Martin Heydon
Kildare South · Fine Gael · Ireland
“In the time allotted to us, I would say we will not be able to cover everything in CAP. To take the last point first, the budget is everything. While it is not part of my negotiations as chair of the AGRIFISH Council, it is a key focus of the Irish Presidency.”
“I thank the Deputy for raising this important point. A key focus of Food Vision 2030, the shared stakeholder-led strategy for the agrifood sector, is to grow the value of Irish agrifood exports in international markets, which, as I outlined earlier, we have been very successful at in recent years.”
“All producers selling raw milk must register with my Department and are subject to risk-based official controls that include inspection, audit and sampling.”
“Whether it is farmers with particular issues that are leading to environmental issues or issues with structures that need to be replaced, we are very lucky to have capital support in agriculture. I really believe in our TAMS structure.”
“I was delighted to be able to introduce the tillage sustainability support scheme earlier this year. I have not been found wanting in standing up and supporting a tillage sector that has been under pressure in recent times. The same applies to horticulture.”
“Following the publication of the report, I wrote to the chairperson of the board on 22 June 2026, requesting that the board develop a timely and effective action plan to address the recommendations in the report, and I will be seeking regular updates on its progress. I want to see these recommendations implemented and progressed.”
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“We have chosen to use a clear, parcel-based approach based on well understood maps as a fair way to ensure we get the required protection in place and farmers have no uncertainty as to the requirements or where they apply. It is in all of our interests that farmers have certainty. Once approval of the standard was received from the Commission, my Department published a technical note with detailed information on the standard. It was released to the media in order that the information could be provided in the Irish Farmers' Journal , Agriland and everywhere else. The Department has also provided direct information to farm advisory services and held meetings with the public and private advisory services to ensure the requirements are fully understood.”
“Around a quarter of farmers - 35,000 of them, who account for approximately 540,000 ha of peat soils - will have some land that is subject to the GAEC 2 element. In the main, these farmers will not need to take any new actions to comply with the standard. GAEC 2 was subject to final approval by the European Commission and was adopted on 30 April 2025. I could not write to farmers with the maps and exact detail until our proposal was approved by the European Commission. The Commission accepted what was a very significant change from our perspective in what we wanted so we got measures put in place to allow farmers to continue to farm as they do. The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine has consulted relevant stakeholders, including farm bodies and environmental NGOs, on a proposed standard.”
“Farmers' day-to-day activity in Kerry will not change even if their land parcel is in GAEC 2. They can continue to farm as they have always done in the past. In Ireland, our grass-based system already provides considerable protection for such soils and they are also protected by existing national planning provisions, for example on drainage. As I said, agricultural activity can continue. For example, ploughing, reseeding and maintenance of existing drains is all still allowed. New drainage is also possible in line with the existing national provisions, which have been in place for many years. Therefore, the introduction of this standard is expected to have minimal impact on farmers’ day-to-day operations.”
“A further deferral for 2025 was sought by Ireland, asking the European Commission for additional time. We received a very clear response from the Commission that no further deferral would be approved. If I did not introduce this standard in 2025, Ireland would be in serious breach of the EU regulations governing CAP strategic plans. This would have lead to significant fines that would have directly impacted the budget I have to support the very farmers the Deputy talked about all over Kerry. I could not let that happen. I could not let a fine come in that would have taken away money that I want to spend on supporting our farmers instead. The standard that has been introduced for 2025 provides a baseline protection for carbon-rich soils, while allowing agricultural activity to continue. That is an important point.”
“I thank the Deputy for the opportunity to provide an update on an important issue. The Deputy is right; there is a lot of concern among farmers around GAEC 2. I am happy to have the opportunity to reassure people that the concerns that are there are misplaced for a variety of reasons. I can give the background to GAEC 2. It is a mandatory condition for the payment of BISS. That is a single farm payment where the application deadline is this week, as the Deputy outlined. EU regulations require all member states to have a standard in place from the start of this year. Up to this point, Ireland took the maximum flexibility allowed to delay the introduction of the standard until 2025. Many other member states introduced it in 2023, when we as a country signed up to this and said we would do it.”
“This is not just about shining a light on what our agriculture and our farmers are doing but also about holding to account the EPA, our local authorities and Irish Water to make sure everybody pulls on the green jersey and we all do everything we can to retain a derogation beyond this year.”
“With regard to the steps being taken here, the additional areas were designed to allow maximum latitude within the December timeframe and maximum time for farmers to prepare for the change and manage their cows through the normal spring calving and lactation cycle, as well as fitting in with the programme for Government commitment to doing everything we can to retain this derogation. That will not be simple. A very big challenge lies ahead of us and I do not want anyone to be complacent about that. The Senator raised a point about the EPA and other contributors to water quality. That is exactly why Government established the Cabinet subcommittee on water. We had our first meeting on 31 March and have another scheduled for June, chaired by the Taoiseach.”
“I thank the Senator for raising a vital issue. It is important it be discussed in the Seanad today. I accept his invitation to west Cork. I look forward to going down and meeting many of those farmers with him and seeing the great work happening in that space. This is all about trends and all about the science backing up our argument. We know the economic argument for this. I am clear that farmers can do more than one thing at a time. This is not a binary choice between defending farmers' incomes, minding a derogation and water quality. Farmers are as passionate about water quality as any of us and we are seeing improving trends, but we have a way to go with some of our pristine measures and those areas.”
“We have a €60 million farming for water European Innovation Partnership, EIP, supporting investment in targeted on-farm water quality actions, which has been positively received by farmers, and 60% grant aid under TAMS for investment in manure storage and low-emission slurry application machinery, supporting improved slurry management, improving nutrient use efficiency and reducing our reliance on imported chemical nitrogen.”
“We are already starting to see results from the work led by farmers, with the most recently published EPA data showing significantly reduced nitrates concentrations in our rivers last year. I have visited Timoleague in recent years and seen first-hand the work under way by farmers to progress developments in water quality. I hope to visit again soon. Government is providing significant support for farmers as they seek to improve water quality, including the free water quality advisory service and the agriculture sustainability support and advisory programme, ASSAP, which includes 20 advisers paid for by the State and my Department and a further 30 advisers supported by industry working in water quality priority areas.”
“This allows farmers the time and space to be able to plan for the new rate. As the Senator said, it was flagged at the time that the map would most likely change. In addition to publishing the map of the impacted areas in March, my Department has since identified the individual land parcel identification system, LPIS, parcels involved. My officials will shortly be in a position to write individualised letters to farmers potentially impacted by this change. Access to the derogation is contingent on improving water quality across the country. The agrifood sector is engaging in significant, unprecedented and very welcome action to reduce its impact on water quality. However, securing its renewal is the top priority for me.”
“Everything I am doing around derogation, while recognising the integral importance of dairy farming for our rural economy, the community, farmers and farm families, is to make sure we continue to have a derogation. It is absolutely pivotal to everything we do. Within this available timeframe, the December date was selected to allow farmers maximum time to prepare and manage their cows through the normal spring calving lactation cycle. In simple terms, derogation farmers in these additional areas will have a limit of 247.5 kg N/ha this year, rather than 250 kg N/ha. The rate is not dropping from 250 kg N/ha to 220 kg N/ha this year. By being able to give them the maximum amount of time until December, the rate is effectively just short of the 250 kg N/ha for this year. It will be 220 kg N/ha from next year on.”
“As part of the additional measures introduced under the interim review of the fifth nitrates action programme, which was a commitment under our last derogation decision, with effect from December of this year, the maximum derogation stocking rate reduces to 220 kg of organic N/ha in some additional areas. This will happen where the EPA has identified a need for nitrate reduction measures to improve water that were not considered under the Commission’s criteria for the two-year water quality review. The measure becomes applicable from 1 December as it had to apply within the timeframe of the current nitrates action programme to count as a measure under this programme. This was necessary to best prepare for discussions with the European Commission regarding Ireland’s next nitrates derogation. That is the very point the Senator made.”
“I thank the Senator for raising this important issue. I recognise how important the dairy industry is to west Cork and to the wider rural community. As Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, I am committed to doing everything in my power to develop the sectors for which I am responsible and to communicate a fresh understanding of what it is. Our farmers, fishers, foresters and the food industry contribute to society and the economy as a whole. In 2024, much of the country moved to the lower maximum derogation stocking rate of 220 kg N/ha, following the two-year water quality review required under the Commission decision granting Ireland the current nitrates derogation. However, the Commission’s criteria for that review excluded some areas where the science shows our water quality is not what it should be.”
“The costs incurred-income forgone model restricts how we can design schemes, in that we cannot pay farmers unless there is additional conditionality. That has meant, in terms of the beef, sheep and agri-environmental schemes, that there is conditionality if we are to get money to farmers. That is a significant impediment. It is something I would love to revisit as part of CAP reform. On the basic point about ACRES, we will get there, and I want to see ACRES farmers paid, able to commit fully to the scheme and see it developed strongly into the future.”
“The Deputy is articulating the frustration that is felt by many farmers across the country. The points he raised are not ones I am hearing for the first time. We will have the Presidency of the EU in the second half of 2026, and in my determination as Minister, right at the time of the AGRIFISH Council when the other 26 ministers for agriculture are all looking to agree the new CAP, Ireland will have significant influence in those negotiations. At the heart of the new CAP that I want to see developed is simplification. I know it has been talked about a lot in the past, but it has not been delivered. We are quite constrained by the costs incurred-income forgone model, which is an impediment. That is not what REPS was. I was in REPS; I remember how great it was. It was on a whole-farm basis.”
“The solutions I am looking to put into place are permanent ones whereby these problems for farmers will not recur. The IT functionality is built around these solutions so that they are not one-off interventions. I want to restore farmers' confidence in ACRES.”
“There is no doubt that, when a new agri-environmental scheme commences at the start of a CAP process, it brings a lot of teething problems. I remember that GLAS in 2015 struggled in that first year. It is a big undertaking. We had a number of different measures coming together at this one time. Let me be clear. While I am pointing to the momentum I have managed to build in this process in the ten weeks I have been in my role, I will not rest until every farmer is sorted. I want to see that happen. We are on track to make the balancing payments that are due to be paid in May. I am going to make sure that they are done as well and that the vast majority of farmers outstanding will have their issues resolved and payments made by the end of May, with the most difficult cases to be fixed by the end of June.”
“Since I took office almost ten weeks ago, we have reduced it by almost 40%. I understand where farmers are at. It is a continuing priority for me that we continue to work and I hope to have the vast majority of farmers sorted by the end of May, with the most difficult cases ended by the end of June.”
“I visited the unit in Johnstown Castle in Wexford to support the staff and officials there who were working in very difficult circumstances dealing with farmers who were frustrated, and rightly so. I understand the frustration there. My determination has been to fix this for them as quickly as possible. A total of €247.4 million has been paid to 42,631 participants, or 95% of all ACRES participants, in respect of their participation in the scheme in 2023. A further 2,302 farmers - although these figures are from last week's issue because that is now down to 1,800 farmers - who participated in 2023 have yet to receive their final payments because we did a payment run on the 2023 ones last week. We are in a space now where we are at 9,300 for the 2024 payments and we are making weekly payment runs.”
“When I came into this role ten weeks ago, I looked at the situation with ACRES. It is unacceptable that 2,800 of the farmers who signed up to a contract back in 2023 have still not had their applications processed and that there are problems with the system. In 2024, there were 14,500 farmers who had not had their advance payments issued. That was unacceptable. I worked with the officials to look at the challenges in the system around the very complex nature of processing these new applications and getting the new system in place. It was an ambitious approach to move to a results-based environmental system but, ultimately, farmers are delivering for us in a significant way. They are delivering for our environment and they must be supported. That is why I put an extra focus on this. I sought extra staff to be allocated.”
“The sector has a great story to tell in terms of its carbon footprint, its positive role in regard to cover crops and the role it plays in helping us reach our climate targets. We will continue to support the tillage sector throughout this term.”
“I could not agree more. I have said previously in the House that I see agriculture as a gearbox within which all the different enterprises, including tillage, dairy, beef, sheep and pigs, are interlinked and interdependent. Should one sector of that gearbox stop working, it impacts on everything else. Tillage is a key component of that. The sector has been through a tough time. To be a tillage farmer involves a massive outlay on machinery costs. There are big overheads and margins have been extremely tight. We want to continue working with the sector to support it and grow the value-added opportunities in this space. The Deputy mentioned the nearly carbon-zero nature of tillage farming.”
“At the Mallow festival, I was presented with Wexford wine and it was very impressive. I am delighted to see that market go from strength to strength. The programme for Government includes support for the development of knock-on industries from the tillage sector. That value-added factor is important, in addition to the basic fundamental of the sector that Deputy Aird articulated so well. It is estimated that the tillage sector contributed €1.9 billion per annum to the Irish economy in the period from 2018 to 2022. The sector is estimated to support more than 11,000 full-time equivalent jobs. The overall area of tillage crops in 2024 was more than 332,000 ha, which is a reduction of less than 2% from 2023. Overall, since 2020, the tillage area has increased by more than 19,000 ha, or approximately 6%. We need to continue to support it.”
“The tillage capital investment scheme under TAMS provides support for a broad range of investments to support farmers to achieve improved competitiveness, increased efficiency, growth and environmental benefits. The 2023 and 2024 growing seasons were challenging for growers. In response to those challenges, the Government provided additional direct financial support. More than €14 million was paid out in January 2024 to support growers with unharvested crops in 2023 by way of an unharvested crop support scheme as a one-off flat-rate payment. In February this year, I was delighted to announce €32.4 million of payments under the tillage and horticulture support scheme, which was the Government's response to the difficult position in which the tillage and horticulture sector found itself.”
“My Department will continue to engage with stakeholders to progress the implementation of the actions in the report. This will require collaboration and commitment from many stakeholders across the sector. My Department has provided significant direct supports to tillage farmers. The financial allocation for coupled support under the protein aid scheme was increased to €10 million annually from 2024. The straw incorporation measure, which was first introduced as pilot scheme in 2021 and 2022, is now included in the current CAP strategic plan, with an allocation of €50 million over five years. The tillage incentive scheme was introduced in 2022 in response to the illegal Russian invasion of Ukraine, with €20 million allocated over the lifetime of the support measure.”
“Deputy Aird and I attended the Irish Grain Growers AGM earlier this year, where we heard at first hand the challenges and opportunities for the tillage sector, which is an integral part of Irish farming and makes a significant contribution to overall agricultural output. The Government recognises the importance of the tillage sector and wants to grow the area under tillage crops in the years ahead. The report of the food vision tillage group, which was published in May last year, sets out a roadmap for sustainable growth and development of the sector. It is a comprehensive report that identifies opportunities to grow the sector and further improve its environmental footprint. Work is ongoing to progress the actions in the report. That work was discussed at a meeting on 7 February of the food vision tillage group.”
“That is where the vigilance aspect comes in. There are enhanced biosecurity measures at our ports for vehicles coming from at-risk areas. Those efforts are continuing. We are doing everything we can to protect Ireland from what is a notifiable disease that would have a big impact on our trade.”
“On the last point, as I outlined, there is no vaccine for BTV-12 but there is one for BTV-3 and that remains under consideration. On the Deputy's main point, the answer is that we are doing everything we can to try to keep this out. Obviously, we are not importing risk animals from risk areas. There is a risk, at the height of the season in high summer, of midges travelling over themselves from England and that is something we cannot mitigate against. In terms of identifying if it is here, doing so early is really important in order that we can put exclusion zones in place. That is mitigation. We do not want it to happen and we are making every attempt to ensure it does not get here at all. However, it is important to have plans in place in order that, if it is here, we know as quickly as possible where it is.”
“From here on, however, the need for vigilance on the part of farmers, everybody who deals with livestock, my Department officials and others continues to be a top priority.”
“We have enhanced biosecurity measures at our ports for vehicles coming in. Ireland is currently BTV free. An outbreak of BTV in Ireland would have a significant impact on animal welfare, the Irish livestock sector and trade. It is important to state that Bluetongue does not impact human health or food safety. However, the bluetongue virus serotype 3, BTV-3, has spread widely across northern and western Europe in 2024, while serotype 12, BTV-12, has also been detected in the Netherlands and eastern England. BTV-3 vaccines have been developed and have been in use in EU member states affected by the disease in Great Britain. There are no vaccines for BTV-12 at present. As the Deputy outlined, we are now heading into the high risk period. Prior to April, the risk from midges was greatly reduced.”
“Given that we are entering a higher risk period, as the Deputy has outlined, for possible bluetongue incursion, I urge all herd owners and other stakeholders to remain vigilant and aware of signs of the disease and to report any suspicions of the disease in their livestock to my Department without delay.”
“I recognise the importance of communication and engagement with stakeholders on this issue, which is why my Department convened a number of meetings on the threat of bluetongue during 2024 and earlier this year. Department officials have spoken at meetings of farmers and veterinary practitioners to raise awareness of this threat. There has been regular engagement between my officials and their counterparts in the Northern Ireland Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs under Minister Muir regarding proposed disease control measures for BTV, given that the island is one epidemiological site.”
“My Department carried out active surveillance for bluetongue in the east and south east of the country in the summer of 2024. Four farms in each of five south eastern counties were targeted, with 15 animals per farm sampled. A total of 300 animals were tested and all were negative. This followed an earlier enhanced surveillance effort in spring 2024 during which 205 animals were tested, again with negative results. This provided assurance that bluetongue was not already present in Ireland. My Department's regional veterinary laboratory network also routinely samples malformed foetuses for bluetongue testing as this can be an early indication of infection in a herd or flock.”
“I thank Deputy Moynihan for raising this really important issue. Our livestock sector faces ever-increasing animal health threats. Diseases such as bluetongue threaten our cattle and sheep. I take the threat of bluetongue virus, BTV, very seriously. My Department carries out post-entry sampling of all ruminant animals and camelids from mainland Europe for BTV regardless of the bluetongue status of the country of origin. This mitigates the risk of the disease being inadvertently imported with live animals. The EU TRACES system indicates that no such animals have entered Ireland from mainland Europe this year. No susceptible species have been permitted to be imported into Ireland from Great Britain since late 2023, when the first cases of bluetongue serotype 3 occurred in England.”
“An appeal is not needed to do it, but a natural boundary, such as a hedge, ditch, river course or whatever, is needed. On to Deputy Connolly's point about the impact on small farmers, conditionality is applicable to all farmers regardless of size. However, those with farms of less than 10 ha in total area already exempt from controls and the penalties of conditionality. There will be an appeals mechanism through my Department which farmers can avail of.”
“No wonder farmers are concerned. Deputy Conway-Walsh can only raise those concerns and I can only answer back on numerous occasions in this House, in the media and , at farming organisations' public and private meetings to reassure farmers that this is not a designation. When words like "designation" are used and references to planning are used, as was used earlier, that sets farmers' fear off. The only people who will know a land parcel is GAEC 2 is the farmer and the Department of agriculture. A local planning authority will have no idea of that. It will have no access to that map and will not know that. This does not impact planning. I cannot be any clearer than that in terms of reassurances. Farmers can split parcels. A natural boundary is needed. It can be done as part of the BISS.”
“We could be in breach of up to a €100 million of a fine recurring on the single farm payment if we get this wrong. We have to have a small controllable area. The alternative to having 50% peat is having 100% in the land parcel. That would bring in 880,000 ha of mineral soils. I am striking the balance right while also saying that farmers' activity will not change. Their day-to-day activity can continue. This is not a designation like some people outside of this House are scaremongering about. I reassure farmers that their day-to-day activity will continue.”
“I cannot do this in a minute. I will start by taking grave exception to the phrase Deputy Conway-Walsh. She stated that what is proposed will "severely disadvantage" farmers in Mayo or anywhere else in the context of GAEC 2. That is not the case. Day-to-day farming and agricultural activity will continue. On the basic point made by Deputy Connolly, and following on from Deputy Kenny's point about splitting parcels of land, I have dealt with the INHFA. It proposed alternative wording in a footnote. It asked me to include that in the proposal to the Commission, which I have done. I am working with it. The Commission requires us to put it in. It then audits it afterwards. If we are wrong and if we cannot control it, that is when the disallowance arises.”
“There is a risk that this might be seen as something we really want to avoid, which is what farmers with carbon-rich peaty soils are feeling. However, the truth is that in the context of grassland, reseeding is still possible as are the maintenance and repair of existing drains. New drains are also allowed, subject to relevant planning legislation. That is already a requirement. I was determined that the proposal that went to the Commission, which was the subject of extensive consultation with all farm organisations, was set down on the basis that day-to-day farming activity on this type of land would not change. This is a baseline conditionality of the BISS. It is not a designation. It is nothing more than just that as part of this CAP strategic plan.”
“Trying to isolate parts of the parcel where activities can or cannot take place is not practical and would be very difficult to control. If farmers believe their parcels should be split, they can do so as part of making their BISS application. If a farmer believes that a land parcel has been incorrectly included in the standard, they can appeal to my Department. However, if 50% or more of the parcel is identified in the map it is in scope. To apply a different threshold than 50% for GAEC 2 would either bring in far more mineral soils into the standard or leave too much peat soil outside of the standard. As a result, I am of the view that this percentage strikes the right balance. On the impact on small farmers, the proposal does not prohibit any of the common practices that are typical on these lands.”
“I am delighted to again have the opportunity to speak on GAEC 2, which was raised in the House earlier. As a reminder, GAEC 2 is a baseline requirement under the CAP regulations for the protection of carbon-rich soils. It is legally required to be put in place for 2025 as part of the conditionality requirements for the basic income support for sustainability, BISS, payment scheme. The proposal my Department has submitted to the European Commission for approval aims to strike a balance between the vital protection of peatlands and wetlands and farmers' rights to continue with agricultural activity on this land. With regard to the Deputy's question on the inclusion of some mineral soils, conditionality requirements must be controlled at land parcel level.”
“The call was launched on 5 November 2024 and 27 applicants were selected to submit a more detailed project proposal as part of the competition with this phase closing on 24 February. These have been submitted and will be evaluated in the month of April.”
“In addition to adding value to lamb and sheep as a commodity and creating an extra income stream for farmers, wool demonstrates the circular nature of our food production system in that it has so many great uses including insulation and many others that have not been considered in the past. I very much want to work with the sector to see that developed.”
“Absolutely. The programme for Government highlights the importance of the wool sector and how we want to help develop further opportunities for wool and examine the possibility of a scouring plant. We do not have one in Ireland and that is an impediment to further development. I remember a time when the shearing of sheep and the collection of wool was a really valuable part of a sheep farmer's activity. That cheque was a very important part of that overall activity. Not only is wool categorised as waste but, in terms of economic return, its value is not seen as worth the work and the strain. Shearing and collecting wool is very physical work. That is something we want to see change.”
“I will come back to the point the Deputy has made about wool in general in my supplementary response but, by their nature, EIPs are designed to be locally led initiatives that we learn from. They are supposed to be models or pilots so that we can learn from their example, extrapolate from them and possibly include them in the next CAP on a national basis. That is the real strength of the EIPs. I will come back to the point on wool in my supplementary reply.”
“The Deputy will understand that I am a step removed from the evaluation process and, as such, the straight answer to the Deputy's question is that I do not know. The group will know because, if it was involved in phase 2, it would have had to make a submission. I am happy to talk to the Deputy about that but, for very good reasons, I am a step removed from the evaluation process. It is based on objective criteria. EIPs are in great demand. That €17.5 million is in great demand and so there is a high bar to reach. That phase 2 process comprises my officials working with the groups to develop the projects so that those that are finally selected and allocated money will achieve the best return.”
“I look forward to announcing the successful projects under the EIP environmental sustainability call once the work of the expert committee has been concluded. As the evaluation process is still ongoing, I am not in a position to comment on any particular application.”
“Under the CSP, an open call for proposals for European Innovation Partnership projects on the overall theme of environmental sustainability was launched on 5 November 2024 with an associated budget of €17.5 million. This was an extremely important EIP call which sought solutions for sustainable agriculture, soil health, horticulture, organics, the circular economy and the bioeconomy. I was delighted with the response rate with 96 applications being received as part of the phase 1 process. Of this total, 27 applicants were selected to submit a more detailed project proposal under phase 2 of the competition, which closed on 24 February 2025. These detailed project proposals will be evaluated in April, this month, by an expert evaluation committee comprising internal and external experts.”
“I thank Deputy Connolly for raising this important point. European Innovation Partnership projects, EIPs, are locally led innovative projects developed by operational groups acting collaboratively towards a common goal. They are a fantastic vehicle and one I used in my previous role as Minister of State. We use such projects across a range of areas within the Department of agriculture. EIPs represent a really important funding model that bring together innovation actors, including farmers, advisers, researchers, businesses and NGOs, to work together to address local challenges through innovative solutions that can more easily be put into practice on farms. Together with my Department, the EU co-funds EIP projects as part of the CAP strategic plan 2023-2027.”