THE Minister for Agriculture, Mr Yates, has extended the BSE compensation package for Irish farmers. It will now include payment to farmers who sold finished heifers through livestock marts in the period March 25th, 1996, to June 29th, 1996.
The move was welcomed yesterday by the chairman of the IFA national livestock committee, Mr Raymond O'Malley.
A spokesman for the Department said a total of £70 million had been set aside to compensate farmers for BSE. It is anticipated that there will be some money left over from this which will now be available to fund the extension of the scheme.
Producers who sold finished heifers in the relevant period are eligible to apply for compensation to help them sustain financial losses as a result of the BSE crisis. The amount payable per animal could be up to £50. There is no upper limit on the number of animals which may qualify for payment per individual producer.
The money being made available for this scheme must be paid by October 15th.
Mr Yates yesterday urged farmers to complete and return application forms by tomorrow to the Department of Agriculture, Michael Davitt House, Castlebar, Co Mayo.