Paul Connaughton (Galway East, Fine Gael)
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200. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason a person (details supplied) in County Galway is not entitled to a hardship grant in view of the fact that their herd is locked up since February; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20801/13]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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Under the Hardship Grant Scheme, assistance is available from my Department to eligible herdowners who are restricted under the TB and Brucellosis Eradication Scheme. The scheme is designed to alleviate the additional feed costs incurred by eligible owner(s) whose holdings are restricted during the period from the 1 November to 30 April, payments are subject to the schemes criteria.

The holding in question was restricted under the TB & Brucellosis Eradication Scheme on 21 February 2013, following the disclosure of 3 reactor animals in the herd. However an essential condition for eligibility is that the holding of the applicant applying continues to be restricted following a full herd Reactor Re-test. In this instance the Reactor Re-test is due to be carried out after the closing date of the scheme i.e. 30 April. The date for the Reactor retest is determined by the date of removal of the previous reactors from the herd, and cannot be brought forward. While a Hardship application was received in the local District Veterinary Office on the 27 February 2013, the herdowner has been advised by the DVO that he is not eligible for the Hardship Grant as his reactor retest will not have been completed before the closing date of the scheme.

However, I announced last week a comprehensive package of measures aimed at addressing the fodder shortage crisis, including a €1m fund to contribute to the transport costs of importing fodder to the country, which will reduce the cost of purchasing fodder for farmers by approximately a third, in the days ahead. In addition, the co-ops have agreed to my request to substantially increase the volume of fodder being imported into the country over the short to medium term. The co-ops have also agreed to consider the introduction of interest free credit, within limits, to farmers for the purchase of fertiliser, limited to the month of May. The person in question should contact his local co-op to determine whether he can qualify for assistance under these arrangements.

I should also explain that emergency assistance is also available under the Farm Animal Welfare Advisory Council’s early warning system to ensure that there is no reason for any farmer to see their animals starve. I have also asked the advisory service to prioritise advice to farmers in the period ahead and to focus on the optimum use of fertiliser in generating feed for the national herd. In addition, outstanding scheme payments are being processed with urgency.