Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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Question 279: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food the way a company (details supplied) has advertising rights in her Department documentation. [9593/08]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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When a farmer applies to join the Suckler Welfare Scheme (and opts to send back the information on paper as opposed to on-line), the Irish Cattle Breeding Federation (ICBF) sends out a Suckler Pack containing the following:

1. An Animal Events Book

2. Pre-paid return envelopes

3. A copy of the latest Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

4. A pocket-sized notebook for the farmer's own use.

The ICBF is the body that operates the Animal Events System for Bovines in Ireland. A key component of The Suckler Welfare Scheme is the use of the Animal Events System to collect cattle breeding information from suckler farmers. The ICBF was asked to collect the animal events data as part of the new scheme. Prior to the introduction of the Suckler Scheme, there were already over 30,000 farmers on the ICBF database.

The notebook does carry a logo from the company named but this notebook is an ICBF document and not a Department document. The Animal Events Book, which is also an ICBF document, does not carry any logo other than that of the ICBF itself.