Ms Amanda Mooney:

The IFA is acutely aware of the importance of maintaining the hard-won high health status of our national livestock herd as a major exporter of agricultural produce. Farmers have and continue to support the efforts of the Department in eradicating TB from the national herd at an enormous direct and indirect cost. The IFA is demanding the eradication of TB from the national herd in the shortest feasible timeframe. We must have an effective wildlife programme that is fully resourced; we must address the deer issue before it starts to contribute to disease spread to the same extent as badgers; farmers must be fairly compensated for the impact of the controls and animal losses on their farms; and the funding model must recognise the full value of farmers' contributions to the programme. We are prepared to play our part in funding the financial supports but there is a red line issue where we are not prepared to pay for additional testing, including the 30-day pre- or post-movement test, which must be funded by the Department.