Written Answers Nos. 1782-1801
1782. Deputy Louis O'Hara asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his Department has any events/initiatives planned to coincide with the International Year of the Woman Farmer 2026; if any funding has been allocated for any events/initiatives planned; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [73876/25]
View answerGender equality in agriculture is a priority of mine and features in the new Programme for Government. It is a core element of Ireland’s domestic policy framework, including Food Vision 2030, and is also central to our wider international development work. Women play an essential role in agriculture and agri-business, yet continue to face barriers to land access, finance, training, and decision making.
Gender equality is also a core principle of the European Union and the current Common Agriculture Policy (CAP) 2023- 2027 places particular focus on promoting women’s participation in the development of rural areas, with special attention to farming.
The United Nations declared 2026 the International Year of the Woman Farmer (IYWF 2026), to highlight the essential roles women play across agrifood systems. Women farmers are central to food security, nutrition and economic resilience and IYWF 2026 will raise awareness and promote actions to close the gender gaps and improve women’s livelihoods worldwide.
IYWF 2026 was officially launched on 4 December at the headquarters of the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO). Ireland’s co-sponsorship of the launch event, alongside Jordan, reflects our national commitment to advancing gender equality across the agri-food sector and to strengthening the visibility of women’s leadership in food systems.
IYWF 2026 provides an important opportunity to acknowledge women’s contribution, and should be a catalyst for lasting change, highlighting women’s achievements, addressing barriers to participation, and encouraging more women to see themselves as leaders and decision-makers within the sector. My Department is providing funding to FAO projects supporting women in agriculture in Malawi, Zambia, Mexico, Vietnam and Palau, as well as being a core partner in the Commit to Grow Equality Initiative, providing initial funding of €150,000 and a further €50,000 for 2026.
At home, the outcomes and recommendations of the National Dialogue on Women in Agriculture formed the basis for a 12-point National Action Plan, which was launched in 2024 to address issues across areas such as leadership and visibility, education and awareness, financial and legal matters and sustainability. Implementation has progressed well under the stewardship of the Women in Agriculture Working Group and a final report is expected shortly. In addition, Ireland was one of only two Members States to formally include support for women farmers under our CAP Strategic Plan.
My Department is currently finalising its plans for IYWF 2026, including a schedule of events to be held over the course of this year, which will be funded from existing budget allocations. More information on these events will be available shortly on the [Women in Agriculture] page of my Department’s website.
1783. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason an animal welfare organisation (details supplied) have had their annual animal welfare grant reduced; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [73959/25]
View answerAnimal welfare is a key priority for me as Minister and for the Government. Considerable funding is provided to support, eligible, animal welfare charities, nationwide, through the annual Animal Welfare Grant Programme, which is administered by my Department.
Each year my Department invites eligible animal welfare charities to submit a funding application, under the Animal Welfare Grants Programme. To qualify, applicants must meet specified requirements, which are made available through the application process. The application process is robust and comprehensive. Applicants are asked to provide information on their activities, including reporting specific data and metrics, requested as part of the process, with successful applicants allocated funding on the basis of objective criteria which are reviewed on an annual basis.
The awards support a wide range of criteria including the numbers of animals assisted, re-homing figures, the provision of education and knowledge sharing to the public on animal welfare and responsible pet ownership, helping to raise animal welfare standards. Veterinary inspection results are also taken into consideration when grant amounts are determined. Details provided by the organisation, referenced by the Deputy were considered alongside plans/initiatives for the coming year.
In December 2025, I provided funding of almost €6.5 million to 94 animal welfare charities throughout the country. Funding is not guaranteed to any applicant on an annual basis and eligibility is determined each year. Allocations of grants are dependent on the resources available and the number of competing applicants annually.
1784. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will consider a submission by an organisation (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [74002/25]
View answerI can confirm that I have received and considered a submission from Macra regarding Mercosur and the Common Agricultural Policy post-2027 proposals.
1785. Deputy Donna McGettigan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason funding was cut for an organisation (details supplied); if this will be reviewed and the funding be reinstated; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [74077/25]
View answerAnimal welfare is a key priority for me as Minister and for the Government. Considerable funding is provided to support, eligible, animal welfare charities, nationwide, through the annual Animal Welfare Grant Programme, which is administered by my Department.
Each year my Department invites eligible animal welfare charities to submit a funding application, under the Animal Welfare Grants Programme. To qualify, applicants must meet specified requirements, which are made available through the application process. The application process is robust and comprehensive. Applicants are asked to provide information on their activities, including reporting specific data and metrics, requested as part of the process, with successful applicants allocated funding on the basis of objective criteria which are reviewed on an annual basis.
The awards support a wide range of criteria including the numbers of animals assisted, re-homing figures, the provision of education and knowledge sharing to the public on animal welfare and responsible pet ownership, helping to raise animal welfare standards. Veterinary inspection results are also taken into consideration when grant amounts are determined. Details provided by the organisation, referenced by the Deputy, were considered alongside plans/initiatives for the coming year.
In December 2025, I provided funding of almost €6.5 million to 94 animal welfare charities throughout the country. Funding is not guaranteed to any applicant on an annual basis and eligibility is determined each year. Allocations of grants are dependent on the resources available and the number of competing applicants annually.
1786. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine whether the 117 dairy heifers exported to Libya on 5 January 2025 were pregnant at the time of export; the procedures which were followed to verify their gestation stage in accordance with EC Regulation 1/2005; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [74099/25]
View answer1787. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason the journey log for 5 January 2025 Libya shipment lists Murcia, Spain as the destination; to provide details of the method of transport from Spain to Libya, including whether a livestock vessel was used and whether it complied with the Carriage of Livestock by Sea Regulation 2016; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [74100/25]
View answer1788. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to confirm whether all 117 heifers arrived safely in Libya; the details of any injuries, illnesses, or mortalities during transport; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [74101/25]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 1786, 1787 and 1788 together.
The trade in and export of animals is a private commercial activity which is regulated by my Department in accordance with EU and national regulations. The relevant regulations for this sector include Council Regulation (EC) No 1/2005 Protection of animals during transport and related matters and associated national regulations, S.I. No. 267/2006 - European Communities (Protection of Animals During Transport) Regulations 2006 and S.I No. 356/2016 Carriage of Livestock by Sea Regulations 2016. The provisions of S.I No. 356/2016 only apply to animals loaded and transported out of Ireland by dedicated vessel.
The animals referenced by the Deputy were pregnant at the time of their certification and approval for transport from Ireland to Spain by my Department. However, their gestation period was in accordance with the relevant provisions of national and EU regulations to allow them to be transported out of Ireland. My Department has been informed that no injuries, or deaths occurred during their transport to Spain
My Department has also been informed that the animals were transported onwards from Spain by a dedicated livestock vessel to Libya.
1789. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the route, means of transport, duration, and veterinary supervision for the 287 unweaned dairy calves exported to Libya in May 2025, including the journey from France to Libya; the measures taken to ensure compliance with EC Regulation 1/2005 on feeding and rest intervals; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [74102/25]
View answer1790. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to confirm whether all 287 unweaned calves arrived safely in Libya; the details of any injuries, illnesses, or mortalities during the journey; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [74103/25]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 1789 and 1790 together.
The trade in and export of animals is a private commercial activity which is regulated by my Department in accordance with EU and National Regulations.
No calves were certified or approved for export to Libya by my Department in 2025. When animals are transported to a destination in another EU Member State, after a period of time, under EU law, they become a part of the national herd of that Member State. However, the animals always retain the identification number from their Member State of origin, so that traceability throughout their life across the EU is retained.
Subsequently, if these are animals exported to a third country, the approval and certification process to allow them to be exported in accordance with EU law is the responsibility of the EU Member State where the animals are located at that time.
1791. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the process used by his Departments veterinary inspectors to verify that in-calf heifers exported to Algeria on 15 November 2025 had less than 90% of their expected gestation completed; the way in which the fitness for transport of pregnant cows is assessed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [74104/25]
View answer1792. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the measures which are taken to ensure the safety of calves if a birth occurs during transit, including space allocation for pregnant cows, and whether any cows gave birth during the recent shipment to Algeria; and if so, whether the cows and calves arrived safely; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [74105/25]
View answer1793. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine whether any cows died during the recent shipment to Algeria; and if so, the cause of death; the way in which carcasses were disposed of; whether any efforts were made to save calves; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [74106/25]
View answer1794. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine whether veterinary supervision was present during loading at Waterford Port; the reason animals with lameness were permitted to board; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [74107/25]
View answer1795. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the steps which were taken to ensure safe transport of exported heifers from the port of arrival to the final destination in Algeria, including vehicle compliance with EC Regulation 1/2005, rest breaks; the action which will be taken against exporters using vehicles that do not meet legal standards; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [74108/25]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 1791, 1792, 1793, 1794 and 1795 together.
I understand the Deputy is referring to a transport of cattle from Waterford Port to Algeria by a dedicated vessel in November 2025.
It is important to emphasise that my Department only permits animals to be transported in compliance with the EU Regulation on animal welfare during transport. Furthermore, Ireland has a National Regulation to protect the welfare of livestock being transported on dedicated livestock vessels, which lay down controls that are more stringent than the EU Regulation.
Each loading of livestock onto dedicated vessels for international transport is monitored and supervised by a team of experienced veterinarians from my Department. The consignment referred to was supervised in this manner.
EU Regulation 1/2005 requires that prior to travel an animal must be deemed to be fit for the intended journey. The Regulation does specify that a pregnant animal for whom 90% or more of the expected gestation period has already passed is not considered to be fit for long distance transport. Thus, as part of the official certification process, veterinary inspectors assess each animal to ensure it meets the conditions for fitness to travel as laid down in the Regulation.
In order to assist and ensure that a high level of level of animal welfare was maintained, a veterinarian from my Department with the requisite skills set accompanied the vessel for the entire journey.
There were no animal deaths reported during the voyage. A small number of animals suffered lameness and received necessary treatment. One pregnant cow aborted her calf during the journey. While this event was regrettable the animal concerned received appropriate treatment. The stocking density for the animals on board the vessel was in accordance with the relevant Regulations. All animals transporters who carry animals to ports in Ireland for these type journeys are required to be authorised by my Department.
The journey time for these animals from relevant assembly centres or source farms to port of exit was in accordance with relevant Regulations.
1796. Deputy Sinéad Gibney asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to provide a list of AI pilot projects which have taken place in his Department within the past 12 months; the expenditure associated with those projects; and whether they are still ongoing, in tabular form. [74126/25]
View answerThe following Artificial Intelligence (AI) pilot projects have taken place within my Department during 2025 at no additional cost beyond the cost of business as usual.
|
Name |
Purpose |
AI Category |
Status |
|
TB Machine Learning Model |
A model to predict the likelihood of TB outbreaks. |
Machine Learning |
Ongoing |
|
Photo-AI |
An automated system to categorise and label incoming photographs. |
Machine Learning |
Ongoing |
All current and future AI use cases are subject to human review, data protection and governance measures. My Department is committed to ensuring that any use of AI is informed by an assessment of any potential human rights and equality implications, with a need for careful management in accordance with privacy and broader ethical and legal frameworks. For operational and security reasons, my Department has been advised by the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) not to disclose details which could, in any way, identify potential vulnerabilities in Departmental Cybersecurity arrangements.
1797. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine whether standards or service-level targets exist for his Department or bodies under the aegis of his Department, in responding to correspondence from members of local authorities; if compliance with such standards is monitored; the reasons for delays or failures to respond to correspondence from elected members; and the measures being taken to ensure more consistent and timely communication going forward. [74262/25]
View answerMy Department's Customer Charter 2025 - 2027 commits that all customers will be treated equally, and that all customers should have the reasonable expectation to be heard, understood and respected.
In relation to all correspondence received by my Department, the commitment is that these are acknowledged within three working days, with all correspondence responded to in clear plain language within 20 working days.
My Department undertakes regular monitoring and reporting on performance under this commitment, and reviews internal structures and processes to assess where improvements can be implemented on an ongoing basis.
As regards the 13 State Bodies under the aegis of my Department, the information requested is an operational matter for the State Bodies themselves. I have referred the Deputy’s question to the Agencies and have requested that a response should issue within 10 days.
1798. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the negotiations he took part in prior to the EU’s decision on 13 December in relation to the fisheries deal; and if he was aware that the Hague preferences would be blocked. [74284/25]
View answerThe Hague Preferences are additional amounts of quota that Ireland claims for a number of key stocks when the Total Allowable Catches (TACs) fall below specified levels.
The Hague Preferences are negotiated annually at the December Fisheries Council and, over the years, many Member States have objected strenuously to their application as the additional quota for Ireland comes off their allocations.
These objections have been intensifying in recent times arising from reductions in quota due to both the quota transfers under the EU-UK Trade & Cooperation Agreement and scientific advice.
Therefore, in the weeks leading up to the December Agriculture and Fisheries Council, I had bilateral meetings with the Ministers with responsibility for Fisheries in Belgium, Portugal, Spain, Poland and Germany.
I also had bilateral meetings on the margins of December Council with France and the Netherlands.
Furthermore, I met with the Danish Presidency and the Fisheries Commissioner, on a number of occasions throughout the year to garner support for Ireland's position.
1799. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will review the correspondence from Monaghan County Council (details supplied); the position of his Department on the concerns raised therein; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [74377/25]
View answerI have reviewed the correspondence from Monaghan County Council, dated 4th December 2025, in relation to the importance of retention of the Nitrates Derogation.
Ireland secured a three year extension of its Nitrates Derogation, a key priority for this Government, at a meeting of the EU Nitrates Committee in Brussels on 9th December 2025. The associated Implementing Decision was adopted and published by the European Commission on 22nd December 2025.
The Implementing Decision sets out the conditions which must be adhered to, including the need to conduct assessments under the Habitats Directive .
A very significant level of work took place across Government at both political and official level to secure the derogation. However it is important to also recognise the work taking place at farm level and across the agri-food industry to reduce agriculture's impact on water quality.
We now have to build on that momentum to improve water quality and secure a sustainable future for Irish agriculture. As part of this, my colleague Minister Browne has signed the Regulations adopting the Sixth Nitrates Action Programme which came into effect on 1st January 2026. This has further strengthened the protections for water quality introduced under Ireland’s last Nitrates Action Programme.
1800. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the way in which the aquaculture and foreshore management division (AFMD) in his Department determines the prioritisation of aquaculture applications requiring appropriate assessment; the criteria used to place bays or applications on its priority list; and if the prioritisation framework is published or communicated to applicants; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [74426/25]
View answer1801. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the indicative timeframes for the commencement and completion of appropriate assessment (AA) once an application or bay has been prioritised; the reason no start date has been scheduled for AA’s in an area (details supplied) despite their inclusion on a priority list; the steps are being taken to improve transparency and certainty around timelines in the aquaculture licensing process; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [74427/25]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 1800 and 1801 together.
My Department considers applications for aquaculture and foreshore licences in accordance with the provisions of the Fisheries (Amendment) Act 1997 as amended, the Foreshore Act 1933 (as amended) and applicable national and EU legislation. The licensing process involves consultation with a wide range of scientific and technical advisers as well as various Statutory Consultees. The legislation also provides for a period of public consultation.
Timelines for processing aquaculture licences varies depending on a number of factors, including location, species, scale and intensity of production, statutory status of sites and potential visual impact. My Department also takes full account of all scientific and technical advice, in addition to all issues identified during the public and statutory consultation phases. Further factors that can impact the time taken to process an application can include; the requirement for an Appropriate Assessment and whether the application is required to be accompanied by an Environmental Impact Assessment Report; the need for additional underwater or archaeological assessments and consideration of any submissions or observations raised during the public consultation period.
Progressing applications for renewals of marine finfish aquaculture licence applications is a priority for my Department in the context of the Ministerial policy decision to phase out the operation of Section 19A(4) of the Fisheries (Amendment) Act 1997. Additionally, given the notable increase in the number of new and renewal shellfish applications in recent years, significant work is ongoing within my Department and the Marine Institute, as my scientific advisors, to progress these. In 2025, my Department also engaged the services of external ecological consultants to assist in completing Appropriate Assessments for aquaculture licensing.
All aquaculture licence applications, including applications in the two bays referred to by the Deputy, must be both technically assessed and screened for an Appropriate Assessment. My Department’s Marine Engineers have reported on technical matters and requests have been made to the scientific advisors to undertake the necessary assessments in these two bays. Following receipt of the Appropriate Assessment reports, my Department will be in contact with the applicants concerned regarding the next stage of the process.
Every effort is being made by my Department to expedite the determination of all outstanding applications having regard to the complexities of each case and the need to fully comply with all relevant national and EU legislation.
