Vol. 485 No. 2
160 Mr. Creed asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food if he will have investigations made into the level of compensation available to a person (details supplied) in County Cork for tuberculosis reactors; the way in which this calculation is made; and if he will amend the formula used whereby the compensation is determined by reference to the previous years milk production. [22962/97]
Under the current arrangements applicable under the disease eradication schemes, compensation rates for reactor cows and in calf heifers are calculated by reference, inter alia, to the notional average milk yield having regard to the number of cows in the herd and the certified milk gallonage supplied in the previous calendar year plus 5 per cent, to take account of milk used on the holding. The number of cows at the reactor disclosure test or the number of cows at the most recent clear herd test in the previous calendar year is used, whichever is more advantageous to the herdowner.
The grant arrangements are subject to ongoing review in consultation with the farming bodies.
The herdowner in question had six reactors disclosed in a six month herd test on 28 October 1997. Reactor grants were calculated using the milk yield for the previous calendar year 1996 which was 73,832 gallons plus 5 per cent, 3,691.60 gallons, giving a total of 77,523.60 gallons, which divided by the number of cows — 99 — on test resulted in a notional milk yield of 783.06 gallons. This places the herdowner in the "Under 850 gallons" category. The appropriate grants have been paid to the herdowner.
