Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Martin Heydon has said that the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) has a contract worth €5 million over four years for cleaning services at Co. Dublin locations.

In response to a parliamentary question from Sinn Féin TD for Dublin Bay North, Denise Mitchell, the minister noted that DAFM also has a cleaning contract worth €2.5 million over four years in regional locations.

DAFM also outsources contracts for security services in regional locations.

According to Minister Hayden, these contracts are worth €364,919 over four years, €40,000 over two years, and €43,275 over one year.

"In addition, my department also holds contracts with facilities management companies who provide cleaning and security services at two of my department’s locations. The value of these contracts are €444,000 over four years and €200,000 over four years," Minister Hayden said.

"My department also pays facilities management fees at another department location, however, the contract for this facilities management company is held by the Office of Public Works.

"The fees paid (in the contract) includes cleaning and security services, with a combined annual cost of approximately €118,000 per annum being paid for these services," he added.

Separately, in response to another parliamentary question, from Fianna Fáil TD Erin McGreehan, Minister Heydon has said that funds for those impacted by flooding on the Cooley Peninsula will be released “in the coming weeks”.

The 2023 Flood Damage Relief Measure was implemented in response to damage to agricultural areas in the Cooley Peninsula, between October 29 and November 4, 2023.

Deputy McGreehan said putting a relief scheme in place for farmers is her “priority”.

“It was in the Fianna Fáil manifesto and it’s a priority for me. Like the one for business, the humanitarian schemes, they are in legislation that a cabinet can sign off on them straight away. We need this for agriculture,” she said.