Allister comments on deal on dioxin compensation
09 March 2009
“I welcome that a deal on compensation appears to be finally on the cards between DARD and those farmers whose animals are to be destroyed as a result of having eaten contaminated feed. However, perhaps the most pertinent question is -why has it taken the Executive 3 months to get us to this point, while meanwhile, untold damage has been done to the image of the Northern Ireland agri-food industry?”
“DARD initially expected farmers to accept an offer whereby only cull and disposal costs of the animals concerned would be paid, while the livelihoods of those farmers would have been lost through no fault of their own –to a situation where approximately 70% of the value of the animals will be paid in compensation. Furthermore, how were the Irish able to put together a compensation package and receive EU approval within days, while it has taken the Northern Ireland authorities until now to begin to address this problem. This really has been public incompetence at its worst.”
ENDS
