Departmental Data

Tuesday, 25 November 2025

Questions (710)

James O'Connor

Question:

710. Deputy James O'Connor asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of farmers who have submitted applications for TB reactor compensation; the number that are still under consideration; those refused; those accepted, the time frame of those waiting for payment 0- 3 weeks, 3-6 weeks, 6-9 weeks, 9-12 weeks, 12 + weeks, by county, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [65461/25]

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Written answers

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine

Ireland’s TB Eradication Programme has a comprehensive compensation regime in place for herd-owners who are affected by bovine TB.

The On Farm Market Valuation Scheme (OFMV) is the principal compensation measure available to Herd-owners whose herds are affected by a bovine TB breakdown in their herd. The Scheme aims to compensate farmers up to the open market value of an animal as if they were not affected by disease, subject to ceilings.

The Income Supplement Scheme is a targeted scheme which assists farmers who lose 9.5% or more of their herd to disease due to a single TB breakdown. Income supplement is only payable in cases where the 9.5% threshold is met in one continuous restriction period and where Depopulation is not deemed an appropriate measure.

The Hardship Grant is a targeted scheme aimed at assisting eligible herd-owners who retain and feed animals during prolonged periods of restriction as a result of a TB breakdown. The scheme runs each year for herds restricted between November 1st and April 30th.

Depopulation Grant is paid for each animal removed in the depopulation measure and for those herds that are partial or fully depopulated on foot of a veterinary decision made on analysis of the overall TB disease situation within a herd.

All OFMV payments are based on reactors disclosed. If a herdowner has reactors, they are paid for those reactors subject to compliance with the terms and conditions for payment as provided in my Department's TB Compensation Arrangements, Information Booklet for Herdowners which is issued to all herdowners at the time of a bTB breakdown. For Income Supplement and Hardship payments there is no application required, Regional offices assess eligibility for all herds in breakdown and herds that meet the conditions of the scheme are paid automatically.

Recently my Department has experienced increase in volume of bTB Compensation payments resulting in a temporary backlog of payments, which is reflected below.

In the table below, total number of Compensation payments made under the TB Eradication Programme this year to 20/11/2025, based on my Department's Animal Health Computer System (AHCS) figures.

County	No of Applications*	Paid Within 3 Weeks	Paid Within 3 - 8 Weeks	Paid Within 8 - 13 Weeks	Paid Over 13 Weeks
Carlow Rvo	126	64	44	15	3
Cavan Rvo	884	709	138	32	5
Clare Rvo	987	801	164	7	15
Cork North Rvo	1527	928	519	42	38
Cork South Rvo	1862	1084	713	50	15
Donegal Rvo	620	452	155	12	1
Dublin Rvo	132	99	33	0	0
Galway Rvo	1567	941	561	53	12
Kerry Rvo	1665	1037	539	80	9
Kildare Rvo	245	188	52	3	2
Kilkenny Rvo	725	526	124	44	31
Laois Rvo	582	488	90	2	2
Leitrim Rvo	592	350	195	31	16
Limerick Rvo	674	603	66	3	2
Longford Rvo	668	474	173	11	10
Louth Rvo	243	202	33	7	1
Mayo Rvo	810	464	292	29	25
Meath Rvo	1328	1062	218	22	26
Monaghan Rvo	950	809	128	8	5
Offaly Rvo	615	520	76	9	10
Roscommon Rvo	422	308	106	7	1
Sligo Rvo	564	375	146	14	29
Tipperary North Rvo	852	751	84	10	7
Tipperary South Rvo	708	580	112	13	3
Waterford Rvo	506	215	234	29	28
Westmeath Rvo	590	496	83	5	6
Wexford Rvo	382	249	98	21	14
Wicklow East Rvo	431	274	106	32	19
Wicklow West Rvo	404	353	46	5	0
Total	21661	15402	5328	596	335

*includes multiple payments across all schemes made to any single herd in the calendar year.