In the context of an enhanced approach to seeking to eradicate scrapie from the national flock, my Department has decided to depopulate flocks of sheep which have had a case of scrapie since 1 January 1999 and which have been movement restricted by my Department.
The Department was approached by the IFA on behalf of the flockowners in question with a view to entering into discussions on a compensation package for those concerned. Pursuant to these initial contacts my Department has had a series of meetings with the IFA, at which a number of the flockowners concerned were also present, to progress the matter. It was pointed out by my Department that the compensation measures which were contemplated constitute a State aid and as such require the necessary European Commission clearance. It was also pointed out that a key element of the Commission's determination would be whether it considered as objectively reasonable the compensation offered.
In a letter to the IFA dated 27 November, following meetings on 17 and 21 November, my Department made an offer of compensation via the IFA to affected flockowners. The letter of 27 November superseded and corrected an earlier letter of 22 November containing a typographical error which was identified as such and drawn to the specific attention of the IFA by my Department within a matter of hours of its issue. The Department advised the IFA that the letter of 27 November should be regarded as the definitive statement of the position. It is surprising that the IFA spokespersons persisted in public statements in seeking to rely on the erroneous element of the letter of 22 November in the full knowledge that it was an error and did not represent my Department's position on the point at issue.