Aindrias Moynihan (Cork North-West, Fianna Fail)
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134. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine for an increase in the TB reactor compensation payment to reflect the current market value of cattle; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55030/25]

Martin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael)
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Bovine TB is an ongoing challenge for Irish farmers. I am acutely aware of the emotional and financial impacts of bovine TB on farmers, their families and rural Ireland. In recent years we have seen a significant increase in bTB levels nationally, with over 6,000 farm families affected by a TB outbreak in 2024, when herd incidence stood at 6.04%.

I secured an increased allocation of €85 million for bTB in Budget 2026, bringing the total budget to €157 million. I am confident that this increased budget will allow the revamped bTB programme to focus on tackling disease levels through the implementation of the measures laid out in the new bTB Action Plan. It will also support and enable farm families who are currently dealing with the stress of a TB outbreak to navigate a way out of a TB restriction and protect those herds currently free from TB from the stress of a TB outbreak.

The objective of the new measures in the Bovine TB Action Plan is to reduce the number of farms affected by bTB, and decrease costs for farmers and the taxpayer.

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 primary support scheme is the On Farm Market Valuation scheme, where animals removed as reactors receive compensation equivalent to what their market value would have been if they had not been disclosed as TB reactors, subject to scheme ceilings. In the period up to 31st August 2025, of the 24,724 animals valued under the On Farm Market Valuation scheme, just under 97% of animals were valued below the scheme ceilings. Further supports are available through the Income Supplement Scheme, Depopulation Grant scheme and the Hardship Grant scheme.

As part of the work of the TB Forum, a dedicated Financial Working Group was established to review the financial modelling of various elements of the Bovine TB Eradication programme. As a result of the agreement reached in this Group, over the last two years there were rate enhancements to the Income Supplement Scheme, the Hardship Grant and the Depopulation Grant, as well as enhanced ceilings for select animals being removed as part of the On Farm Market Valuation Scheme. In addition, the Financial Working Group also expanded the eligibility criteria under the Income Supplement Scheme and Hardship Grant Schemes.

Due to the increased cost of the bTB programme in recent years, the focus at present is on reducing the levels of disease which will reduce the impact of bTB on Irish farm families and reduce the cost of the programme which has risen to over €100 million in 2024.