Mr. Brendan Gleeson:

The firs thing I will say about the TB programme is that we have to have it. The programme is necessary for trade and in order for farmers to trade. If we look back at the figures relating to the programme, it becomes clear that €5.5 billion has been spent on it since the early 1960s. The truth is that what the programme has done is that it has kept TB at a reasonably low level compared with where it was in the 1960s. The disease is at a much lower level than it was then. The programme is a burden on farmers and it is a burden on taxpayers. If we are to reduce the burden on farmers and on taxpayers, then we have to take the steps necessary to try and eradicate the disease.

The Deputy will know that we have a TB forum. Part of the dynamic here would be to try and work with farmers, and agree a system on the measures needed to reduce disease levels. The forum has a number of sub-committees and one of them is looking at finance. We will be talking through the financial arrangements with farmers. There is a report from Grant Thornton which examined the cost-benefit analysis relating to the programme. Informed by that analysis, farmers and the Department will discuss future financing.

The Deputy mentioned others being levied. It might be possible to levy other operators along the food chain. It certainly might be possible to do that. Whether that levy would manifest itself in increased consumer prices or reduced prices to farmers is anybody's guess.