Michael Fitzmaurice (Roscommon-Galway, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank everyone for coming in. It is interesting that the witnesses are all at one in being happy with the forum and what is going on. I have a few questions. I have my own interpretation of things. Are marts at a disadvantage or can farmers move their yearly herd tests? I have heard it said that they can do that when they are selling a stripper cow or whatever at the back end of the year. Generally, if they do not have their herd test within a year, their will get a big envelope and their herd will be restricted. Is it negotiated that people are allowed to delay their tests by five or six months? That is the first question.

On my second question, there seems to be a big problem with the price farmers can get for animals such as purebred bulls and purebred heifers. What is the position in that regard? The third question relates to farmers who have a job because many small farms around the country are not viable. If negotiations are going well, has this been sorted? Will a farmer who is working get what I call the hardship grant, although the witnesses may have a different name for it, in September, October or November?

I agree with the witnesses that Coillte and all such bodies need to come on board but there is one issue we have to face up to. Coillte surrounds its plantations with two or three rows of barbed wire. That is not worth a damn to deer. They will just jump over it. Are there any proposals in that regard? Ms Tyrell talked about fencing them out. They might have come down to County Leitrim. They are in every part of the country now. There is not one part of the country where there are no deer. Everywhere is poisoned with them. They are not the only cause. Not every deer has it. I am not saying that. Is there an agreement regarding the badger? As all the witnesses will know, generally, when a farmer has problems with TB, the hit squad will come out and look for setts. They will come out at the beginning but they have to follow up six months later and 12 months later. There is a recurring case near me. There is no follow-up to see if the problem has been extinguished. Do the witnesses have any views on that?

I was interested in Mr. Punch's comments. I would like to know what all the witnesses think about them. He talked about living with Covid and so on. Is there a case to be made for a different approach if plan A does not work? In the UK, tests are only carried out every four years in certain places. Everyone knows they are vaccinated against TB. We got the shot when we were going to school. What is the problem in vaccinating cattle if we are not getting on top of the problem? We are spending a lot of money and causing farmers an awful lot of hardship every year. What are the witnesses' thoughts on that?

We are now testing animals over 36 months, so it is not as hard at the moment. A farmer will basically be going with a cow or bull in the herd that has gone wrong. Has a decision been made that no one has been told about that it will come back to cattle from 24 months or to all cattle? I find it hard to understand. Can a person buy the animal if he or she has had a herd test within the six months or does the person selling the animal have to have it? I just cannot get my head around that. Are the marts now at a disadvantage? If a farmer has a stripper cow, he can head off to the factory without having her tested, but he needs this test if going to the marts.

With regard to the forum, the witnesses talked about the farmer paying a certain amount. As the Chairman outlined, the farmer also has to pay for the test. Is the Department going to pay for all of these extra tests that will have to be done or will the farmers pay for them?