asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries if he will increase the price of reactor cows in the brucellosis scheme and expedite the taking away of reactors.
23.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Brucellosis Eradication Scheme.
22.
asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries if he will consider fixing a realistic price for pure bred cows which are reactors in the brucellosis scheme.
With the permission of the Ceann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 22 and 23 together.
The question of increasing the upper limits of compensation for reactor cattle taken up under my Department's bovine tuberculosis and brucellosis eradication schemes is at present under examination. I cannot say at this stage what the outcome will be.
Reactor cattle are taken up as quickly as possible and normally within a period of two to three weeks from the date on which they are identified.
In the consideration which the Minister has under way at the moment, will the factor of loss be taken into account as well as the market value for the reactor cows, and while I am on my feet, I have a supplementary on the following question: would the Minister say if it is the intention of the Department to pay extra for pure bred herds?
The market value is the basis that has always been used for the value of reactor cattle in the previous Government's time and in the present Government's time, so that there is no change there, and there has always been a differential between the upper limit to be paid for non-pedigree and pedigree animals, and that will continue to be the policy if there is any change in valuation.
Is the Minister saying the price that is being paid at the moment is sufficient to enable the farmer to replace, which is what the market value should mean?
That is not the supplementary asked by Deputy Wilson.
It is the one I am asking now.
Deputy Wilson asked if other criteria are being taken into consideration than those that were used during the term of office of the previous Government, and I say no.
The question I asked was in regard to the second of the two questions which the Minister took together.
In his new assessment, would he take into consideration the considerable difference in price which a pure bred animal makes?
That has always been taken into consideration. There has always been a higher upper limit for pedigree cattle than for non-pedigree cattle.