William Aird (Laois, Fine Gael)
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254. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the current average timeframe from reactor identification to payment to farmers whose cattle have tested positive for bovine TB; the steps being taken to ensure the prompt processing and payment of compensation to affected farmers to support their financial stability; whether his Department intends to introduce further measures to reduce delays and improve certainty for affected farmers, and ongoing farm operations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [66332/25]

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 bTB outbreak in 2024, and herd incidence at 6.04%.

The On Farm Market Valuation Scheme is the principal compensation measure available to farmers who experience a TB breakdown on 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 current average timeframe from reactor identification to payment to farmers whose cattle have tested positive for bovine TB is 91.5 days.

There are a significant number of steps which must be taken between identification of a reactor to the payment of compensation including, amongst others, arrangement of a valuation, the appeal of a valuation by a herd owner or my Department, arranging the removal and slaughter of reactors, which can be delayed where veterinary medicines have been administered to an animal, cleansing and disinfection of a premises and the receipt of certain paperwork by my Department from a herd owner.

The continued increase in bTB disease levels in recent years has resulted in significant additional work in the administration of the bTB programme for the Department.

There has recently been an increase in the volume of bTB compensation payments that resulted in a temporary backlog in payments. This backlog has now been cleared and outstanding compensation payments are issuing to Herd owners this week.

On 9th September I published the “Bovine TB Action Plan, Addressing Bovine TB in Ireland”

There are 5 measures in the Plan which are underpinned by 30 actions:

• Support herds free of bTB to remain free
• Reduce the impact of wildlife on the spread of bTB
• Detect and eliminate bTB infection as early as possible in herds with a bTB breakdown and avoid a future breakdown
• Help farmers improve all areas of on-farm biosecurity
• Reduce the impact of known high-risk animals in spreading bTB