Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

This issue comes up regularly in engagements between the farm organisations and the Department. Obviously, in addition to the immense stress and challenge an outbreak of TB raises for farmers, it also poses real financial difficulty for them. The Department has a significant compensation scheme to support the farmers in covering the loss they experience. Farming organisations regularly make the case that they feel this is not enough. The finance committee of the TB forum will also assess and report on that. I will be informed by the considerations on that.

Overall, the increase in numbers is putting significant pressure on the public purse in addition to the pressure on farmers. Almost €100 million a year is spent between what the farmers spend and what the Department spends, which is a very large amount to spend on something on which there is no productive return. It is about trying to manage a challenge. Ultimately, we need to see progress in reducing the numbers and work towards genuine eradication. We need to focus our money and spend significantly on bringing those numbers down.