Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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161. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his attention has been drawn to the current delay in the collection of reactor cattle; the steps his Department is taking to resolve this issue in view of the considerable distress it is causing to farmers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48699/13]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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The regime which my Department operates to assist farmers in removing their reactor cattle is designed to ensure that this is achieved in as timely a fashion as possible, not least, to avoid risk of disease spread within the affected herd. Comparative data for 2012 and thus far in 2013 indicate that, overall, there has been a slight improvement in terms of removal within 30 days of disclosure (87% and 88% respectively).

Factors largely outside the control of my Department which can impact on the removal period in the short term include the overall supply/demand situation in slaughter plants, including for reactors, the need for post treatment withdrawal periods to be observed and the level of co-operation from the farmer with the disease assessment/valuation/removal process. I understand that the demand from slaughter plants for reactors has slowed down in recent weeks, mainly as a result of plentiful cattle supplies generally, with the result that there has been a slow down in the removal of some reactors. However, my Department has been doing its utmost to ensure that reactors are moved off farms as rapidly as possible and as of now, all reactors ready for removal will be moved off-farm to slaughter plants within the next week.