Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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680. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if all valuers that are on his Department's approved list of valuers in respect of the depopulation of part or full herds due to disease are experienced in the cattle trade and in the sale and purchase of animals and up to date with livestock valuations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11378/17]

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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Following a competitive tender process, my department issued contracts to 73 valuers from 1 November 2016. Tenders were evaluated on the technical and professional abilities identified by the candidates in their application, and on a demonstration of their expertise in the area of bovine livestock evaluation and assessment.  Valuers also undertook training before the start of their contract and are required under the Terms and Conditions of their contract to keep up to date with market prices and trends in livestock breeding. I am satisfied that all these factors combine to ensure that valuers are qualified to carry out their role under the On Farm Market Valuation Scheme.

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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681. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the average time in having cattle removed from a farm following positive tests that necessitate partial or full depopulation of herds; the timeframe his Department adheres to in having a second valuation carried out when the person refuses to accept the first valuation; if there have been incidents of diseased animals remaining on farms for undue periods due to delays on his Department's part in finalising valuations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11379/17]

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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In 2016 the average number of days for reactors to be removed was 27.9 days which is below the legal requirement of 30 days set down in EU legislation. My Department endeavours to have reactors removed from a holding as quickly as possible and, indeed, it provides a fully State funded reactor removal service to facilitate this. However, there are many factors beyond the control of my Department which may delay the removal of reactors. These include delays on the part of the herdowner in accepting a valuation, the need to comply with EU regulations prohibiting the transport of animals in late stages of pregnancy or having recently calved, the medication of animals shortly before the skin test etc.  My Department does not believe that such delays constitute a risk to other animals in the herds because farmers are required by law to segregate reactors from the rest of the herd and to take other biosecurity precautions thereby mitigating the risk of the spread of disease.