asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food in the expanded allocation for tuberculosis eradication, the proposals he has to look at the area of reactor compensation, and bring this compensation in line with full market value.

On 25 September I presented proposals for a new management structure for the bovine tuberculosis scheme to farmer and veterinary representatives. I am awaiting some responses to these proposals and the question of reactor compensation could be examined in the new arrangements.

Would the Minister not agree that under the present regulations the amount paid by way of compensation for reactors to individual farmers is derisory in comparison to the cost of replacements?

That is one of the matters I was addressing in the new proposals I left with the farming organisations who were in consultation with the veterinary associations. They asked me to leave it with them until they would report to me on those consultations. I am awaiting that response.

The Minister indicated that he initiated these proposals on 25 September. How long will it take to get an adequate response and have the new scheme up and running? We are almost at the beginning of another year and it looks as if it will be this time next year before this scheme comes on stream.

The Deputy will appreciate that if the farm organisations and the veterinary interests concerned asked me specifically for time to let them consult so that they could at least agree on the action I would take, that is what I should do, and what I have been doing. I am expecting to hear from them very shortly but I do not want to anticipate the outcome of those discussions. Even before the new management framework is introduced, the results under the old scheme were very encouraging. We have committed adequate financing this year and we will do the same next year and the following year.

I want to give the House what I hope will be reassuring information. More than 134,000 herd tests had been completed at the end of November and we found no major flare-up of disease. Some 5,200 herds are restricted. The number of animals now reacting is below three per 1,000 and the number of reactors is down in expectations. There are fewer than 50 herds infected with brucellosis. Even pending the introduction of a new management structure, considerable progress has been made and the Government and I are determined to provide adequate finance for this programme over the years.