Under the terms of the fallen animal scheme, the rendering of all fallen animals delivered to approved plants and the disposal of the resultant meat and bone meal are subsidised by my Department. This arrangement, which includes sheep, was put in place at the same time as a subsidised collection service was set up for fallen bovines. While the collection from farms of fallen bovines is subsidised at fixed rates per collected animal, this aspect of the scheme does not extend to animals other than bovines.
The fact that a comprehensive collection scheme for bovines at reasonable charges per animal collected is now in place, and the fact that non-bovines delivered to approved rendering plants do not incur a charge allows for the collection of sheep from farms at a reasonable charge. The option is also open to producers to deliver fallen sheep to registered knackeries where a nominal charge is imposed for taking the carcass to the rendering plant.
In order to further facilitate farmers specifically in relation to the disposal of fallen sheep, my Department is currently examining the possibility of introducing a number of collection points at specified locations in order that the options available to sheep farmers are increased. All in all, I am satisfied that the scheme, as introduced by me last year at an annual cost of €25 million, is working well and providing a good service for farmers.