Mr. Michael Sheahan:

Ireland is probably the only country in the world which actually provides compensation above and beyond the valuation of an animal. We have a hardship grant which is a small amount of money to tide certain categories of farmer over the winter period where they are forced to keep extra stock. We also have an income supplement. This may be the only country in the world with these systems. Certainly, they do not and are not designed to compensate a person fully for the loss of every single gallon of milk or kilo of meat, but they are unique to Ireland.