Vol. 571 No. 1
302 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food the assistance available to a person (details supplied) in County Mayo whose herd test showed a reactor in April 2003, yet no animal had tuberculosis when presented to the factory; when this person will receive top-up payment for those animals slaughtered; and when they will receive their cattle cards back. [20052/03]
A TB reactor herd re-test has been scheduled for 24 October 2003. If this test is clear, the holding of the person concerned will be de-restricted and cattle identity cards will be returned to him. Appropriate reactor compensation under the on-farm market valuation scheme issued to him on 4 September 2003. The income supplement payments due will issue shortly.
While the post mortem carried out at the factory may not have found gross visible lesions the animals concerned were deemed reactor as a result of the positive skin test carried out by an official veterinarian. The absence of gross lesions at post mortem does not indicate that the animals concerned did not have tuberculosis.
