Martin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I need to clarify that, although the Deputy calls it a system and a proposal, it is neither a system nor a proposal. It is information that has been distilled to farmers previously and that now has been distilled in a clearer way, giving very clear identification as to the risk. It is one key element for farmers in decision making. Farmers make decisions every year on what stock they keep and what stock they cull when bringing in new stock and updating their herd. It is important that farmers have clear access to all of that information when they are doing that.

Deputy Nolan talks about the financial burden. The Deputy is dead right. The financial burden is significant on farmers because of TB in general. The best way we can ease that burden is to get the trajectory back in the right direction - unfortunately, in the past couple of years it has been going in the wrong direction - and work towards its eradication by 2030, which is a real determination of the Department, me, the Minister, Deputy McConalogue, and all of the team, as it is of farmers and farm organisations. I believe that is achievable. It will only be achieved by working together. We see the reducing level of support there has been from the EU for this disease control because our trajectory has been going the wrong direction. If we all work together and get the figures going in the right direction, thus making more progress on this, that will benefit everybody financially to the point where we can eradicate this.

I also say, wearing my hat as Minster of State with responsibility for new market development, that the fact we have TB status in this country is an impediment to us in accessing new markets and expanding the markets we have. That is bad for farmers as well. It is bad for the overall industry because it restricts us in that regard.

I was a schoolboy back in the day when we had a reactor at home. Thankfully, it was a long time ago, but I remember the devastation of it. It is awful. That is why we have to work with farmers. It is awful for those in that position.

This letter and this report were just one part of an approach to that. We will work closely with farmers. We want to eradicate this disease and we will only do that by all working together.

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