Paul Connaughton Snr (Galway East, Fine Gael)
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Question 402: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food the reason a person (details supplied) in County Galway has been penalised in so far as the payment of hardship money is concerned for TB reactor cattle due to the fact that they were allowed to buy in four suck calves after the first TB test identified reactor cattle; if her attention has been drawn to the fact that on their second test a total of 11 animals were identified as reactors but because the herdowner purchased animals on permit issued by her Department they are deemed to be ineligible for the hardship grant; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23781/07]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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Under the terms and condition of the TB eradication scheme, herdowners may, in very particular circumstances, be granted permission to move animals into a restricted holding. Decisions to grant permission are taken on the basis of assessment of the holding from a disease perspective and herdowners are advised by the DVO that the movement of certain animals into the holding, at any time during the restriction, will render the herdowner ineligible for payment under the Income Supplement and Hardship Grant schemes for the remainder of the restriction period. This advice is also included in an information package provided to herdowners following restriction and the conditions governing the movement in of cattle are clearly set down in documentation (ER37), signed by the herdowner, relating to the granting of permission to move in animals.

In the case of the person concerned, the payment at issue is the Income Supplement, not the Hardship grant. The holding of this person was restricted following an annual round test carried out on 16 March 2007. Permission to move in animals was granted on 25 April and animals were moved in on 27 April. In accordance with the conditions relating to the movement in of cattle, the person in question is not eligible for the Income Supplement grant.