Vol. 527 No. 3
136 Mr. Farrelly asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development the scheme he will put in place to reduce the hardship being experience by farmers whose income has collapsed as a result of their herd being destroyed by BSE; if he will raise this issue with the Department of Social, Community and Family Affairs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28174/00]
The Diseases of Animals (Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy) (Amendment) (No. 2) Order, 1990 (S.I. No. 195 of 1990) provides the basis for compensation in the context of BSE. In effect, this provides that compensation is payable in respect of animals removed and slaughtered by reference to market value which is defined as the price which might reasonably have been obtained for the animals in the open market.
No other compensation is provided for primarily because the restriction period following depopulation is confined to 30 days compared with much lengthier periods in the case of TB or brucellosis restrictions/depopulations.
