Pearse Doherty (Donegal South West, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

516. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the supports and guidance currently available within his Department to assist farmers in their bid to eliminate BVD from their farms; if his Department will provide any financial support in terms of compensation to the suckler farming industry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18233/13]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

BVD is a notifiable disease as and from 1 January 2013. All calves born on or after this date must be compulsory tested for the BVD virus. A BVD helpline operates to assist farmers who have queries in relation to the scheme. Further information is available on www.animalhealthireland.ie. It has been estimated that the overall benefit for the eradication of this disease is hugely beneficial to farmers. The provision of compensation has to be placed in the context of the economic benefits accruing to farmers arising from the eradication of this disease and, particularly, the short payback time involved for individual farmers as well as the scarce budgetary resources available to my Department. The strategy of my Department is to concentrate its scarce resources in continuing to support Animal Health Ireland in its ongoing work to enhance the value for beef and dairy farmers through superior animal health and in establishing control programmes for non-regulated diseases of livestock in Ireland.