Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 8 May 2001

Vol. 535 No. 4

Written Answers - Bovine Diseases.

Paul McGrath

Ceist:

156 Mr. McGrath asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development if, in cases where BSE has been identified in a farm animal and agreement has been reached with the farmer in question to depopulate his herd, he will give the reason it has taken up to 12 weeks to depopulate the herd; the further reason it has taken a further number of months for compensation to be paid to the farmers for the loss of their herds; the procedure to compensate the farmer for the additional foodstuffs and so on given to this herd while awaiting slaughter; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13024/01]

Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development (Mr. Walsh)

In respect of BSE, my Department's policy is to depopulate herds as quickly as possible once agreement is reached on a herd valuation, and to pay the individual concerned as soon as possible after the herd has been slaughtered.

There have, in recent months, been delays in a small number of cases between the confirmation of the BSE case and the valuation of the herd; and the date of the agreement on valuation and depopulation. The delays in valuation arose because an increase in the numbers of BSE herds at the end of last year put pressure on the limited number of departmental valuers available. Additional valuers were engaged as quickly as possible and this backlog has been now dealt with.

The delays in depopulation following agreement of a valuation resulted from a backlog in rendering of depopulated herds because of an increase in the volume of specified risk materials – SRMs – following a Commission decision which added bovine intestines to the list of SRMs. This virtually doubled the volume of SRMs to be rendered at a time when only one rendering plant, with limited capacity, was approved by the Environmental Protection Agency – EPA – for the rendering of these materials. However, the Environmental Protection Agency has, since then, approved two additional rendering plants for this purpose and I do not anticipate any further untoward delays in completing depopulation.

As for the payment of depopulation grants, these are, in all instances, paid promptly once the herd is depopulated and all of the necessary documentation is received. The Department's policy is to pay market value for animals depopulated as a result of BSE. However, in relation to the particular group of farmers affected by the delays in valuation process, a once offex gratia payment, based on a flat rate payment per animal in the herd was made, in recognition of the unique delays encountered.