Vol. 288 No. 3
asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries whether the owner of a reactor herd loses the cattle headage grants for his animals if the headage grant inspection is held while the animals' cards are withdrawn; and, if so, the steps he proposes taking to correct this anomaly.
24.
asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries whether the owner of an animal which had an inconclusive TB test on the first round loses the cattle headage grant for that animal if the headage grant inspection is held while the animal's cards are withdrawn; and, if so, the steps he proposes taking to correct this anomaly.
With the permission of the Ceann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 23 and 24 together.
Grants under the EEC cattle headage payments scheme are not normally withheld because cattle identity cards are not available for animals regarded as "inconclusive" following herd tests. Such animals are eligible for grant provided the cards are found to be in order at the local district veterinary office and the conditions of the scheme are otherwise satisfied.
Reactor animals listed by an applicant as being present in the herd on the qualifying date are also eligible for grant provided the applicant is cooperating with the local district veterinary office in the removal of the animals concerned.
I take it from what the Minister has said that in those circumstances such persons would not lose the headage grant?
No, not normally.
I have been informed it has happened.
The local office in Galway is not aware of any particular problem cases in the categories the Deputy may have in mind.
If the Department check on the Clifden-Ballyconneely-Roundstone area they will find quite a number.
Perhaps the Deputy would let me know the cases in question.
25.
asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries if he will ensure that owners of reactor herds are not denied the opportunity of selling their animals for a period longer than two months.
Under the bovine tuberculosis and brucellosis eradication schemes the owner of a reactor herd who wishes to sell animals for slaughter will, on application to his local district veterinary office, be given a permit for the movement of such animals. Otherwise the movement of animals is prohibited until such time as the herd passes the required tests. The length of the period of prohibition depends largely on the extent of the infection present in the herd.
Is the Minister aware of the serious dissatisfaction among farmers in the Connemara area regarding the long, unnecessary delay in carrying out the second test? They are not able to sell their animals in the meantime and they suffer serious financial loss and hardship. There have been delays for as long as six months.
I find it very difficult to accept that there was a delay of six months. The test cannot take place sooner than two months; otherwise there is a false reading. That has always been the case and I have made no change. If the Deputy knows of a case where there was a delay of six months I would be very anxious to investigate it.
