Written Answers Nos. 881-889
881. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the total value of the annual mileage claims for each Ministers of State assigned to his Department in 2023 and 2024 respectively; to provide a breakdown for each year of the individual claims; the annual cost of overnight allowances related to the civilian drivers of each relevant Minister of State in 2023 and 2024; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3244/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraI set out the details as requested by the Deputy.
Minister Hackett
Mileage claims:
|
Date From |
Date To |
Claim Total € |
|
01/01/2023 |
31/12/2023 |
8,583.42 |
|
01/01/2024 |
31/12/2024 |
N/A |
Minister Hackett’s Civilian Drivers
Overnights claims:
|
Date From |
Date To |
Claim Total € |
|
01/01/2023 |
31/12/2023 |
N/A |
|
01/01/2024 |
31/12/2024 |
N/A |
Minister Heydon
Mileage claims:
|
Date From |
Date To |
Claim Total € |
|
01/01/2023 |
31/12/2023 |
15,550.87 |
|
01/01/2024 |
31/12/2024 |
15,084.95 |
Minister Heydon’s Civilian Drivers
Overnights claims:
|
Date From |
Date To |
Claim Total € |
|
01/01/2023 |
31/12/2023 |
€501.00 |
|
01/01/2024 |
31/12/2024 |
€390.00 |
882. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to list the composition of his private office, inclusive of the grade and increment of each civil servant assigned to the office; whether they are located in the private or constituency office; the value of any allowance paid to those individuals and the purpose of each allowance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3262/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraFurther to the recent announcements in relation to Government formation, my Department is restructuring to reflect the allocation of functions to Ministers. The staffing arrangements within the Ministerial Offices will be implemented in line with Government guidelines. Additional information will become available in due course.
883. Deputy Eoghan Kenny asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if consideration has been given to the introduction of a safe pass style system for all farms; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3421/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraFarm safety is a critical issue and farming continues to be the most dangerous occupation with regard to fatalities in the workplace.
The Health and Safety Authority (HSA), under the auspices of the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, has statutory responsibility for health and safety in the workplace, including safety requirements such as the ‘Safe Pass’ safety awareness programme. My Department is supportive of the HSA’s efforts to improve health and safety on farms.
Budget 2025 delivered dedicated funding of €2.5 million for farm safety, health and wellbeing. This funding will ensure the continuation of existing initiatives as well as the development of new initiatives that promote risk awareness and farm safety practices that deliver behavioural change by everyone working on farms, especially young people who are our future farmers.
Examples of such initiatives include a joint media campaign with the HSA in promoting farm safety and the ‘On Feirm Ground 2’ programme. Last year, my Department funded an Open Call for Farm Safety, Health and Wellbeing Projects which supported and promoted best practice to minimise the risks to the safety, health, and wellbeing of everyone on farms.
The TAMS3 Farm Safety Capital Investment Scheme provides grant aid for a wide range of farm safety related investments. The Accelerated Capital Allowances Scheme was expanded in Budget 2025 to cover a broader range of farm safety investments in addition to the existing range of eligible farm safety equipment and adaptive equipment for farmers with disabilities.
This Government will continue to prioritise improvements in farm safety, health and wellbeing and to ensure this work is prioritised, my colleague Minister of State Michael Healy-Rae T.D. has been assigned special responsibility for Farm Safety.
884. Deputy James Geoghegan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of meetings the high-level implementation committee has held monitoring the implementation of the Food Vision 2030 Strategy; if he will assess the success of the strategy to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3476/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraFood Vision 2030, Ireland’s stakeholder-led strategy for the agri-food sector, aims for Ireland to be “A World Leader in Sustainable Food Systems”. It was designed using a food systems approach, recognising the requirement to have greater policy coherence across agriculture, food, and the environment. Food Vision has four high-level Missions:
Mission 1: A Climate Smart, Environmentally Sustainable Agri-Food Sector.
Mission 2: Viable and Resilient Primary Producers, with Enhanced Wellbeing.
Mission 3: Food that is Safe, Nutritious and Appealing, Trusted and Valued at Home and Abroad.
Mission 4: Innovative, Competitive and Resilient Agri-Food Sector, Driven by Technology and Talent.
I am fully committed to leading the implementation of Food Vision 2030 and driving progress toward our ambitions. The High-Level Implementation Committee has met twelve times to date, the minutes of which are published on my Department's website. The next meeting is planned for later this quarter. The Committee’s core objective is to monitor delivery on the four Missions through close collaboration with stakeholders.
The second Food Vision Annual Report was published in June 2024. Good progress on implementation has been made to date. The report highlighted that 141 actions (65%) have either been completed or have had substantial action undertaken and a further 75 actions (34%) have commenced and are progressing. Among the key achievements are: the new Forestry Programme; the National Horticulture Strategy; the National Bioeconomy Action Plan; the National Fertiliser Database; the National Dialogue on Women in Agriculture; the National Food Waste Prevention Roadmap; Ireland’s 4th National Biodiversity Action Plan; the National Strategic Plan for Sustainable Aquaculture Development; the establishment of An Rialálaí Agraibhia (Agri-Food Regulator); the National Genotyping Programme; the Suckler Carbon Efficiency Programme; the National Dairy Beef Welfare Scheme; the National Beef Welfare Scheme; securing Irish Grass Fed Beef as a Protected Geographical Indication; the National Farm Safety Measure; the Animal Health Surveillance Strategy (2023-2028); the Thematic Research Call; and the Ireland – New Zealand Joint Research Initiative. The third Food Vision Annual Report is expected to be published in quarter 2 of 2025.
A new Food Vision 2030 dashboard has been developed with phase one setting out baseline environmental data. Phase two will include baseline economic and social data, and will be released shortly. The aim of this new dashboard is to monitor progress against the key indicators set out in Food Vision 2030. The dashboard is available to the public through Gov.ie.
I am confident that with Food Vision 2030 as a strategic framework, Ireland’s agri-food sector will achieve its ambition to become a world leader in sustainable food systems.
886. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when guidelines and details of grant aid will issue to farmers whose forestry plantations have been damaged by storm Éowyn; if this matter will be dealt with as a matter of urgency; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3485/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department recognises that wind events, such as the recent storms Darragh and Éowyn, can cause varying degrees of damage around the country, including damage to trees.
In advance of Storm Éowyn, a guidance document ‘Windblow and Storm damage Guidance for Forest Owners’ was updated and published on our website. In light of the significant damage caused by Storm Éowyn, a circular issued on 28 January 2025 to all Registered Foresters and stakeholders which included a link to this guidance document.
Alongside Minister of State Michael Healy-Rae, I have invited key stakeholders to participate in a taskforce to ensure that storm-damaged forests are managed safely and appropriately. The Taskforce will comprise stakeholders representing forest owners, forestry companies, Teagasc and Coillte. It will help to inform my Department’s, and the wider sector’s, response to the storms, with particular emphasis on dealing safely with the large areas of forest that have been blown down. This will include a plan around the prioritisation of felling licences in respect of storm damage, and an examination of any issues that arise in relation to the harvesting, haulage and sawmilling of the blown trees.
My Department and Coillte have begun assessing the damage caused by the recent storms using satellite imagery, and this will help to inform any necessary next steps.
887. Deputy Réada Cronin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the progress of a Garda investigation into a matter (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3493/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department strongly condemns any cruelty or mistreatment of animals and takes matters of equine welfare and the integrity of the food chain very seriously.
Collaboratively with the Garda National Bureau of Crime Investigation, my Department is undertaking an extensive investigation.
This joint investigation is ongoing and relates to suspected breaches of animal welfare and animal identification legislation.
While it is vitally important to ensure that process continues without prejudice, I wish to state, categorically, that where any breaches of welfare, identification and traceability legislation are found to have occurred, appropriate enforcement action will follow.
As this is an ongoing investigation, it would not be appropriate for me to comment further.
888. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question No. 336 of 7 November 2024, if further consideration will be given to the introduction of supports to help small-scale farm holders purchase neighbouring farm land when such options occur; if measures will be introduced to help reduce the sale of farm land to non-farming interests and particularly large-scale businesses; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3559/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department has no plans to introduce supports for the purchase of land.
The position has not changed regarding measures to place restrictions on the sale of land. As previously stated, issues relating to the ownership of private property are subject to very significant and complex legal, constitutional and policy considerations. Any statutory limitations on the sale of farmland would be subject to such all of these considerations.
889. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the measures his Department is taking to encourage civil servants in his Department to take or avail of special leave or career breaks, or other forms of leave to encourage and facilitate Ireland's 2026 EU presidency, the Government "Career for EU" jobs strategy, and the Department's Gaeilge/Irish-language policy and promotion; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3942/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraI recognise the importance of Irish nationals on the staff of EU Institutions, and my Department encourages people to seek opportunities which will improve Ireland’s representation among EU staff.
Implementation of the strategy is ongoing and includes a strong focus on raising awareness of EU careers paths for graduates, support opportunities for SNEs and provision of training for candidates applying for EU roles.
My Department is monitoring opportunities as they arise in order to promote them with its staff and encourage applications. At the moment, we are planning to advertise appropriate SNE posts to the European Commission in the coming weeks, and we commit to support any successful candidates from that process with the appropriate leave arrangements.
