DAFM will ‘endeavour' to provide adequate notice of farm inspections
Fianna Fáil TD, Michael Cahill, has called for the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Martin Heydon to ensure farm inspections are scheduled with at least two weeks' notice.
In a parliamentary question this week, Deputy Cahill also asked the minister to ensure that inspections do not take place during the lambing period.
The TD suggested conducting inspections during shearing from mid-June to mid-July, or ramming from mid-September to early November, to minimise disruption for farmers.
In response, Minister Heydon highlighted that on-farm inspections are a requirement of EU regulations.
According to the minister, the inspection approach and reporting system used is standardised across all areas of the country, to ensure consistency and fair treatment of all farmers.
Minister Heydon said: 'In relation to providing notice for on-farm inspections, as agreed in the Farmers' Charter of Rights with the farm bodies, all inspections will, in the main, be announced.
'However, where giving such notice interferes with the purpose or effectiveness of the control, no notice is given. The level of notice given is generally two days.'
'In duly justified cases, additional notice may be given but limited to the minimum necessary. This may particularly be the case for inspections involving hill sheep flocks,' Minister Heydon explained.
Farm inspections
According to Minister Heydon, the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) takes account of the circumstances and follows agreed protocols with the farming bodies in relation to penning at lambing time.
'I can assure the deputy that in relation to carrying out inspections in hill sheep areas, my department will endeavour to take account of the timing of inspections relative to when sheep move to and from the hills,' Minister Heydon said.
He also said that DAFM will 'endeavour' to provide adequate notice and tolerances to take account of the unique circumstances in the hill areas, while at the same time endeavouring to complete the necessary inspections to ensure that farmers receive their payments on time.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Agriland
11 hours ago
- Agriland
Heydon to meet EU commissioner for agriculture in Japan
Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Martin Heydon is set to meet with European Commissioner for Agriculture and Food, Christophe Hansen in Japan this week. The meeting comes as Minister Heydon is currently leading a major agri-food government trade mission to the Republic of Korea and Japan. The trade mission, in collaboration with Bord Bia, and Enterprise Ireland, runs until Saturday (June 14) and will include political meetings, as well as market development engagement at a series of trade events with commercial representatives. The minister will be present for the Seoul Food, Korea's largest international exhibition for the food, drink, hotel, and food service industry. He will also attend Expo 2025 in Osaka, Japan which is expected to attract more than 28 million visitors, with participation by 160 countries. Japan Commissioner Hansen is visiting Japan in a bid 'to strengthen agricultural ties' and showcase the EU agri-food sector at the Osaka World Expo. The visit comes as Japan remains the EU's fifth-largest market for agri-food exports, worth €8.3 billion in 2024. The trading relationship has been underpinned by the EU-Japan Economic Partnership Agreement which is in force since 2019. In Tokyo, Commissioner Hansen will deliver a keynote speech at the EU-Japan Business Forum and will meet with members of Japan's House of Representatives. He will hold a series of meetings, including with Yoichi Watanabe, Vice-Minister for International Affairs; Shinjiro Koizumi, Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries; and Hirofumi Takinami, State Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries. In Osaka, the commissioner will engage with ambassadors from EU member states. On Thursday (June 12), Commissioner Hansen will deliver a keynote speech at the EU Policy Event at Osaka World Expo 2025. During this speech, he is expected to highlight EU food excellence and the EU's commitment to sustainable and innovative agriculture. Alongside the expo, the commissioner will meet with President of Finland Alexander Stubb, and the Irish and Lithuanian agriculture ministers, Martin Heydon and Ignas Hoffman. Hansen will also have discussions with the State Secretary for Fisheries, Food Security and Nature of The Netherlands, Jean Rummenie.
Agriland
11 hours ago
- Agriland
NI ag minister receives death threat
Northern Ireland's Minister for Agriculture, Enterprise and Rural Affairs, Andrew Muir has received a death threat, that has been reported to the Police Service Northern Ireland (PSNI). Minister Muir said that a comment was posted during a Zoom call he was attending, which threatened to 'have (the minister) shot'. The PSNI said it has received reports of threats, and has launched an investigation. Minister Muir said: 'I'm disappointed to see some of the online comments posted in recent times, both in terms of myself and also officials. 'This does not reflect the vast majority of people in farming, I have been welcomed into many farmers' homes and I'm grateful for the warm and respectful welcome since I took up ministerial office.' The minister also believes it is important to 'lower the tone' in wider public discourse on the draft Nutrients Action Programme (NAP) proposals. He said: 'This is a public consultation – there's no need to issue death threats against me, nor make discriminatory comments about anyone. 'We have a critical challenge in terms of improving water quality in Lough Neagh, and also giving financial stability and certainty for farming here. 'That will not change via death threats or anything else. I have a job to do for the people of Northern Ireland and I will continue to do that,' the minister added. Minister Andrew Muir The deputy leader of the Alliance Party, Eóin Tennyson has described the death threat as 'deplorable and unacceptable'. Tennyson said: 'I am proud of the leadership Andrew has offered on Lough Neagh and the protection of our environment. Whilst there must always be space for honest, open and robust political debate; there can be no place for intimidation or threat of violence. 'Threats against any politician are an attack on the democratic process.' The chief superintendent of the PSNI, Stephen Murray said that the PSNI will do all it can to ensure that politicians are supported, and that they can undertake their role 'free from fear and intimidation'. Murray said: 'It is totally unacceptable that anyone should face abuse or threats simply for carrying out the duties of their office. We will thoroughly investigate any such incident. 'We regularly engage with our elected representatives in order to provide information on personal safety, how the police service can support them and, crucially, when to report an incident to police.' 'We regularly engage with assembly and parliamentary officials, and the electoral commission, in regard to elected representative safety,' Murray added.
Irish Daily Mirror
12 hours ago
- Irish Daily Mirror
Housing Minister cannot say when rents will fall as new RPZ measures confirmed
Housing Minister James Browne has admitted that he does not know when his new plans for Rent Pressure Zone will result in lower rents. The Fianna Fáil TD confirmed, however, that after six years, all tenants could face massive rent increases as landlords will be allowed to 'reset' rents to market rates. The Dáil heard that thousands of rents will increase annually as renters voluntarily leave their tenancies all the time. Cabinet agreed on Tuesday to extend and modify the Rent Pressure Zone (RPZ) legislation, which is due to lapse at the end of the year. This will see rent increases capped at 2 per cent annually for new tenancies. Rents in new build apartments will be linked to Consumer Price Index (CPI) inflation rates. These rules will be applied nationwide. From March 1 2026, tenancies of unlimited duration will be introduced through rolling six-year tenancies. Small landlords, those with three properties or fewer, can only terminate a tenancy during the six-year period if they face hardship, such as separation, homelessness, emigration from abroad, or bankruptcy. As reported by the Irish Mirror on Tuesday, the list of family members that a landlord can expel a tenant for will be tightened to parents, children or a spouse. At the end of each six-year tenancy, a smaller landlord will have the right to terminate a tenancy if they are selling, renovating, giving it to a family member or ceasing to rent. Landlords with four or more tenancies will not be able to end a tenancy where the tenant has complied with their obligations, except in very limited circumstances. However, all landlords will have the right to reset rent where the rent is below market at the end of each six-year tenancy, unless a 'no fault eviction' occurs. This, Minister Browne suggested, means that there should not be a large increase in rents until 2032. This will not affect existing tenancies, Taoiseach Micheál Martin insisted in the Dáil. Minister Browne said that the Government was not portraying the changes as a 'silver bullet' and said that the only way rents will come down is through increased supply. He argued that new apartments are being exempt from the 2% cap as international investors are 'not looking at our State'. When asked if rents would fall over the next 24 months, Mr Browne refused to answer the question with a yes or no. Instead, he said he 'expects rents to fall over time' and he wanted them to come down as quickly as possible. He added: 'What that particular length of time is, I wouldn't be able to predict.' He continued: 'If we get that supply moving, we will start and see rents going down. 'But if we continue doing what we're doing at the moment, we're simply not going to see those rents coming down.' Minister Browne also said he would like 'maximum transparency' and he would like to see a rent register implemented. However, he acknowledged there was no Government agreement to do so. In the Dáil, the changes to RPZ legislation were torn to shreds by the opposition. Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald questioned the ability to increase rents to market rates once renters leave voluntarily, noting that thousands of people voluntarily leave tenancies every year. She said: 'You say or claim that landlords will only be allowed to reset rent to the market rate if a tenant leaves voluntarily. 'Well Taoiseach, tens of thousands of renters leave tenancies voluntarily every single year. 'Under your proposals, as one renter walks out the door, they will be replaced by another whose rent will have balloons. Students will be amongst the first hit by your actions'
