Danny Healy-Rae raises alarm over TP testing delays and compensation

Thank you very much. I welcome the witnesses here today and I suppose I have to kind of hear saying that here polls are limited but I suppose he do represent farmers. I see here that he has particular regard to the circumstances and needs of farmers, fishers and small food businesses. So are there another Aram of the Department of Agriculture? Are there another Aram of the Department of Agriculture? No Deputy, we are an independent agency of the Department of Agriculture. And can you ask questions of the Department of Agriculture? Yes, we can make recommendations for example on legislation etc. So I suppose, Chairman, we all know that TP is rampant and again this week in my parish a dairy farmer, 26 of his cows went down last Friday. And he has a number of issues. He never bought in an animal. He has a number of issues and he had highly bred cows. And he, the cows have been tagged and gone down. He is asking that those cows should be blood tested by the Department of Agriculture. They are refusing to blood test those, but they will blood test the rest of the animals, the remaining ones that didn't go down in the skin test. So, that's one question. He is an agri-food regulator. Yeah, but they say they are representing farmers. And I am only wondering, can they ask the department questions in relation to, there are a couple of more questions as well. We will also have the Minister in later on. Right, well is that a problem of asking these questions, Joe or Chairman? The agri-food regulator would be unlikely to be able to answer questions on TV? Well, we are no farmers, which is down here, that are representing the needs of farmers. And that's just one question this farmer wanted to ask, and I know that is applicable to many others. The other thing is, he knows that the cattle that have gone down won't be taken for five or six weeks. And that's not right either. We know that it's important to contain the disease and are not allowed to spread. That's two things. The other thing, he knows that the maximum amount of compensation that he will get is about 3,000 euros here or there. He's saying the type of cows he's worth are more likely in the region between 8,000 and 10,000 each. This took years to build it up. Can he just, I'll go no further with this line of questioning if he don't think he can ask the question off of anyone. No. Thank you, Deputy. And I suppose, first of all, the answer is it's not really within our remit. Secondly, you mentioned about your constituent. Yeah. My own best friend at home had a test yesterday. And he's waiting until Friday to see, will he go clear he has already lost 100 animals. So it is an incredible problem all around the country. And we've seen, I think the figures have gone chairman from 17,000 reactors a few years ago up to about in the 40s at the moment. So, and in the budget, there was 85 million extra given towards us. But, you know, but in relation to the problems at farm level, it's not an issue for the agri-food regulator at this stage, Deputy. I think it's important to acknowledge the huge stress on your neighbour. Yeah, and on many others as well. But this fellow is very close to me now. Fair enough. It's weighing heavily on my mind since I left home. We will have the Minister later on. Yeah, well, that's good. I suppose I have another unrelated question. And I suppose I've asked it many times in the Chamber before in relation. I think that processes and factories, they create different scenarios and they demand certain rules and regulations. I know that they're damned to get animals at all at this time. But one of the things that has driven me very incinced is this thing about the four movements. And, like, we all know that when an animal hangs up inside the slaughterhouse or whatever, no one could tell how many times it had been moved. Whether it was two, three, four, five, ten times. And there's no less value could be demanded because of that. However, the fact is that if cattle get plentiful again, they'll use that to their advantage to reduce the price of the animal that's being slaughtered to their advantage. And, like, have we any say over that kind of scenario? Again, thanks, Deputy. No, we don't have a say over that. But on probably a more positive note, I was at the Chagas Beef Conference in Athenry last night and there was over 500 people there. And I'd have to say it was probably one of the best age structures I've seen at a meeting for a long time. And, you know, there was good positivity. I think there was a figure given there that in Europe there will be a shortage of about 830,000 tonnes of meat, you know, and it's unlikely to improve in the near future. So, hopefully, the demand will continue. And I think what last night highlighted was that if the prices are good enough, the interest is there from farmers in the sector. I spoke to, you might know him, Martin, our Deputy Kenny, John Barron in Donegal. And he had three people in the car with him from Donegal to Athenry. And there was people there from Waterford and Cork and Kerry as well. So, it was great to see and long made last. Well, just as a matter of interest, we had our local IFA meeting in Kilgarven the other night and the room was full and it was full of active, younger men and women than we've had in recent years in other, you know, IFA meetings or farmers meetings. So, things are looking up in that regard, you know, if you have it from… The returns are there, the interest is there. Yes. So, look, all right, I can't hear you. Thank you, but before you go… If… … … … … … … … …