Dáil Éireann Debate, Friday - 7 September 2018
1015. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if adequate financial support will be provided for farmers to ensure they are not disadvantaged when TB controls are imposed on their farms. [36944/18]
View answerThe bovine TB eradication Scheme is an example of a shared animal health programme administered by my Department to the benefit of all related stakeholders. Thanks to the efforts of all stakeholders, bovine TB levels have reduced significantly in recent years. Herd incidence stood at 8% in 2000 and was under 3.5% in 2017. This represents considerable progress. In the absence of a robust TB eradication Scheme, many more farmers would have suffered a TB breakdown. When a breakdown occurs, certain controls are put in place in an effort to eradicate the disease from that holding and to mitigate the risk of the disease spreading to other holdings. These controls are critical and are to the overall benefit of farmers. While much progress has been made in reducing bovine TB levels, I am concerned that previously observed downward trends in disease levels may have stalled. In an effort to deliver on my stated objective of eradicating bovine TB by 2030, government has approved the establishment of a TB Stakeholder Forum with an independent Chair who have been tasked with bringing forward proposals consistent with eradicating TB by 2030. I look forward to considering these proposals in due course.
In relation to compensation, a comprehensive regime is in place for herdowners who are affected by bovine TB, including compensation both for direct and indirect losses.
The primary compensation scheme for TB Affected herds is the On-Farm Market Valuation (OFMV) Scheme under which compensation is payable for cattle removed as reactors on thebasis of the open market value, subject to certain ceiling limits. Herdowners with restricted and TB affected Herds may also qualify for supplementary payments under the Income Supplement and Hardship Grants Schemes subject to compliance with the relevant criteria.
Entitlement to compensation is conditional on herdowners complying with the provisions of National and EU legislative requirements and controls relating to animal welfare, disease, movement and identification.
There have been significant changes to the compensation package which were implemented in 2016 and I am satisfied that the current compensation arrangements provide a very significant range of financial supports to herdowners in a TB breakdown.
