Vol. 551 No. 3
137 Mr. Crawford asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development the number of farmers who were not paid for reactor animals as a result of the closure of a company (details supplied); the locations these herd-owners reside in on a county basis; his views on whether there is an urgency for these farmers to be paid; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10607/02]
It is understood that around 140 farmers supplied reactor animals to Henshaws in the last three weeks of business, while a further 60 to 70 had been issued cheques by the company for their reactors but had delayed cashing them in the period before closure. The farmers involved are mainly from counties Sligo, Leitrim, Donegal, Cavan, Monaghan, Louth and Wicklow.
The procedure for disposing of reactor animals under the TB and brucellosis disease eradication schemes operates on the basis that meat factories tender on a weekly basis for the slaughter of these animals and my Department selects the meat factories on the basis of the prices they offer for different types of animals. At all times the ownership of the reactor animal continues to reside with the farmer and therefore the contract for the salvage value is a matter between the farmer and the meat factory involved. My Department's responsibility is to ensure the secure removal of the animal to slaughter and to pay the appropriate compensation.
In the circumstances where a factory goes out of business, such as has happened in the case in question, the recovery of any moneys due to losses incurred by farmers is a matter for resolution between themselves and the company's liquidators.
