Claire Kerrane (Roscommon-Galway, Sinn Fein)
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121. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will examine the current valuation ceilings for farmers where their animals are infected by TB; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [66116/25]

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.

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. Further supports are available through the Income Supplement Scheme, Depopulation Grant scheme and the Hardship Grant scheme.

In the period up to 31st of October, of the 32,860 animals valued under the On Farm Market Valuation scheme, just under 97% of animals were valued below the scheme ceilings.

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 in 2023, 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 rose to over €100 million in 2024, a figure which will be exceeded in 2025.