James O'Connor (Cork East, Fianna Fail)
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710. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of farmers who have submitted applications for TB reactor compensation; the number that are still under consideration; those refused; those accepted, the time frame of those waiting for payment 0- 3 weeks, 3-6 weeks, 6-9 weeks, 9-12 weeks, 12 + weeks, by county, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [65461/25]

Martin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael)
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Ireland’s TB Eradication Programme has a comprehensive compensation regime in place for herd-owners who are affected by bovine TB.

The On Farm Market Valuation Scheme (OFMV) 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.

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 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. 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.

All OFMV payments are based on reactors disclosed. If a herdowner has reactors, they are paid for those reactors subject to compliance with the terms and conditions for payment as provided in my Department's TB Compensation Arrangements, Information Booklet for Herdowners which is issued to all herdowners at the time of a bTB breakdown. For Income Supplement and Hardship payments there is no application required, Regional offices assess eligibility for all herds in breakdown and herds that meet the conditions of the scheme are paid automatically.

Recently my Department has experienced increase in volume of bTB Compensation payments resulting in a temporary backlog of payments, which is reflected below.

In the table below, total number of Compensation payments made under the TB Eradication Programme this year to 20/11/2025, based on my Department's Animal Health Computer System (AHCS) figures.

*includes multiple payments across all schemes made to any single herd in the calendar year.