I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Healy-Rae.

I thank the Cathaoirleach for selecting this matter to be taken and I welcome the Minister of State. The Minister of State knows full well the scourge that is bovine tuberculosis, TB, and the impact it has on farmers and farm families in terms of the emotional stress, financial stress, worry and the heartache that it can bring.

I acknowledge the work the Minister of State, the Minister, Deputy Heydon, and their Department have done in relation to the bovine TB action plan published during the summer. It has some 30 actions and five high-level headings, namely, to support herds free of bovine TB to remain free; to reduce the impact of wildlife on the spread of bovine TB; to detect and eliminate bovine TB infection as early as possible in herds with a bovine TB breakdown and avoid a future breakdown; to help farmers improve all areas of on-farm biosecurity; and to reduce the impact of known high-risk animals in spreading bovine TB. These are all very important.

I also acknowledge the work of the Minister and the Minister of State in securing additional funding in the budget to ensure there is adequate compensation for farmers. This is necessary for two reasons. The first is the higher rate of TB in cattle herds and the second is the higher value of animals. The increase in the value of cattle in the last couple of years has been very welcome for farmers, but it has also put additional pressure on the budget. That increase in funding was absolutely necessary.

The Minister of State knows that if farmers lose one animal or 5% or 10% of their animals, it is difficult. If they lose a full herd, and there is full depopulation of the herd, that is a huge stress on the family and a huge financial burden. If that herd is a pedigree one, whether it has 20, 30, 40 or 50 animals, that is an additional hit. I understand the reason the Department has a cap on compensation for an individual animal. If a farmers loses a pedigree cow or bull, that is a hit. If a farmer loses the full herd, however, that is a substantial hit because of the cap on compensation for an individual animal. I am asking that consideration be given to having supports for pedigree herds. If there is a full depopulation of a pedigree herd, I am asking that there would be additional compensation for the farmer. I have engaged with certain individuals who have told me that a farmer who loses a herd of 35 or 40 animals could take a hit of over €55,000. That is a huge hit for any farmer. I ask that the Minister of State and the Minister engage with their Department to see if something could be looked at in cases where there is a full depopulation of a pedigree herd.

Cuirim fáilte roimh an tuairisc a d'fhoilsigh Roinn an Aire Stáit i rith an tsamhraidh maidir le eitinn bólachta, TB. Tá a fhios agam go mbíonn brú ollmhór ar fheirmeoirí nuair a bhíonn orthu tástáil eitinne a dhéanamh. Tá a fhios agam freisin gur cailliúint mhór í nuair a chaithfidh siad fáil réidh lena gcuid beithígh de bharr an ghalair. Cuirim fáilte roimh an maoiniú breise a bhfuarthas i mbuiséad 2026. Teastaíonn sé seo go géar toisc go bhfuil na huimhreacha TB ag méadú. Tá uasteorainn íocaíochta i bhfeidhm d'fheirmeoirí a bhfuil eitinn ag a gcuid beithígh. Tá sé seo ceart go leor i bhformhór na gcásanna ach, nuair atá an tréad ar fad i gceist, go háirithe nuair is beithígh pedigree iad, tá tionchar níos mó aige seo ó thaobh airgid de. An bhfuil aon phróiseas eile ar fáil do na feirmeoirí seo?

The financial hardship is acute on many farmers. I know there are hardship schemes and obviously compensation. The cap that applies to a full depopulation of a pedigree herd needs to be looked at.

I apologise for the Minister, Deputy Heydon, and I am glad to be here on his behalf. I thank Senator Kyne for raising this matter as it provides me with the opportunity to outline the current situation with the bovine TB eradication programme. The Senator's timing in this debate is important given what has been happening in my county in recent weeks, on top of every other thing we had to do with TB. We seem to have an awful serious problem at the moment, which the Senator is rightfully recognising in the House.

Bovine TB is an ongoing challenge for Irish farmers, and I know it takes a toll both emotionally and financially on farming families. In recognition of a need to tackle the increased disease levels in recent years, on 9 September this years the Minister, Deputy Heydon, launched the Bovine TB Action Plan: Addressing Bovine TB in Ireland. There are five measures and 30 actions underpinned by scientific research and veterinary expertise. These are: to support herds free of bovine TB to remain free; to reduce the impact of wildlife on the spread of bovine TB; to detect and eliminate bovine TB infection as early as possible in herds with a bovine TB breakdown and avoid a future breakdown; to help farmers improve all areas of on-farm biosecurity; and to reduce the impact of known high-risk animals in spreading bovine TB.

The aim of the action plan is to reset the bovine TB programme in the context of putting in place measures necessary to tackle the current disease situation. These measures are targeting both transmission between wildlife and cattle and transmission between cattle.

Budget 2026 provided an increased budget for the TB programme, with €157 million allocated for 2026. This will allow the TB programme to focus on driving down disease through the implementation of the measures laid out in the bovine TB action plan. Our Department provides various financial supports designed to help farmers with the direct and indirect losses from TB outbreaks on their farms. The primary support scheme is the on-farm market valuation scheme, which compensates farmers for the market value of animals that are removed due to TB, as if they had not been identified as reactors.

When a herd goes down with TB, the herd owner selects a valuer from an independent panel of livestock experts who visits the holding to value the animals on farm using up-to-date market values. Each week our Department issues summary market prices which are compiled of sales data collected nationally from marts by Department officials and accurately reflect current values for each category of animal, ensuring that affected farmers receive appropriate value for their animals. I know this is the issue the Senator has a big problem with. Once a valuation has been agreed by both parties, the animals are removed for slaughter. On receipt of factory dockets detailing the salvage value, our Department issues payment for the remainder of the valuation, bringing the amount up to the market value assigned by the independent valuer, subject to certain ceiling limits.

In the period up to 30 November 2025, of the 36,646 animals valued under the on-farm market valuation scheme, just under 95% of animals were valued below the scheme ceilings. Additional support options are available through the income supplement scheme, depopulation grant scheme and hardship grant scheme to help farmers with indirect costs incurred during a TB breakdown.

As part of the work of the TB forum, a dedicated financial working group was established to review the financial modelling of various elements of the bovine TB eradication programme. As a result of the agreement reached in this group in 2023, there were rate enhancements to improve the supplement scheme, the hardship grant and the depopulation grant as well as enhanced ceilings for select animals such as certain pedigree animals being removed as part of the on-farm market valuation scheme. In addition, the financial working group also expanded the eligibility criteria under the income supplement scheme and hardship grant schemes. Due to the increased cost of the bovine TB programme in recent years, the focus at present is on reducing the levels of disease, which will reduce the impact of bovine TB on Irish family farms and reduce the cost of the programme, which rose to over €100 million in 2024, a figure which will be exceeded in 2025.

I thank the Minister of State for the comprehensive response. As I said, I would not be here today if it were a case of one cow or one bull. However, the cap impacts the value that is allowed to be paid to pedigree farm owners. For a farmer in their 50s who wants to get back into pedigree farming again after the depopulation grant, there is a huge disincentive because of the payment. I am asking the Minister of State to go back to the Minister, Deputy Heydon, and discuss this at management board meetings with the Department officials to see if it is possible where there is a pedigree herd. I am sure the Minister of State has them in Kerry. A person might have a pedigree herd of 20 or 30 or 40 animals and they are suffering from a full depopulation and the impact that has, with the emotional impact, the stress, the worry, the hardship and the financial hit.

I fully acknowledge the frustration farmers experience with this disease.

By addressing the bovine TB disease levels in Ireland through the implementation of the actions in the recently launched TB action plan, we will be able to tackle this disease in a meaningful manner and better protect farm families in Ireland from this disease. Bovine TB is a challenging disease to control and eradicate. The Minister for agriculture, Deputy Heydon, and I, and everyone in the Department, are acutely aware of the financial and emotional trauma associated with a TB breakdown. It causes significant hardship for farmers and farming families. The Minister is fully committed to the ultimate objective of the TB programme, which is eradication. However, our immediate focus has to be on reducing the current high levels of this disease, which are very much out of control.

The aim of this action plan is to reset the bovine TB programme by putting in place the necessary measures to tackle the current disease situation. These measures target both transmission between wildlife and cattle and between cattle. It is vital these measures are taken to reduce disease levels and to protect the livelihoods of farmers and rural communities. The combined efforts of all stakeholders in implementing these actions will make a significant contribution to reducing the levels of TB we have unfortunately seen in recent years. The cost of the bovine TB programme has increased significantly in recent years. The most effective way to reduce the cost of the bovine TB programme is through reducing disease levels. I thank the Senator again for raising an exceptionally topical matter that is terribly important.

I thank the Minister of State for his time and for coming to the House. We appreciate it.