Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 3 March 2015
293. Deputy Patrick O'Donovan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the compensation available in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Wexford; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9276/15]
View answerMy Department provides financial support measures for farmers under the Bovine Viral Diarrhoea programme (BVD). A payment of €120 is available in respect of the first and subsequent Persistently Infected (PI) calves born in beef herds in 2014. The financial support for dairy herds is €75 for the removal of the second and subsequent PI calves born in 2014. Payment in both cases is contingent on disposal of all PI animals born in the herd within the year through the knackery system within approved timeframes.
An application for compensation under the scheme has been submitted to my Department by the herdowner concerned. According to the Department’s records, the herdowner has disposed of 27 calves within the approved timeframe through the knackery system. However, since animals born in December 2014 removed from the herd up to 17 March 2015 can be eligible for compensation without the need for further application from the herdowner, it is not possible to determine whether the herdowner has fully complied with all of the requirements of the scheme until 17 March 2015. The application from the herdowner will be processed after that date and payment of any compensation due will be made shortly afterwards.
