I move:
That Dáil Éireann approves the following Regulations in draft:
Bovine Diseases (Levies) Regulations, 1981,
a copy of which was laid before the Dáil on the 20th day of February, 1981.
In implementation of the announcement made by the Minister for Finance in his Budget Statement on 28 January 1981 these regulations suspend in full as from 1 February 1981 the bovine disease levies payable in respect of milk and bovine animals. These levies amount to ½p per gallon of milk and £3 per bovine animal slaughtered or exported live and in a full year total about £10 million. The suspension increases the prices payable to farmers for milk and cattle by these amounts and so affords relief to them in the income difficulties being experienced at present.
State expenditure on the eradication of bovine TB and brucellosis in the current year is estimated to come close to £26 million. This is a very sizeable amount and can only be justified if it results in a substantial reduction in the level of disease as compared with 1980. I am hoping that the present suspension of the levies will be an added stimulus to full farmer co-operation in our eradication programme. Such continued co-operation is vital if we are to achieve in the shortest possible time our goal of total eradication of bovine TB and brucellosis and so ensure continuance of our exports of livestock and livestock products in the future.