Minister for Agriculture Charlie McConalogue. \Philip Doyle
The new TB implementation working group set up as part of the Bovine TB Stakeholder Forum and chaired by Dr Sean Brady had its first meeting on Tuesday.
Minister for Agriculture Charlie McConalogue has welcomed the discussions on how to implement the actions in the strategy, which is hoped will reduce the threat of TB to farmers.
The Bovine TB Eradication Programme is the largest animal health programme, with over nine million individual TB tests carried out each year on more than 110,000 farms.
Disease levels have been rising since 2016 and pose a threat to trade access, with trading partners regularly seeking assurances that the programme is effective.
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The finance group will work on compensation payments to farmers.\ Donal O Leary
The TB finance group began its work on farmer compensation payments at its first meeting on Thursday, with Minister for Agriculture Charlie McConalogue saying there was positive and constructive discussion.
The group has four terms of reference:
Informed by the independent cost benefit analysis, developing a sustainable funding model for the ongoing financial requirements of the TB programme, in line with National Farmed Animal Health Strategy principles.
In line with the recommendations from the independent review of the On Farm Market Valuation Scheme, proposing initiatives consistent with providing fair valuations of reactor animals in a timely and cost-effective manner.
March 4, 2021 4:56 pm
Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Charlie McConalogue has welcomed what he called the “positive start” to the Finance Working Group that was recently set up under the TB Stakeholder Forum.
The group, which is chaired by Gerry Kiely, held its first meeting today (Thursday, March 4).
“The Bovine TB Eradication Programme is our largest animal health programme and is subject to substantial financial support from farmers and taxpayers,” the minister noted.
In recognition of this, the terms of reference for the Finance Working Group tasks them with a heavy workload, particularly the need to ensure that the TB Programme is sustainably and appropriately funded.