Paul Lawless

Aontú · Mayo

Activity on Agriculture — 139 events (21 lobbying · 118 questions · 0 votes) full profile →

• 2026-04-14
  PQ
  Asked Agriculture

  Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will list the countries from which Ireland imports farm fertiliser. [25298/26]
• 2026-04-14
  PQ
  Asked Agriculture

  Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his Department holds any data or analysis on the quantity in weight or monetary value of farm fertiliser purchased by Irish farmers each year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25299/26]
• 2026-04-14
  PQ
  Asked Agriculture

  Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his Department has undertaken any cost-analysis of the amount it would cost the Exchequer if his Department were to subsidise the cost of farm fertiliser to the extent necessary to bring it back in line with the average price from 2025; if so, if he will share such analysis with this Deputy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25300/26]
• 2026-03-25
  PQ
  Asked Agriculture

  Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will provide a table detailing the number of financial penalties imposed on farmers for failure to comply with schemes (details supplied); the total monetary value of the financial penalties imposed under each scheme, where that re-couped or withheld money is spent; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22638/26]
• 2026-03-24
  PQ
  Asked Agriculture

  Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the average processing time for applications under the re-establishment upon successful scheme dealing with ash die-back replanting, broken down by application size. [21470/26]
• 2026-03-24
  PQ
  Asked Agriculture

  Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the total number of hectares approved and replanted under RUS since its inception [21471/26]
• 2026-03-24
  PQ
  Asked Agriculture

  Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason applications for re-establishment on already planted land suffer the same lengthy delays as new afforestation applications; and the steps that will be taken to introduce an expedited decision-making track for diseased stands. [21472/26]
• 2026-03-24
  PQ
  Asked Agriculture

  Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the total cost of the running the Forestry Service, in each of the years 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024. [21476/26]
• 2026-03-24
  PQ
  Asked Agriculture

  Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the breakdown of the administration cost, per hectare, by licence type, afforestation, felling and forest road; and to outline the total number of hectares processed under each licence category in those years. [21477/26]
• 2026-03-24
  PQ
  Asked Agriculture

  Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the average administration cost per hectare for applications that were ultimately approved versus those that were withdrawn or refused, for each of the past three years. [21478/26]
• 2026-03-24
  PQ
  Asked Agriculture

  Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the total number of persons who have attained a green cert qualification from an agricultural college in each of the past ten years, in tabular form. [22510/26]
• 2026-03-19
  PQ
  Asked Agriculture

  Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question No. 826 of 24 February 2026, if he will provide a full list of all countries from whom beef has been imported in the past decade; and if he will clarify the part of his previous response to this Deputy which contains an “other” category in the list of countries. [19982/26]
• 2026-03-18
  PQ
  Asked Agriculture

  Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the total anticipated costs associated with his foreign travel for St. Patrick's Day; the delegation size; and if a breakdown can be provided on these costs, including on accommodation and flights. [18884/26]
• 2026-03-18
  PQ
  Asked Agriculture

  Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his Department holds statistics on the mortality rate in Europe from blue tongue among sheep, if he will furnish this Deputy with such statistics; and if he will outline the steps he is taking to protect sheep in Ireland from the disease. [19088/26]
• 2026-02-24
  PQ
  Asked Agriculture

  Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the average annual CAP payments received by farmers in each county in 2025; the breakdown of the total payments issued by his Department (including Direct Payments and Capital Payments such as TAMS) to farmers by county; and to indicate the average farmer payment (rounded to the nearest €500), in tabular form. [14011/26]
• 2026-02-24
  PQ
  Asked Agriculture

  Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the quantity, in tonnes, of beef or beef products imported into the State in each of the past ten years, by country of origin, in tabular form. [14575/26]
• 2026-02-24
  PQ
  Asked Agriculture

  Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his Department has undertaken efforts to measure the average percentage increase in the cost of fertiliser in each of the past ten years; and if he will provide this data to this Deputy, setting the base year of 2015 as the 100% figure [14901/26]
• 2026-02-24
  PQ
  Asked Agriculture

  Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of farmers leaving the sector on an annual basis over the past ten years [14902/26]
• 2026-02-24
  PQ
  Asked Agriculture

  Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when he intends to progress the Protection of the Native Irish Honey Bee Bill 2021 to the next legislative stage; if he will confirm whether his Department has concluded its internal review of the independent scientific assessment commissioned in 2023 and delivered to his Department in December 2024; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15044/26]
• 2026-02-24
  PQ
  Asked Agriculture

  Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason the independent scientific assessment on hybridisation and biosecurity threats to the native Irish honey bee, completed by a team of international experts and delivered to the Department in December 2024, has not yet been published; when this essential report will be released to the Oireachtas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15045/26]
• 2026-02-24
  PQ
  Asked Agriculture

  Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he accepts the scientific evidence showing that hybridisation in Irish honey bee populations has increased at an alarming rate, including a 300% rise in introgression over a six year period; the immediate actions his Department is taking to protect the genetic integrity of the native Apis mellifera mellifera ecotype; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15046/26]
• 2026-02-24
  PQ
  Asked Agriculture

  Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the measures being taken to prevent the importation of pests such as the Tropilaelaps mite (described by experts as potentially more destructive than Varroa) and other invasive species including the Small Hive Beetle and the Asian Hornet; if his Department will commit to mandatory physical inspection of all honey bee consignments entering the State; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15047/26]
• 2026-02-24
  PQ
  Asked Agriculture

  Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the supports his Department currently provides to Irish beekeeping organisations, namely NIHBS, FIBKA, IBA, UBKA, INIB, and the Irish Bee Foundation; whether his Department intends to strengthen these supports; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15048/26]
• 2026-02-10
  PQ
  Asked Taoiseach

  Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee that oversees agriculture will next meet. [5989/26]
• 2026-02-04
  PQ
  Asked Agriculture

  Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if there are plans to amend S.I. No. 307/2006 to extend mandatory country-of-origin labelling to poultry, pork and lamb in the hospitality and catering sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7351/26]
• 2026-02-04
  PQ
  Asked Agriculture

  Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to detail the steps his Department is taking to ensure that processed meat products, such as chicken Kievs or pre-prepared meals, cannot use ‘Product of Ireland’ branding if the primary meat ingredient was hatched, reared or slaughtered in a non-EU country; and if he will address the impact of ‘substantial transformation’ rules on consumer clarity. [7352/26]
• 2026-02-04
  PQ
  Asked Agriculture

  Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine If he will review the governance structure of Bord Bia to include a statutory ‘conflict of interest’ clause that prohibits any board member from having a commercial interest in the importation of meat products from third countries that do not meet Irish production standards; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7353/26]
• 2026-01-29
  PQ
  Asked Agriculture

  Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the emergency supports his Department will provide to the Irish fishing and seafood sector in view of the drastic reductions to the 2026 total allowable catches, including the proposed seventy percent cut to the mackerel quota and reductions in other key species, which industry leaders have described as catastrophic for coastal communities; if he will confirm whether Ireland will renew its request for the application of Hague preferences given the disproportionate burden placed on Irish operators; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6649/26]
• 2026-01-29
  PQ
  Asked Agriculture

  Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the actions his Department is taking at European Union level to challenge the overfishing of shared migratory stocks such as mackerel by certain non-European Union coastal states, which scientific advice identifies as a major factor in current stock pressures; if he will report on any progress in securing a more equitable quota-sharing arrangement following the December Agriculture and Fisheries Council, where Ireland experienced severe reductions and the invocation of Hague preferences was blocked by other Member States; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6650/26]
• 2026-01-21
  LOBBY
  Horse Racing Ireland Agriculture

  • Invitation to HRI awards
• 2026-01-21
  LOBBY
  Macra na Feirme Agriculture

  • Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agricultural - Common Agricultural Policy presentation
• 2026-01-21
  LOBBY
  The Irish Farmers' Association - IFA Finance

  • Aquaculture
• 2026-01-21
  LOBBY
  Kepak Group Agriculture

  • Young Sheep Farmer Forum
• 2026-01-21
  LOBBY
  Horse Sport Ireland Agriculture

  • Seeking engagement from members of the Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture and Food in relation to Horse Sport Ireland's strategic plan consultation.
• 2026-01-21
  PQ
  Asked Climate

  Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment the total SEAI budget allocated for non-domestic renewable energy supports in each of the past three years; the proportion of that budget that remained unspent; how he reconciles this underspend with the fact that the Department of Agriculture; Food and the Marine is rejecting approximately 75% of farmers applying for solar PV support due to budget constraints; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4656/26]
• 2026-01-21
  PQ
  Asked Public Expenditure

  Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation whether his Department has received any request from the Department of Agriculture; Food and the Marine to increase the allocation in response to oversubscription for TAMS 3 solar PV; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4659/26]
• 2026-01-21
  PQ
  Asked Agriculture

  Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the formal coordination mechanisms that exist between his Department, SEAI, and the Department of Climate, Energy and the Environment to ensure renewable-energy funding is deployed efficiently across sectors; whether any assessment has been carried out on the potential benefits of reallocating or pooling funding to meet the exceptionally high demand from farmers for solar PV; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4657/26]
• 2026-01-21
  PQ
  Asked Agriculture

  Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his Department has assessed the emissions-reduction potential lost due to the rejection of the majority of TAMS 3 solar PV applications; whether he has requested that the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine to increase its approval rate in light of Ireland’s projected shortfall in meeting 2030 climate targets; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4658/26]
• 2026-01-21
  PQ
  Asked Agriculture

  Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine whether his Department has conducted any value-for-money analysis comparing the cost of increasing solar PV approvals under TAMS 3, with the potential cost of EU non-compliance fines for missed climate targets; and if not, whether such an analysis will now be undertaken; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4660/26]
• 2026-01-21
  PQ
  Asked Agriculture

  Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he is satisfied that current Government policy is coherent in circumstances where SEAI struggles to allocate its renewable-energy budget while his Department rejects the majority of farmers seeking to install solar PV; and whether he will direct the relevant Ministers to develop a unified national strategy for on-farm renewable energy deployment [4661/26]
• 2026-01-21
  PQ
  Asked Agriculture

  Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the rationale for limiting approvals for TAMS 3 solar PV applications to approximately 25% of eligible applicants in tranche 9; the specific budgetary, administrative, or policy constraints that determined this cap; the evidence base used to justify rejecting the majority of farmers who sought to invest in renewable energy despite Government commitments to increase on-farm renewable generation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4650/26]
• 2026-01-21
  PQ
  Asked Agriculture

  Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the total number of solar PV applications received, deemed eligible, and approved under each TAMS 3 tranche to date; the total funding allocated for solar PV under TAMS 3; the total funding actually drawn down; and whether his Department has assessed the cost-effectiveness of increasing the approval rate given the high level of unmet farmer demand; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4651/26]
• 2026-01-21
  PQ
  Asked Agriculture

  Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his Department has conducted any assessment of the climate-mitigation impact of rejecting approximately 75% of farmers applying for solar PV support; if not, to explain how the current approval policy aligns with Ireland’s legally binding 2030 emissions-reduction targets and the risk of EU non-compliance penalties; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4652/26]
• 2026-01-21
  PQ
  Asked Agriculture

  Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the justification for using nitrates derogation status as a negative scoring criterion for solar PV applications under TAMS 3; whether the Department has assessed the impact of this criterion on dairy farmers who have significantly higher electricity demand and therefore greater renewable-energy potential; whether the Department will review this scoring system to ensure it aligns with the objective of maximising emissions reductions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4653/26]
• 2026-01-21
  PQ
  Asked Agriculture

  Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will provide a breakdown of solar PV approvals, by farm enterprise type, dairy, beef, tillage, mixed and so on; whether the Department has evaluated whether the current scoring system disproportionately disadvantages full-time dairy farmers relative to lower-energy-use enterprises; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4654/26]
• 2026-01-21
  PQ
  Asked Agriculture

  Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the average processing time for solar PV applications under TAMS 3; the number of applications currently pending; and the steps being taken to reduce delays given the time-sensitive nature of renewable-energy investments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4655/26]
• 2026-01-21
  PQ
  Asked Agriculture

  Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the basis on which funding ceilings for TAMS 3 solar PV were set; whether he will consider revising the allocation given the strong climate-mitigation case for expanding solar PV uptake on farms; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5476/26]
• 2026-01-20
  LOBBY
  The Irish Farmers' Association - IFA 6 returns AgricultureFinanceEU Affairs

  • National Ploughing Championships 2025
  • Finance Bill 2025
  • Mercosur - Use of Antibiotics & Hormones in Beef Production
  • Energy From Farms
  • Challenges facing the Tillage Sector
  • IFA Budget 2026 Briefing
• 2026-01-20
  LOBBY
  Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers Association 2 returns Agriculture

  • Development of the next EU Common Agricultural Policy; farm income stability; demographic sustainability of farming; environmental scheme design.
  • Genetically modified (GM) grain policy: ICSA highlighted concerns regarding potential impacts of GM grain cultivation on coexistence, traceability, and cross-pollination risks. The organisation also noted the value of Ireland’s GM-free status in supporting farm incomes and meeting consumer and market preferences, and called for a precautionary, science-based approach to any future policy changes.
• 2026-01-19
  LOBBY
  Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers Association 3 returns Agriculture

  • ICSA Life Focus initiative to support farmer wellbeing and mental health
  • Support for women in Irish farming and farm succession.
  • Opposition to Mercosur trade deal and ineffective EU safeguards for farmers.
• 2026-01-17
  LOBBY
  The Irish Farmers' Association - IFA 6 returns FinanceTaxation

  • IFA Budget 2026 Submission - Farm Schemes - Targeted Agricultural Modernisation Scheme (TAMS)
  • Measures to Support Farm Enterprises - Suckler Cow and Beef
  • Measures to Support Farm Enterprises - Sheep
  • IFA Budget 2026 Submission - Cross Sector Support - Farm Finance
  • Agri Taxation - Stamp Duty on Agricultural Land
  • VAT and Taxation on Farm Inputs
• 2026-01-16
  LOBBY
  The Irish Farmers' Association - IFA 2 returns Energy and Natural ResourcesFinance

  • Support Scheme for Renewable Heat (SSRH) - Energy From Farms
  • Measures to Support Farm Enterprises - Animal Health Ireland
• 2026-01-13
  PQ
  Asked Agriculture

  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]
• 2025-12-16
  PQ
  Asked Agriculture

  Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his Department holds, or has sought from an organisation (details supplied) or any market-monitoring source, data on the price differential paid for four and five star rams that meet Sheep Improvement Scheme eligibility criteria compared with two and three star rams in the years 2023, 2024 and 2025; and if so, to provide those average price differentials for pedigree sales and commercial market sales; and if not, to confirm whether claims of increased breeder profitability arising from four and five star-rated rams are being made in the absence of verifiable market evidence; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [71875/25]
• 2025-12-16
  PQ
  Asked Agriculture

  Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he has assessed whether the standard service contract and terms and conditions used by an organisation which assign all intellectual-property and data rights to the organisation, allows the restriction on breeders’ access to performance data and genetic-evaluation results for their own animals, allow unilateral termination of evaluation services, and lack an effective opt-out or purpose-limitation clause for data-originators, comply with regulations (details supplied); if he considers the current contracts incompatible; the amendments or regulatory measures which will be required to secure breeders’ access to evaluation results and preserve their data rights; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [71876/25]
• 2025-12-16
  PQ
  Asked Agriculture

  Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Question No. 714 of 25 November 2025, if his Department has examined an organisations genomic services terms and conditions (October 2025) specifically Clauses 6.1 to 6.4 (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [71877/25]
• 2025-12-16
  PQ
  Asked Agriculture

  Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if any breeder or breed society wishing to operate their own recognised breeding programme in accordance with Regulation (EU) 2016/1012 is required, in practice, to enrol in an organisations - national breeding programme (details supplied) and to comply with contractual terms and operational rules set by the organisation which are not contained in, nor approved as part of the stated rules of procedure and breeding programme of that breeder or breed society; and if so, whether this requirement is compatible with the autonomy of breeders and breed societies guaranteed under Article 13/14 of the regulation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [71878/25]
• 2025-12-16
  PQ
  Asked Agriculture

  Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if the designated third parties operating performance recording and genetic evaluation in Ireland for organisations (details supplied) provide breeders and breed societies with the ability, as required under Article 14 of Regulation (EU) 2016/1012 and Recitals (1), (2) and (10), to autonomously define the objectives and structure of their breeding programmes; if the current reliance on a single centrally-designed terminal index and replacement index, with fixed trait weightings applied uniformly across all breeds, restricts the ability of individual breeds to pursue diverse breeding goals and safeguard hereditary characteristics essential for the preservation of breed identity and genetic diversity; particularly where CAP-funded schemes financially reward the use of animals ranked on these national Herdplus/Lambplus indices, thereby influencing breeding and market decisions toward uniform trait priorities; and, if so, the mechanisms which exist to support breed-specific customisation of breeding objectives and trait emphasis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [71879/25]
• 2025-12-16
  PQ
  Asked Agriculture

  Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he considers that, prior to approving or designating a third party under Article 27 of Regulation (EU) 2016/1012 to operate performance recording and genetic evaluation services on behalf of breeders, there should be a clear demonstration that such a body can provide the full range of services necessary to ensure breeders and breed societies retain genuine freedom of choice and autonomy over the objectives, structure and operation of their breeding programmes, as protected under article 14 of that regulation; and whether he is satisfied that the currently designated bodies provide sufficient options to respect this autonomy in practice, including where breeders seek alternative trait priorities or breed-specific selection strategies outside the national centrally-designed indices; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [71880/25]
• 2025-12-16
  PQ
  Asked Agriculture

  Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he is satisfied that, in circumstances where breed societies in Ireland effectively have only a single designated third-party provider of performance recording and genetic-evaluation services, those societies many with limited legal and financial resources are not placed at a disadvantage that could compel them to accept contractual terms or data-use conditions that may not be in the best interests of their breeders, their breed, or their breeding-programme objectives; the steps he will take to ensure that such contractual arrangements remain fair, proportionate, and fully aligned with the rights set out in regulation (EU) 2016/1012; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [71881/25]
• 2025-12-16
  PQ
  Asked Agriculture

  Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if the Livestock Breeding, Production and Trade Division (LBPTD) of his Department is the designated section responsible for the oversight and approval functions set out in regulation (EU) 2016/1012, including the approval and ongoing monitoring of breeding bodies and breeding programmes in accordance with articles four, eight and 12 of the regulation; the approval, designation and supervision of third parties carrying out performance recording, genetic evaluations or breeding-related activities under Article 27; ensuring compliance with the autonomy and non-discrimination requirements contained in article 14; if not, which section of his Department is responsible for these statutory functions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [71882/25]
• 2025-12-16
  PQ
  Asked Agriculture

  Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the way in which officials from his Department who are appointed to governance roles within designated third-party breeding organisations such as organisations (details supplied) are able to fulfil their fiduciary duties of independence, impartiality, loyalty to the State, accountability, due care and transparency; the way these officials can remain fully compliant with Article 41(b) of Regulation (EU) 2016/1012, which requires that officials performing official controls must be free from conflicts of interest, particularly where they may exercise both regulatory oversight and governance authority over the same organisations; if he will provide details of the structural safeguards, recusal mechanisms, audit trails and reassignment procedures in place to ensure that conflicts of interest cannot arise in the first instance, rather than relying solely on self-declarations after such conflicts have materialised; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [71883/25]
• 2025-12-16
  PQ
  Asked Agriculture

  Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if organisations (details supplied) are legally structured as non-State, independent entities that is, as a co-operative, company limited by guarantee or similar, rather than as public bodies or State-controlled organisations; whether this legal status is the reason that under the domestic transposition of Regulation (EU) 2016/1012 he has stated that responsibility for ensuring compliance with the regulation’s requirements rests with individual breed societies or breeding operations rather than his Department or State; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [71884/25]
• 2025-11-25
  PQ
  Asked Agriculture

  Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the scientific basis for statements in the CAP Strategic Plan 2023–2027 (details supplied); and if these claims were based on his Department’s funded research or internal analyses by organisations given low scrapie prevalence and limited demonstrated performance differences. [65506/25]
• 2025-11-25
  PQ
  Asked Agriculture

  Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his Department's process for updating SIS policy where scientific evidence, including evidence derived from datasets (details supplied) or his Department's funded research, has been contradicted or superseded; and the way in which independence is ensured. [65507/25]
• 2025-11-25
  PQ
  Asked Agriculture

  Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine whether the minimum requirements or participation conditions set an organisation (details supplied) for genomic services or involvement in its breeding-related activities comply with breeders' rights under Articles 13 and 14 of Regulation (EU) 2016/1012, including the breeder's right to participate in and contribute to the breeding programme of their breeding society; and whether such conditions undermine the breeding society's autonomous control over its own breeding programme as provided for under Article 27, by imposing external requirements that restrict the society's ability to determine its own programme design, membership criteria or data-governance rules. [65508/25]
• 2025-11-25
  PQ
  Asked Agriculture

  Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine whether the secondary use or linkage of farmers' genomic, performance and flockbook/pedigree data (details supplied) has been assessed for compliance with EU agricultural data-governance guidance, including the EU Code of Conduct on Agricultural Data Sharing and DG AGRI principles on purpose limitation and originator control; and whether a data protection impact assessment was undertaken to support this assessment. [65509/25]
• 2025-11-25
  PQ
  Asked Agriculture

  Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his Department has assessed whether linking eligibility for SIS or other supports to the use of a single operator (details supplied) restricts competition or limits breeder rights under Articles 13 and 14. [65510/25]
• 2025-11-25
  PQ
  Asked Agriculture

  Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason no records exist regarding the inclusion of the genotyped ram task in the sheep improvement scheme, despite its central role in the CAP Strategic Plan; and whether this indicates a failure in documentation or oversight. [65511/25]
• 2025-11-25
  PQ
  Asked Agriculture

  Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the recourse available to breeders who have been excluded from services (details supplied); and the way in which such exclusions are monitored to ensure compliance with Articles 13, 14, and 41 of Regulation (EU) 2016/1012. [65512/25]
• 2025-11-25
  PQ
  Asked Agriculture

  Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to provide any formal documentation or statutory basis for the designation of an organisation (details supplied) as a national breeding programme operator; and to clarify the scope and legal authority of this designation. [65513/25]
• 2025-11-25
  PQ
  Asked Agriculture

  Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to provide, in respect of each Department official who currently serves or has served as secretary, director or governance officer of organisations (details supplied) under Regulation (EU) 2016/1012; their Department grade, job title, division or section, remit relating to breeding programme approvals, official controls and policy; the date each official took up the governance role; whether they continue to hold it; and whether they had any role or advisory involvement in the design of CAP schemes including BEEP, SCEP or SIS where these schemes interact with systems. [65522/25]
• 2025-11-25
  PQ
  Asked Agriculture

  Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the way in which his Department complies with Article 41(b) of Regulation (EU) 2016/1012, which requires that officials performing official controls remain free from conflicts of interest, where Department staff hold governance roles in organisations (details supplied). [65523/25]
• 2025-11-25
  PQ
  Asked Agriculture

  Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the way in which his Department fulfils Article 41 as the competent authority, including impartiality procedures, conflict-of-interest safeguards, staffing, documentation, legal authority, access to operator data, and audit systems. [65524/25]
• 2025-11-25
  PQ
  Asked Agriculture

  Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his Department carries out independent conflict-of-interest risk assessments, separate from SLA declarations, as required by Article 8(4)(b), before approving organisations (details supplied) as third-party operators; and to provide copies of such assessments since 2021. [65525/25]
• 2025-11-25
  PQ
  Asked Agriculture

  Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason his Department relies solely on SLA declarations of no conflict between a breed society and a third party, when Article 8(4)(b) requires the competent authority to assess potential conflicts between the third party (details supplied) and the economic activities of breeders themselves. [65526/25]
• 2025-11-25
  PQ
  Asked Agriculture

  Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the monitoring, audit or review procedures have been conducted since 2021 to ensure organisations (details supplied) remain compliant with Article 8(4)(b). [65527/25]
• 2025-11-25
  PQ
  Asked Agriculture

  Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the way in which his Department ensures that linking eligibility or participation in CAP schemes such as SCEP or SIS to the use of systems (details supplied) does not create conflicts of interest or market distortions; and to provide any assessments conducted under Article 8(4)(b) to evaluate the impact on breeders' economic activities. [65528/25]
• 2025-11-25
  PQ
  Asked Agriculture

  Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine whether removal of genetic indexes by organisations (details supplied) falls under Article 41 official controls; and the recourse breeders have where such removals affect rights under Articles 13 and 14. [65529/25]
• 2025-11-25
  PQ
  Asked Agriculture

  Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his Department monitors or records cases where organisations (details supplied) remove genetic indexes; to list all such cases since 2021; and to confirm whether Department-appointed board members have been contacted about such removals. [65530/25]
• 2025-11-25
  PQ
  Asked Agriculture

  Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to list the peer-reviewed scientific papers relied upon when designing and justifying the sheep improvement scheme genotyped ram action, particularly where the supporting evidence was derived from organisations (details supplied); if his Department assessed the limitations and risk of bias inherent in such internal analyses where independent studies with greater ecological validity that is, real-farm outcomes rather than controlled or index-derived models have shown no consistent or meaningful differences between 1-star and 5-star rams for traits; the reason the national scrapie monitoring scrapie surveillance unit within his Department the competent section with statutory responsibility for scrapie surveillance and risk evaluation did not lead the design, justification or scientific assessment of this task, and why an organisation, rather than the relevant Departmental epidemiological authority, acted as the primary technical source. [65531/25]
• 2025-11-20
  PQ
  Asked Agriculture

  Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he is aware of prime agricultural land being sold for forestry to foreign investment firms, such as a company (details supplied) in coalition with Coillte. [64716/25]
• 2025-11-13
  PQ
  Asked Agriculture

  Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of vacant and derelict buildings in County Mayo owned by his Department that are vacant or rented, by the region/towns location of the buildings, in tabular form. [62664/25]
• 2025-11-04
  PQ
  Asked Agriculture

  Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to confirm whether his Department has conducted an independent risk analysis prior to designating an organisation (details supplied) as third-party breeding programme providers under Article 8.4(b) of EU Regulation 2016/1012; and, if so, to provide a copy of that analysis. [57895/25]
• 2025-11-04
  PQ
  Asked Agriculture

  Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if any senior officials within his Department currently hold or have held directorships or governance roles within an organisation (details supplied); and to clarify how this aligns with the Ethics in Public Office Acts 1995 and 2001 and the Department's obligations under EU Regulation 2016/1012. [57896/25]
• 2025-11-04
  PQ
  Asked Agriculture

  Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine whether his Department treats EU Regulation 2016/1012 and S.I. 227/2021 as binding legislation; and the means by which his Department ensures full compliance with the regulatory safeguards outlined in Article 8.4(b) regarding conflicts of interest. [57897/25]
• 2025-11-04
  PQ
  Asked Agriculture

  Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to provide the peer-reviewed scientific evidence used to justify the inclusion of an organisation (details supplied) in the sheep improvement scheme under the CAP Strategic Plan 2023-2027; and whether any of this evidence has since been amended, retracted, or contradicted by subsequent findings. [57898/25]
• 2025-11-04
  PQ
  Asked Agriculture

  Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine whether his Department has reviewed the terms and conditions of an organisation (details supplied) for compliance with EU Regulation 2016/1012, the Competition Act 2002 (as amended), and the General Data Protection Regulation; and the enforcement or oversight mechanisms that are in place. [57899/25]
• 2025-11-04
  PQ
  Asked Agriculture

  Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine whether his Department has received complaints from breeders regarding the removal or alteration of genetic indexes by an organisation (details supplied); and to clarify the recourse available to breeders who believe their animals have been unfairly devalued. [57900/25]
• 2025-11-04
  PQ
  Asked Agriculture

  Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to confirm whether Teagasc staff involved in the governance of an organisation (details supplied) are required to declare personal or familial interests in accordance with the Teagasc code of conduct; and the disciplinary or oversight procedures that are in place where breaches occur. [57901/25]
• 2025-11-04
  PQ
  Asked Agriculture

  Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine whether any Teagasc researchers involved with decision-making within an organisation (details supplied) have been found to have misrepresented or selectively presented research findings in peer-reviewed journals or public conferences; and the steps that have been taken to address this. [57902/25]
• 2025-11-04
  PQ
  Asked Agriculture

  Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the governance structures that are in place to ensure that the designation of third-party breeding programme providers under EU Regulation 2016/1012 is free from conflicts of interest; and whether his Department intends to review or revise these structures in light of recent concerns raised by breeders. [57903/25]
• 2025-10-15
  PQ
  Asked Agriculture

  Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the plans to introduce grant aid support under the targeted agricultural modernisation scheme for the replacement of farm building roofs, as announced earlier in 2025, will be open for applications; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55626/25]
• 2025-10-14
  PQ
  Asked Agriculture

  Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the steps he is taking to support struggling farmers in the tillage sector. [55103/25]
• 2025-10-14
  PQ
  Asked Agriculture

  Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine for an update on the bovine tuberculosis programme. [55104/25]
• 2025-09-21
  LOBBY
  Beefplan Movement Agriculture

  • Matters of significance to Irish Cattle & Beef farmers
• 2025-09-19
  LOBBY
  The Irish Farmers' Association - IFA Agriculture

  • GAEC-2 Appeals
• 2025-09-19
  LOBBY
  Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers Association Agriculture

  • Meeting of Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture and Food on dog worrying.
• 2025-09-19
  LOBBY
  Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers Association Agriculture

  • Dog Control
• 2025-09-19
  LOBBY
  Horse Racing Ireland Agriculture

  • Invitation to attend local racecourse
• 2025-09-19
  LOBBY
  The Irish Natura and Hill Farmers Association Agriculture

  • INHFA Vice President JohnJoe Fitzgerald and Chair Pheilim Molloy attended a meeting with Joint Committee on Agriculture and Food to discuss dog control
• 2025-09-18
  LOBBY
  The Irish Farmers' Association - IFA Agriculture

  • Dog Control & Sheep Worrying
• 2025-09-17
  PQ
  Asked Agriculture

  Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will consider reopening applications for the forgotten farmer scheme, in view of the many cases where a forgotten farmer who meets the criteria was unaware of the application process until after the summer 2025 deadline had passed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48535/25]
• 2025-09-15
  LOBBY
  The Irish Farmers' Association - IFA Agriculture

  • Farmer Mental Health & Wellbeing
• 2025-07-29
  PQ
  Asked Agriculture

  Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the current procedure by which afforestation licence applications are referred to the ecology unit; and the average processing times to first response and final decision. [41348/25]
• 2025-07-29
  PQ
  Asked Agriculture

  Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the mechanisms that exist to ensure active communication between ecology unit staff, the forest service inspectorate, the forester who submitted the application and the landowner throughout the field assessment process. [41349/25]
• 2025-07-29
  PQ
  Asked Agriculture

  Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the details of any Service Level Agreement, SLA, or target for maximum review time within the ecology unit; and the proportion of applications exceeding this SLA in each of the past three years. [41350/25]
• 2025-07-29
  PQ
  Asked Agriculture

  Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if consideration is being given to changes that would allow foresters or landowners to participate with consent in site visits or interim discussions so that unsuitable areas can be flagged early, avoiding wasted time and resources. [41351/25]
• 2025-07-29
  PQ
  Asked Agriculture

  Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the total cost of the running the forest service in each of the years 2020 to 2024, in tabular form. [41352/25]
• 2025-07-29
  PQ
  Asked Agriculture

  Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will provide a breakdown of the administration costs per hectare, by licence type for afforestation, felling, and forest road; the total hectares processed under each licence category; and the average administration cost per hectare for applications that were ultimately approved versus those that were withdrawn or refused, for each of the past three years, in tabular form. [41353/25]
• 2025-07-29
  PQ
  Asked Agriculture

  Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the average processing time for applications under the re-establishment upon successful reconstitution scheme dealing with ash die-back replanting, broken down by application size. [41354/25]
• 2025-07-29
  PQ
  Asked Agriculture

  Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the total number of hectares approved and replanted under the re-establishment upon successful reconstitution scheme since its inception. [41355/25]
• 2025-07-29
  PQ
  Asked Agriculture

  Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason applications for re-establishment on already planted land suffer the same lengthy delays as new afforestation applications; and the steps that will be taken to introduce an expedited decision making track for diseased stands. [41356/25]
• 2025-07-29
  PQ
  Asked Agriculture

  Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the total number of hectares of forestry approved for planting by individual farmers, commercial companies and pension/investment funds; the county-level locations of those plantings; and the percentage share of each category in the overall area planted, for each year from 2014 to 2024, in tabular form. [41838/25]
• 2025-07-29
  PQ
  Asked Agriculture

  Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of applications for forestry planting licences received and approved from, farmers and commercial entities that is, companies, funds and pension schemes, in tabular form. [41839/25]
• 2025-07-29
  PQ
  Asked Agriculture

  Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the comparative breakdown of financial returns per hectare from forestry for individual farmers and commercial entities that is, companies, investment funds and pension schemes, by total grant payments, annual premium receipts and the revenues from timber sales, both before and after tax, based on a standard 30-year rotation plan, for each category, in tabular form. [41840/25]
• 2025-07-29
  PQ
  Asked Agriculture

  Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the stamp duty rates applied to commercial purchasers of forestry land including timber value and farmers acquiring the same land, in tabular form. [41841/25]
• 2025-07-29
  PQ
  Asked Agriculture

  Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the breakdown or map showing all lands acquired by the Irish Strategic Forestry Fund to date, with hectare totals and purchase prices, in tabular form. [41842/25]
• 2025-07-29
  PQ
  Asked Agriculture

  Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the details of the Coillte-Gresham House Irish Strategic Forestry Fund arrangement; the total value of State-backed funding committed; the number of hectares of land acquired; and the locations of those land parcels, in tabular form. [41843/25]
• 2025-07-29
  PQ
  Asked Agriculture

  Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the steps his Department is taking to ensure that State forestry incentives do not disproportionately advantage large investment funds over young or family farmers, in tabular form. [41844/25]
• 2025-07-03
  PQ
  Asked Agriculture

  Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the steps he is taking to support intergenerational farm transfer through the next CAP policy cycle; whether he is considering a dedicated farm succession scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36658/25]
• 2025-07-03
  PQ
  Asked Agriculture

  Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he is satisfied the current badger management programme is sufficient in light of the reported explosion in badger numbers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36659/25]
• 2025-05-20
  PQ
  Asked Agriculture

  Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will report on the proposals made at the emergency TB stakeholder forum and address the comments surrounding restriction and blacklisting of herds; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25734/25]
• 2025-05-20
  PQ
  Asked Agriculture

  Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will commission thorough independent research on the efficacy of the TB eradication programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25735/25]
• 2025-05-20
  PQ
  Asked Agriculture

  Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if the Department has sufficient resources in place to address the significant increase in bovine TB cases since 2015; if the Minister will provide reassurance to farmers who are increasingly concerned on the ground; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25457/25]
• 2025-05-20
  PQ
  Asked Agriculture

  Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to outline the staff resources allocated to the bovine TB programme for each year from 2015 to 2024, under the headings of veterinary inspectors, technical agricultural officers (specifying roles such as wildlife or other), farm relief service operatives involved in the wildlife programme and administrative staff in the Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25458/25]
• 2025-05-20
  PQ
  Asked Agriculture

  Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to provide the cost to the Department of vaccinating each badger under the wildlife programme in 2024; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25459/25]
• 2025-05-20
  PQ
  Asked Agriculture

  Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine whether his Department has reviewed or is currently reviewing its bovine TB strategy in light of the rising incidence rates since 2015; and if the Minister will outline any proposed changes or enhancements to the current approach. [25460/25]
• 2025-05-20
  PQ
  Asked Agriculture

  Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will address the concerns of forest owners who have had trees prematurely felled due to weather or other external circumstances and now face losing their annual forestry premiums as a result; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25461/25]
• 2025-05-20
  PQ
  Asked Agriculture

  Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine whether his Department is reviewing the policy around the loss of annual forestry grants in cases where forests are prematurely knocked down through no fault of the landowner; and if supports or exceptions will be introduced in such cases. [25462/25]
• 2025-05-20
  PQ
  Asked Agriculture

  Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine whether his Department has assessed the economic impact on forest owners whose felled timber has been lying for extended periods and has now significantly depreciated in value; and if there are any supports planned to mitigate the financial loss associated with the downgrading of timber to Class B. [25463/25]
• 2025-05-20
  PQ
  Asked Agriculture

  Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the measures being taken to support forest owners who are unable to achieve fair market value for their timber due to premature felling and delays in collection or sale; and if he will outline any plans to provide compensation or grants in such cases. [25464/25]
• 2025-05-20
  PQ
  Asked Agriculture

  Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine how the €5 million from budget 2025 is being allocated to the Forgotten Farmers; the timeline for this; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25465/25]
• 2025-05-18
  LOBBY
  The Irish Farmers' Association - IFA 7 returns AgricultureEU Affairs

  • GAEC-2 - IFA Spring Lobbying 2025
  • Nitrates Derogation - IFA Spring Lobbying 2025
  • Bovine TB - Spring Lobbying 2025
  • Mercosur
  • Agri-Climate Rural Environment Scheme (ACRES) Payments
  • Good Agricultural & Environmental Condition (GAEC) 2
  • Support for Farm Families After Storm Eowyn
• 2025-05-17
  LOBBY
  The Irish Farmers' Association - IFA Agriculture

  • Bovine TB
• 2025-05-15
  LOBBY
  The Irish Farmers' Association - IFA Agriculture

  • ACRES - Spring Lobbying 2025
• 2025-05-14
  PQ
  Asked Agriculture

  Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when a person (details supplied) will receive a decision on their application for a farm partnership. [24667/25]
• 2025-04-02
  PQ
  Asked Agriculture

  Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to address the long waiting time farmers face to obtain felling licences which are taking months and even years to process despite many farmers and foresters having these trees on the ground, losing the ability to salvage timber; and if the farmers and foresters will be compensated for the lost trees. [7893/25]
• 2025-03-25
  PQ
  Asked Agriculture

  Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to address the long waiting time farmers face to obtain felling licences, which are taking months and even years to process despite many farmers and foresters having these trees on the ground, losing the ability to salvage timber; and if the farmers and foresters will be compensated for the lost trees. [7893/25]