Vol. 426 No. 7
20 Proinsias De Rossa asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry the implications of the decision of the EC veterinary fund not to provide funds for the planned comprehensive EC funded bovine TB eradiction scheme; the alternative sources, if any, he proposes for funds for such a scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
42 Mr. Crowley asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry when he intends to draw down the EC funding for the TB eradication scheme to improve the scheme and to alleviate hardship to farmers.
55 Mr. J. Higgins asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry if he will sanction payment of the full replacement value for stock removed from herds as TB reactors; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
63 Mr. Clohessy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry the plans, if any, he has for a fully coherent four year bovine TB eradication programme.
135 Mr. Barry asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry the success rate it is hoped to obtain from the new TB bovine eradication scheme, to start in March 1993; the way in which this campaign will be different from all the others, since their introduction in the early 1960s; the amount it is proposed to spend on the scheme; if the proposed scheme is designed to eliminate TB in cattle; the way in which our eradication schemes compare with our European partners; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
182 Mr. Yates asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry whether all aspects of the TB forum recommendation will be implemented.
183 Mr. Yates asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry if final agreement has been reached with the EC authorities in order to obtain the necessary promised finance for the future TB eradication schemes over the years from 1993 to 1996.
With the permission of the Ceann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 20, 42, 55, 63, 135, 182 and 183 together.
The Programme for Government contains a commitment to implement a coherent four year Bovine TB Eradication Programme with the support of Community funding and subject to the conditions attaching to those funds. Agreement was reached with the EC Commission in regard to the relevant conditions in October 1992. However, because of budgetary limits on the EC veterinary fund delays have arisen in having the programme approved for Community funding. I am pressing for an immediate increase in the level of EC veterinary funding to enable appropriate finance to be made available.
A sum of £43.5 million has been allocated in the Book of Estimates to cover the running costs of the programme for 1993. The exact format of the programme including grant structure of this year's scheme will be determined by the timing of the availability of EC funding.
Most of our EC partners have progressed their eradication programmes to an advanced stage. The broad format of our eradication scheme is similar to those operative in other EC countries.
