Vol. 397 No. 3
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Dáil Éireann debate - Wednesday, 21 Mar 1990
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Written Answers. - Income Supplement Grant.
59 Mr. D'Arcy asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food if his attention has been drawn to the inequity in the system in relation to the income supplement grant payable to farmers who have their herds closed, having regard to the fact that at present the number of animals taken when calculating the cut-off number is 100; and if he will change this to 100 livestock units.
60 Mr. Boylan asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food if his attention has been drawn to the fact that, in relation to the income supplement grant payable to farmers who have herds closed under the bovine TB eradication scheme, the cut-off margin of 100 head in the herd applies regardless of the type or age of the animal; if it would be more equitable to have the scheme based on the number of units in the herd; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 59 and 60 together. Income supplement is payable to farmers with 100 or fewer animals at the rate of £25 per month for suckler cows and £15 per month for dairy cows and other animals. This system was designed within the limited resources available to ERAD with a view to alleviating hardship in the case of small farmers whose herds are locked up due to outbreaks of disease. In these circumstances there is no justification for changing the present format of the scheme.
