18th December, 2012

The Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers’ Association has welcomed the decision of the Department of Agriculture to pull back from implementing controversial cost-saving measures to the TB eradication scheme.  Changes to the scheme were announced today by the Minister for Agriculture, Simon Coveney TD.  

ICSA Rural Development chairman John Barron said, “ICSA had serious concerns about an early proposal to abolish independent valuations of infected cattle in cases where there is only one reactor in the herd.  Independent valuation of all reactors is a core principle of the TB eradication scheme which farmers fought hard to secure.  ICSA mounted very robust opposition to this proposal and I would regard it as a victory for common sense that our position was vindicated and it was dropped from the scheme.”

“We also argued strongly against the proposal to charge farmers €22.50 for the collection of reactors, which would have been unfair and disproportionate to say the least, and  I am delighted that the Minister listened to ICSA on these issues.”

Concluding, Mr Barron reiterated that it remains hugely important to tackle the wildlife issue head-on as part of the wider TB eradication effort.  “That’s the best way to fully eradicate the disease from this country and if that was achieved, then the cost-cutting problem would be completely solved.”