Robbie Gallagher (Fianna Fail)

I, too, wish my learned colleague, Senator Wilson, a very happy birthday. I sit beside him as sometimes he needs assistance to go from A to B, but Members can rest assured that I am always here for him. On a more serious note, I ask the Leader to arrange for the Minister for agriculture to come into the Chamber so we can have a discussion on TB incidents in our country. TB has been around almost as long as Senator Wilson. Unfortunately, we cannot seem to get a handle on it. To be honest, that baffles me.

Unfortunately, in the part of the world where I live, the incidence of TB in Monaghan, Cavan and even Meath is particularly high. We are scratching our heads as to why that is. During the first six months of this year, I think as a country we have spent €55 million on compensation and so on in relation to TB. It is clearly a big issue and one we need to get a handle on. It is a hugely traumatic event on any farm. Many farmers say that it ranks next to a death. It is hugely frustrating for a farmer or family to see the stock they built up wiped out by TB. It is also very taxing mentally. At the moment, the compensation levels being paid out to farmers after outbreaks add another layer of hardship on top of that hardship. That is very unfair.

The current compensation levels for cattle are capped. This is a particular sore point in relation to pedigree animals. Whether it is a dairy or suckler herd of high quality, that farmer is not being compensated fully. Whenever he or she goes to replace that stock, they do not have the money to do so.

It is clearly a big issue and one that needs to be addressed. I respectfully request that we ask the Minister for agriculture to come into this House as soon as possible to have a discussion on TB. It is a pretty big issue and getting bigger in the part of the world where I live.