Vol. 533 No. 5
58 Mr. B. Smith asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development his views on whether there should be a national insurance scheme for livestock producers to tide them over difficult periods and protect them against income losses; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9128/01]
I would welcome any commercial initiatives to establish insurance schemes for livestock producers to protect them against specific risks or income losses.
As noted in the Agri Food 2010 Plan of Action, the possible role of insurance in agriculture is being considered by the EU Commission which has produced two reports on the matter. In 1999 it published Income Insurance in European Agriculture and, in January 2001, the report Risk Management: Tools for EU Agriculture – A Special Focus On Insurance. These reports highlight a number of difficulties with such scheme especially for insurance of livestock and regarding the problem of ensuring widespread uptake of such schemes. The issues involved are being examined in detail by my Department, and I will also keep any further developments at EU level under review.
Question No. 59 answered with Question No. 33.
Question No. 60 answered with Question No. 21.
