Weight limits for hardship-fund cattle
Murphy asked whether hardship aid could cover cattle regardless of weight and repeatedly sought the maximum eligible weight. Gibbons said eligibility followed the Animal Health Council’s recommendations and depended on the severity of infection and hardship to the herd owner, not an animal-weight ceiling; the exchange ended in argument without a specific weight being given.
asked the Minister for Agriculture in view of the restrictive nature of the present hardship fund scheme for reactor cattle, if the scheme will be open to all cattle irrespective of weight.
Comment on this
The answer is no. The categories of reactors which qualify for aid from the fund are those recommended to me by the Advisory Council on Animal Health and Disease Eradication, which is representative of all the interests concerned.
Comment on this
In this case it is a question of the determination of the intensity of the breakdown in the herd. Again, it is a question of the whole herd, more or less irrespective of what the herd consists of. If there is a particular degree of infection in that herd the question of the payment of a grant from the hardship fund will be considered. I agree it would be better if the hardship fund was of greater size but there is a strain on the resources. With the backlog of disease eradication work we inherited when we came into office it is necessary for us to deploy all our resources in the best way possible in conformity with the recommendations of the animal health committee.
Comment on this
Would the Minister not agree that the intensity of degree of infection in a herd is one factor only? The second factor—the one with which I find fault—is the weight factor. Would the Minister inform the House the maximum weight that will qualify for monies from the hardship fund?
Comment on this
I see it is necessary to repeat that it is the degree of hardship on the heard owner that is the question to be determined——
Comment on this
To be sure it is a factor; it is the only relevant factor that there is; what other factor could be relevant? We are talking about hardship——
Comment on this
The animals do not suffer hardship because they have been slaughtered. The Deputy should not be ridiculous.
Comment on this
Would the Minister not agree that the weight is so restrictive that cow reactors do not qualify, or very few of them; that most cattle do not qualify because of the restrictions imposed by the Minister?