Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 27 November 2012
578. Deputy Michael Creed asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the proposals if any to change the compensation regime for TB and brucellosis reactors particularly where herds have only a single reactor; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52573/12]
View answerMy Department has been examining options for implementing the TB eradication programme more efficiently, in particular by leveraging the investment made by the Department in recent years in information technology. In this context, one of the options under consideration is a change to the valuation of single reactors (with the exception of pedigree beef or elite dairy animals) such that single reactors would have a value assigned to them based on an extrapolation of the values assigned to similar animals in valuations of breakdowns where there are 2 or more reactors. The advantage of this approach for farmers who have a single reactor is they will receive their valuation in a more prompt manner which will allow reactors to be moved off the holding earlier and consequently for the next test cycle to commence. It would also eliminate the requirement for herd keepers to meet a valuer on a separate date to value their reactor. This proposal would reduce the cost to my Department of valuing reactors by approximately €230,000 per annum. My Department is involved in a consultation process with the farming organisations on this and other proposals designed to reduce the cost of administering the TB eradication scheme and at the same time reduce the administrative burden on farmers. I will make a decision on implementation of these proposals shortly following the conclusion of the consultation process.
