The delay in the enhanced rates being issued under the income supplement scheme in the bovine TB (tuberculosis) programme is owed to IT (information technology) updates, according to the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue.

Minister McConalogue confirmed this was the cause of the delays to Deputy Colm Burke following a question from the Co. Cork TD on when the promised changes to the income supplement scheme under the bovine TB programme will come into effect.

McConalogue said: "Officials from my department have been working to implement the necessary changes to our IT systems which reflect all of the agreed changes.

In the interim, McConalogue said that "while the IT updates are being finalised, all eligible herds will continue to receive the previously agreed flat rates to ensure continuity of financial assistance" from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine.

The minister confirmed that once these systems are operational, "the enhanced rates for the income supplement scheme will be available immediately going forward and any eligible herd will receive a balancing payment in due course which will reflect the new rates back to their date of eligibility under the scheme or February 1, 2023, whichever is appropriate.

"One of the main agreed changes, is that the eligibility date for income supplement will now be linked with the date that the required percentage of animals are identified as reactors," he added.

This has replaced the previous criteria which linked eligibility to the later date of the removal of the required percentage of reactors.

While eligibility may coincide with the date of restriction in some cases, the minister said it will depend on the date which the required percentage of animals are identified in a herd, which may be after a 60 day reactor re-test.

Meanwhile, the minister said the agreed enhancements to the on farm market valuation scheme and depopulation grant are now operational.

He added that all eligible herd owners will have received balancing payments in respect of the changes to these two schemes.

Minister McConalogue also said the "necessary system upgrades in relation to the hardship grant have recently been finalised" and that "work is currently underway at regional level, assessing herds for eligibility under the scheme and processing payments where applicable".

According to DAFM, the new rates of compensation are as follows:

Income supplement monthly rates:
Depopulation grant:
Hardship grant monthly rates:

Farmers who wish to read more about the TB compensation increase and additional test payment can click here.