Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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Question 448: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food the number of persons paid by his Department to carry out regular price checks at marts here; the amount spent on this activity annually for each of the past five years and to date in 2009; the hourly rate or salary for this role; if an overtime rate is paid; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41820/09]

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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Cattle and sheep prices are collected at livestock marts by officials of my Department on a weekly basis. The prices are collected in order to provide (a) weekly reports of price data to the EU Commission in the context of the market support systems for cattle and sheep and (b) summary prices that are issued weekly to valuers assigned to valuing cattle under the TB and Brucellosis. The price information is also used for Scrapie and BSE valuations.

With regard to the reporting of cattle and sheep prices to the European Commission, my Department is obliged under EU rules to collect price data on a weekly basis in order to establish average Community prices which are used by the Commission to manage the market in these sectors. Regarding prices reporting for the valuation scheme, it is important that valuers have access to up-to-date prices for use as a reference when valuing animals removed as reactors. This arrangement was agreed with the farming representative organisations prior to the introduction of this scheme in 2002.

In view of the fact that the officials involved in the compilation of cattle and sheep prices undertake a range of other duties and, given the short time available, it is difficult to give the precise cost associated with attendance at marts for price reporting purposes. However, it is estimated that, on average over the past 5 years, approximately 19 persons were involved to varying degrees in this activity. It should be noted, however, that, since these officials only spend a relatively small proportion of their working hours on price reporting, the number of full time staff equivalents involved in this activity is considerably less than this.

The estimated cost of this activity for each of the past five years and to date in 2009 is as follows:

The estimated costs include the proportion of salary and travel and subsistence paid for price reporting as well as payment for hours worked outside normal working hours. The hourly/salary rate for the staff involved is currently approximately €24.00 for normal working hours. Staff who are required to attend at marts outside their normal working hours, for example at evening sales, are paid an allowance depending on the total hours they have worked outside normal working hours.

The cost involved in recording cattle and sheep prices must be seen in the context of our obligations to the EU and the need to ensure that payment of compensation under the On Farm Market Valuation scheme, which amounted to approximately €23m in 2008, is based on accurate price information. As part of an ongoing review of efficiencies in my Department, my officials have commenced an examination of the feasibility of obtaining electronic transfer of mart sales price data for non-breeding beef cattle sales directly from the marts. However, it is important that any revised system is capable of reflecting quality differentials and does not undermine the accuracy of the prices reported. Appropriate consultation with stakeholders will be undertaken in the event of changes to the current arrangements being considered.