Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 443: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food the circumstances under which he may compulsorily amalgamate herd numbers in respect of farms of land which are owned either by individual family members or by individual spouses; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26133/09]

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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A herdnumber is an administrative arrangement designed primarily for the purposes of disease control under the disease eradication schemes, which involves the allocation of a number to a herd as provided for under S.I. No. 276 of 1999 (European communities (Identification and registration of bovine animals) Regulations, 1999). An 'epidemiological unit' or herd is considered to be any number of animals that are held, kept or handled in such a manner that they share the same likelihood of exposure to infectious disease and that the control of the spread of infectious disease from the unit can be facilitated. Under the current TB disease eradication programme, each holding, comprising parcels of land used solely or jointly with others and which may comprise parcels of land that are separated by some distance, is occupied by a single unique epidemiologically distinct herd, which must be represented by one herdnumber only. A herd must be managed at all times as a separate unit without intermixing of bovine animals from other herds.

The following criteria apply when allocating an individual herd number: There must be separate entrances; Entry points onto other adjoining lands, not part of the application, must be permanently blocked up; Perimeter fencing should be stock-proof at a minimum and also prevent direct contact between stock on contiguous land; There must be independent and separate facilities such as separate crush, separate feeding and watering facilities; There must be adequate facilities for the purpose of inspection, isolation, loading, unloading, marshalling, watering, feeding, housing as appropriate and treatment of animals; and, There must be adequate facilities for animal bedding and the collection of manure and wastewater.

Where a herdnumber has been assigned but the conditions for qualification for a herdnumber reflecting the existence of a herd as a distinct epidemiological unit are no longer being adhered to, for example, if inter-mixing of animals occurs, that herdnumber must be withdrawn and all the animals being managed as one herd should be amalgamated under one herdnumber. In such circumstances, where more than one person has been involved in the herd, a "keeper" should be nominated in whose name the herdnumber should be registered.

I must emphasise that when multiple persons such as family members or spouses, who are not registered as "keepers", wish to register an interest in the herdnumber, they may be registered as "herdowners" and, accordingly, may qualify for payment under the various schemes implemented by my Department. In this regard, because the "keeper" role is classified as a non-financial role and does not infer ownership of the lands or animals in the herd, payments are made to "herdowners" rather than to "keepers".

I would also like to point out that where a herdnumber is withdrawn, my Department's procedures provide that the person from whom the herdnumber is withdrawn should be notified in writing and given an opportunity to appeal the decision and, where appropriate, re-establish individual epidemiological units. In addition, the person will be informed of any implications of the withdrawal of his herdnumber for his/her eligibility to apply for payment under schemes implemented by the Department.