Agriculture Schemes
Dail Éireann — 2026-01-29
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Martin Heydon (FG), Kildare South

The control of all animal disease is an ongoing challenge for Irish farmers and my Department. I am acutely aware of the emotional and financial impacts that an outbreak of any disease can have on farmers and their families across rural Ireland. My Department provides a range of financial supports for farmers affected by certain animal disease outbreaks. Section 31(2) of the Animal Health and Welfare Act 2013, as amended, provides that compensation shall not exceed the open market value of an animal before its killing or natural death or destruction - less any salvage value or payment under a policy of insurance in respect of it - as if the disease did not exist. I am, therefore, obliged to work within the provisions of the Animal Health and Welfare Act when compensating farmers for the loss of animals associated with disease where a compensation scheme exists.
The primary support scheme in relation to the valuation of animals affected by a disease outbreak is the on-farm market valuation scheme under the bovine tuberculosis, TB, programme. Most people are familiar with that scheme. Further supports are available through the income supplement scheme, depopulation grant scheme and the hardship grant scheme. In 2025, of the 39,790 animals valued under the on-farm market valuation scheme, just over 91% of animals were valued below the scheme ceilings. Other examples include financial supports for farmers under the bovine viral diarrhoea, BVD, programme, where animals are removed from a holding under the programme, as well as compensation to farmers who had birds culled due to an outbreak of avian influenza.
Significant financial resources are expended each year by my Department on supporting farmers affected by animal disease outbreaks directly as well as supporting farmers to reduce their risk of an animal disease outbreak through facilitating engagement with their private veterinary practitioners on improving on-farm biosecurity, which is the first line of defence in preventing an outbreak of disease on a farm.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/dail/2026-01-29/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-08-14T04:54:34+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-01-29