Tuberculosis Incidence.

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 24 November 2004

Wednesday, 24 November 2004

Ceisteanna (185)

Paul Connaughton

Ceist:

186 Mr. Connaughton asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food the benefit to farmers of the €6.35 insurance levy charges on all tuberculosis and brucellosis reactors at factory level; if her attention has been drawn to the fact that this is in addition to the insurance fee applicable to all clean cattle and that all factories deduct this special insurance levy on reactor cattle; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30551/04]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Agriculture and Food (Mary Coughlan)

The deduction of insurance is a non-statutory deduction and is primarily a commercial matter between the factory and the owner of the bovine animals concerned. However, I understand that the insurance costs and arrangements vary from factory to factory and, in general, insurance is designed to cover the salvage price paid to farmers in respect of condemned reactor animals and the cost of the disposal of condemned carcasses as SRM.