Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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907. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will establish a compensation scheme in respect of the culling of poultry flocks which has resulted in huge losses for a number of poultry farmers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6689/20]

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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I am acutely aware of the difficulties currently being faced by the affected poultry producers in this instance.  My Department has been and will continue to engage with representatives of the poultry sector, to seek to ensure that the current outbreak of avian influenza is dealt with in a timely and effective manner.

With regard the development of a support scheme for the current outbreak of low-pathogenic avian influenza, there is no legal basis for mandatory compensation in respect of the particular subtype of the disease identified, as it is not of a subtype defined as highly pathogenic under Council Directive 2005/94/EC.  However, my Department is currently exploring potential for funding, in the context of the State Aid rules framework, to partially offset the costs of depopulation and rendering for those poultry farmers affected during the recent outbreak.