Agriculture Committee Welcomes Ministerial Re-think on Compensation Scheme

The Assembly’s Committee for Agriculture and Rural Development has welcomed the Minister’s re-think on compensation arrangements for Tuberculosis (TB) and Brucellosis in cattle. Earlier this year the Committee voiced its opposition to the original proposals on table values for compensation.

Speaking about the issue, Committee Chairperson, Paul Frew MLA said, “The Committee welcomes the fact that the Minister acknowledges our opposition to tabular values for compensation. Eradication of both diseases should be the priority and so the Minister should act swiftly and decisively taking full account of the consultation responses to its revised proposals.”

In other business, the Committee heard from Local Action Groups and Joint Council Committees about problems with Axis 3 of the Northern Ireland Rural Development Programme (NIRDP). Having heard evidence on the current programme, the Committee decided there was merit in having a stakeholder event involving the JCCs, LAGs, the Department and the Committee with a view to informing the design of a new Programme.

Speaking after the meeting Mr Frew MLA said: “We have to start now planning for the future and the Committee will be calling on the Minister to lend her support to this event to in order to learn lessons from the current programme and to influence the design of the new programme.”

ENDS