Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry South, Independent)
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182. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his views on BVD payments (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19552/13]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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The cost of BVD to the farming industry is in excess of €100 million per annum. The provision of funding for compensation in the context of the compulsory phase of the BVD programme must 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. It has been estimated that the overall benefit for the eradication of this disease is beneficial to farmers. I should also emphasise that the strategy of my Department is to concentrate its scarce resources in continuing to support Animal Health Ireland in its ongoing work in establishing control.