Joint Committee on Agriculture and Food to discuss impacts of greenways, railways and roadways on agriculture and BVD Eradication

The meeting will hear from representatives from:

Session 1 - Engagement on the impacts of greenways, railways and roadways on agriculture (compulsory purchase order of land)

• Irish Farmers Association
• Irish Natura & Hill Farmers Association
• National Greenway Action Association

Session 2 - BVD Eradication

• Animal Health Ireland

Speaking ahead of the meeting Committee Cathaoirleach Deputy Aindrias Moynihan said: “Pléifimid go mion an toradh a bhíonn ag na forbairtí sin ar úinéirí talún nuair a úsáidtear Orduithe Ceannaigh Éigeantaigh (OCÉanna) chun talamh a fháil le haghaidh tionscadail den saghas sin. Beimid ag iarraidh ar na daoine a bheidh ag an gcruinniú Dé Céadaoin cur síos a thabhairt ar na próisis chomhchomhairliúcháin agus na comhaontaithe cóid cleachtais d’fhonn maolú a dhéanamh ar na ciallachais thromchúiseacha a bhíonn ann d’úinéirí talún.

“Sa dara seisiún, pléifimid an clár chun an Bhuinneach Víreasach Bhólachta a scriosadh. Tá an clár sin ar cheann de na cláir sláinte ainmhithe is tábhachtaí i dtalmhaíocht na hÉireann le deich mbliana anuas. Ba iad Sláinte Ainmhithe Éireann a sheol an clár sin sa bhliain 2013 agus leagadh foráil síos leis an gclár go mbeadh clibeáil fíocháin eanga cluaise ar gach gamhain nuabheirthe éigeantach chun go sainaithneofaí ainmhithe a bhíonn Ionfhabhtaithe go Seasmhach, ainmhithe arb iad an phríomhfhoinse do leathadh an víris iad.

“In our first session we will examine land take associated with the development of greenways, railways and roadways across Ireland.  While this type infrastructure can add to an overall societal benefit, there can be considerable disruption for people who lose land to those developments.

“We will discuss in detail the impacts on landowners with the use of Compulsory Purchase Orders (CPOs) to acquire land for such projects. We will look to those attending on Wednesday to outline the consultation processes and code of practice agreements with the aim of mitigation of the serious impacts to landowners.

“In the second session we discuss Bovine Viral Diarrhoea (BVD) eradication. This has been one of the most significant animal health programmes in Irish agriculture over the last decade. The programme was launched in 2013 by Animal Health Ireland and made ear-notch tissue tagging of all newborn calves compulsory to identify Persistently Infected (PI) animals which are the main source of virus spread.

“We will look to the representatives from Animal Health Ireland to outline how the scheme is working and its status. We will look for more information on the funding and how the programme has delivered in terms of major economic and farming benefits.”

Read more on the work done by the Joint Committee on Agriculture and Food.

The meeting in Committee Room 4 can be viewed live on Oireachtas TV.

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