Vol. 548 No. 2
178 Mr. Neville asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development when compensation for a brucellosis depopulated herd will be made to a person (details supplied); his views on whether the valuation of ?2,698 per head by a leading expert of this herd is proper compensation; and if he will expedite the compensation. [4548/02]
When completing the agreement to have his herd depopulated under the brucellosis eradication scheme, the person concerned opted for compensation purposes to have his reactors valued under the on-farm market valuation scheme by an independent valuer from the panel of valuers established under the scheme.
The arrangements for this scheme also include provisions for an appeal valuation to be carried out by another member of the valuer panel and for referral to an arbitration panel in situations where the appeal valuation is not accepted by either the farmer or the Department. In this case, my Department has referred the case for arbitration. The composition of the arbitration panel has recently been agreed and it will be meeting shortly to determine the action to be taken in relation to this and the other outstanding cases.
In the meantime, I have arranged for my Department to make a substantial interim valuation differential payment to the person concerned pending the decision of the arbitration panel. Any balance due will be made as soon as possible after the panel's decision has been made. In addition, the appropriate depopulation grant payment due is currently being processed by the local district veterinary office and should issue shortly to the person concerned.
