The Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers' Association (ICSA) has called for clarity on how new bovine tuberculosis (TB) measures will be funded.

The ICSA's animal health chair Hugh Farrell has said that farm organisations are becoming increasingly frustrated at the lack of detail being provided by the bovine TB forum and its sub committees. He said:

He said that the ICSA and other representatives will not agree on proposals to introduce pre or post-movement testing requirements until further detail is provided on how these measures will be funded.

He said that farmers are receiving "totally out of date" supports such as the Income Supplement and Hardship grants, particularly given the current inflationary pressures.

According to Farrell, it is not realistic to introduce further testing requirements without also introducing more supports.

Extra hardships for farmers combined with a lack of money on the government's side is leaving the finance sub committee of the TB forum "hamstrung" he added.

Farrell concluded by stating that the association will not agree to more testing requirements unless the government comes forward with extra supports.

"We are not willing to spend another year being fobbed off with expensive consultant reports designed to cloud over the key issues. It is now time for the minister to sit down and take a realistic approach to resolving this," he finished.