Martin Kenny (Sligo-Leitrim, Sinn Fein)
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556. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the amount of compensation paid to farmers to compensate for all animals removed from herds due to disease control in each of the years 2008 to 2017. [9852/18]

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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My Department has a comprehensive compensation regime in place for herdowners who are affected by bovine TB, including compensation both for direct and indirect losses.

The primary compensation scheme for farmers whose herds are affected by TB is the On-Farm Market Valuation Scheme under which compensation is payable for cattle removed as reactors. The amount is based on the market value of the animal i.e. the price that might reasonably have been obtained for it, from a purchaser on the open market, if the animal had not been affected by TB. Each reactor is valued by an independent valuer and the Department pays the difference between this valuation and the salvage value, which the farmer receives directly from the slaughter plant.

Herdowners compensated under the On Farm Market Valuation Scheme may also qualify for supplementary payment under the Depopulation, Income Supplement and Hardship Grants Schemes subject to compliance with the relevant criteria.

Compensation for brucellosis (BR) was made in line with above schemes until Ireland became officially BR free in 2009. Some legacy BR payments were paid after 2009.

As the number of reactors has declined so too has the compensation paid to farmers. However there was a significant review of the supplementary schemes in 2016 which has led to an increase spend on those schemes.

Total amounts paid in compensation for the years 2008-2017 are as per attached table: