Parliamentary questions

Horse Racing Industry

Michael Fitzmaurice

160. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will address a matter in relation to a tender (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11077/24]

Horse Racing Industry

Michael Fitzmaurice

161. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine in view that Government policy for the past 15 years has revolved around centralising sport horse services through the Horse Sport Ireland organisation, his views that changes in long established Government policy should be decided by way of tender decisions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11078/24]

Horse Racing Industry

Michael Fitzmaurice

162. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he has given consideration to the impact of tendering on other organisations funded by similar means as that of the Horse Sport Ireland, i.e., could ICBF, rural shows, dog shelters, or other organisations receiving grants from his Department without tenders, be required to tender into the future; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11079/24]

Horse Racing Industry

Michael Fitzmaurice

163. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he has a view of the anti-competition cases taken by a person at national and European level given that the complaint involved allegations of an anti-competitive relationship between his Department, HSI and the Irish Horse Board; his view that the tender decision will end speculation from WSI of anti-competitive practices; the current status of anti-competitive actions taken against his Department both at within the European Commission and the Consumer Protection Commission in Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11080/24]

Horse Racing Industry

Michael Fitzmaurice

164. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his attention has been drawn to a matter in relation to the Horse Sport Ireland board (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11081/24]

Horse Racing Industry

Michael Fitzmaurice

165. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he is aware that as Minister for Agriculture he appoints up to two directors to the co-op board of the Irish Horse Board; when does this term expire; if he will continue to appoint a person or persons to that board; if he has sought input from that director on the Irish Horse Boards suitability or capability to undertake a contract worth €4 million; if he has given consideration to appointing governance experts to the board of the Irish Horse Board; what international marketing expertise existed within the Irish Horse Board Board of Directors at the time if tender evaluation in 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11082/24]

Horse Racing Industry

Michael Fitzmaurice

166. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he is aware that under EU legislation, studbook rules are required to be published by each breed society; the reason Horse Sport Ireland has not published studbook rules on its website for any of the studbooks it operates under licence from his Department; to confirm if his Department received copies of studbooks rules as part of the April 2022 tender submissions from Horse Sport Ireland; the reason those rules have not been published within the required 90 days of submission to the competent authority; if his officials have reviewed the studbook rules and on what dates such reviews occurred and by whom; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11083/24]

Horse Racing Industry

Michael Fitzmaurice

167. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason for delays each year in the opening of breeding schemes for breeders of sport horses administered by Horse Sport Ireland; if he will confirm that the breeding schemes for 2024 will open to breeders during the actual breeding season or if as 2021, 2022 and 2023 schemes will open during or after the season; the rationale for such delays; the process undertaken by Horse Sport Ireland to develop 2024 programmes; the number of breeder and other studbooks engaged/consulted with by HSI in that preparation process; if there are enough resources within his Department to adequately and competently administer equine programmes for the sport horse and thoroughbred industries; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11084/24]

Horse Racing Industry

Michael Fitzmaurice

168. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will address a matter in relation to Horse Sport Ireland (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11085/24]

Horse Racing Industry

Michael Fitzmaurice

169. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will address a matter in relation to the Irish Horse Board (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11086/24]

Horse Racing Industry

Michael Fitzmaurice

170. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will make the terms and conditions of published for the Equine Technical Support Scheme operated by his Department for 2023 available; if he can confirm the recipients of the funding, the initiative supported and the amount grant awarded and eventually paid to each recipient, in tabular form; if he is satisfied that each recipient of the funding met the stated eligibility criteria; to highlight any deviation from the stated criteria and reasons for such deviation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11087/24]

Horse Racing Industry

Michael Fitzmaurice

171. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number and grades of each person within his Department responsible for sport horse policy; the qualifications of those persons; the number of those persons with a direct involvement in the sport horse sector, such as competing horses in sports competitions by them or direct family members; if there any conflicts of interest or perceived conflicts between current sport horse policy staff; the measures taken by his Department to ensure no conflicts or perceived conflicts arise; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11088/24]

Horse Racing Industry

Michael Fitzmaurice

172. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he receives regular updates from Horse Sport Ireland on the current passporting difficulties experienced by equine breeders; the current numbers waiting for 2023 passports to be issued by each equine studbook, by breed, reason for delay, duration of delay in tabular form; if the migration to SNP DNA testing could have been managed better by either his Department or studbooks supported by his Department; the impact of such migration on passport issuing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11089/24]

Horse Racing Industry

Michael Fitzmaurice

173. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the amount of funding provided by either Horse Sport Ireland and Sport Ireland to equestrian related bodies in 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023; under what programmes and for what purposes in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11090/24]

Horse Racing Industry

Michael Fitzmaurice

174. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the amount of funding provided by Horse Sport Ireland to equestrian related bodies in 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023; under what programmes and for what purposes in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11091/24]

Departmental Staff

Alan Kelly

175. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to list all staff/management exit packages for staff/management in their Departments that they sanctioned since 2016 (details supplied). [11153/24]

Departmental Data

Brendan Griffin

176. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will provide a county-by-county breakdown of the number of herd numbers with declared natura lands; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11174/24]

Harbours and Piers

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

177. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question No. 278 of 1 June 2023, and 381 and 382 of 27 February 2024, if he will provide the latest update for development plans at Dunmore East; if a significant capital development project for Dunmore East will be announced in the near future; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11204/24]

Just Transition

Darren O'Rourke

507. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question No. 27 of 14 December 2023, to report on the work of the just transition commission, specifically in relation to the recommendation of the National Economic and Social Council; if a decision has been made regarding the establishment of an implementation group for climate transition in agriculture; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9977/24]

Export Controls

Jackie Cahill

508. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine how small abattoirs may apply for an export certification; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9985/24]