Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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1110. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the TB supports in place for farmers affected when the higher rates of compensation will come into effect; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1543/25]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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My Department provides a range of financial supports that focus on compensating farmers for both direct and indirect losses incurred as a result of a TB breakdown on the farm.

The On Farm Market Valuation Scheme is the principal compensation measure available to Herd-owners whose herds are affected by a bovine TB breakdown in their herd. The Scheme aims to compensate farmers up to the open market value of an animal as if they were not affected by disease, subject to ceilings. In addition to the compensation package for eligible reactor animals that are removed during a TB breakdown, my Department operates three supplementary compensation schemes that assist farmers with the indirect losses incurred as a result of a TB breakdown on their farm

The Income Supplement Scheme is a targeted scheme which assists farmers who lose 9.5% or more of their herd to disease due to a single TB breakdown. Income supplement is only payable in cases where the 9.5% threshold is met in one continuous restriction period and where full Depopulation is not deemed an appropriate measure.

The Hardship Grant is a targeted scheme aimed at assisting eligible herd-owners who retain and feed animals during prolonged periods of restriction as a result of a TB breakdown and that have more animals than the same period in the previous year. The scheme runs each year for herds restricted between November 1st and April 30th.

Depopulation Grant is paid for each animal removed in the depopulation measure and for those herds that are partial or fully depopulated on foot of a veterinary decision made on analysis of the overall TB disease situation within a herd.

As part of the ongoing work of the TB Forum, agreement was reached at the Financial Working Group, a dedicated group comprising of Department officials and Key stakeholders, on a number of enhancements to the suite of compensation measures available to farmers who experience a TB breakdown,

The agreed enhancements to the On Farm Market Valuation Scheme, Hardship Grant and Depopulation Grant are in place for all herds. Those entering into restriction will be eligible for the new Income Supplement rates.

The necessary additional arrangements to calculate balancing payments for those herds who received the old rates of Income Supplement whilst restricted when the new rates were applied are being finalised to ensure balancing payments issue as soon as possible.