Act, 1976, as amended by the Wildlife (Amendment) Act 2000, growing vegetation cannot be burnt between 1 March and 31 August of any given year (the closed period), on any land not yet cultivated.

In general, land burnt during the closed season (March 1st to August 31st) is not eligible for the purpose of payment under the Basic Income Support for Sustainability (BISS) or any other area-based scheme.

My Department actively identifies areas of burnt land declared for area based schemes, and in particular land that is burned during the closed season. Where land is identified as having been burned during the closed season no payment will issue on this land and in some cases an additional penalty will apply. In all of these cases my staff write to the applicant advising them of the change of the eligibility of the land and giving them the right of review for the land in question.

Where an applicant considers the burning of the land may be as a result of force majeure or exceptional circumstances, they need to request a review as outlined in their notification letter.

In such cases the applicant should seek the review from my Department in writing within 15 working days of the date of being in a position to do so (if the application has been submitted) or at the same time as you submit your application online (if the application has not been submitted).

My Department carefully examines each request on a case-by-case basis and where adequate proof is provided that force majeure or exceptional circumstances prevailed, penalties will not normally apply. Examples might include documentary evidence of the steps taken to prevent or lessen the effect of these circumstances. If an applicant’s land has been burned maliciously then they will need to provide evidence that they reported this to An Garda Siochana or their local Fire Service. Full Guidance can be found in the Terms and Conditions of the BISS and other 2025 Area Based Schemes available on my Departments website at: www.gov.ie/en/department-of-agriculture-food-and-the-marine/services/basic-income-support-for-sustainability-biss-scheme/#terms-and-conditions.

Notwithstanding that lands burnt during the closed period are ineligible, it is recognised that controlled burning done at the right time of the year has a role to play in certain upland habitats.

The Department has produced a Prescribed Burning Code of Practice in order to provide guidance to landowners who use controlled burning as a land management tool and a shorter version issued to farmers in high fire risk areas throughout the country in 2013. Both publications are available on the Department’s website at: www.gov.ie/en/department-of-agriculture-food-and-the-marine/publications/fire-management, or from the Forestry Division Johnstown castle, Co Wexford.

• Written Answers Nos. 268-287
• Written Answers Nos. 302-312