Mr. Paul Smyth:

I will start by addressing the Deputy Carthy's initial question on the financial side. From our perspective, there is an unwillingness to pay for the current control programmes on TB that are in place. That unwillingness will result in the 2030 target for TB eradication not being achieved. Further proposals were outlined to the TB forum on what further restrictions they want to bring in. The main TB forum is considering bringing in further restrictions and the implementation group and financial group want us to tighten our belts in terms of the funding that is put towards it. Those two rail tracks will not meet and that will mean the 2030 target will not achieved. It will also mean that we, as farmers, will not be fully compensated for the strain that will be put on us if further restrictions are introduced. That is the simple answer as to where we are going with that. The finances do not add up.

On the feedlots and the distortion in prices, in a roundabout way, that has a wider perspective. Quite a high percentage of the kill comes from there. It is likely to distort prices. That will have be an issue in terms of compensation and things like that but that is not being dealt with currently through the TB forum and it will have to be examined.