Debate contribution: Bovine TB: Costs
Debate contribution by Mr Andrew Muir on .
- MLA
- Mr Andrew Muir
- Party at the time
- Alliance Party
- Date
- 1 October 2024
- Type
- Debate contribution (made as a minister)
- Business
- Oral Answers to Questions
- Heading
- Bovine TB: Costs
- Assembly identifier
- Official Report component 4562705
Read the official Assembly record
Text
The cost of TB is significant to my Department but also, more particularly, to farmers in Northern Ireland. I recognise that, while there is a cost to compensation, that does not reflect the full cost to farmers in terms of the loss that is felt on the farm and, to be honest, the mental health impacts. I have spoken to farmers, and it is devastating. The costs are not sustainable, but I have made it clear that I desire to continue the level of compensation at 100% as long as I can and have the budget to cover that. I will do as much as I can. To be fair to the Finance Minister, support has been given around that, and it is recognised that this is a pressure that arises that we cannot sometimes forecast. However, I am taking action on this. We need to get the cost down, not just because of the cost to the Department but to farmers across Northern Ireland. The Chief Veterinary Officer was tasked, on taking up office in April, to take forward actions in relation to this and review where we are. I hope to announce, over the next number of weeks, the way forward on this. I consider it to be a key issue not just in the cost to the Department but to farmers in Northern Ireland.
227 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.
Assessment
Jev’s structured answers met the documented threshold for “not flagged”.
- Overall probability that the activity is being used to promote, exploit or escalate an identity-based controversy: 0.02 (flagging needs at least 0.70; at or below 0.30 is not flagged).
- None of the five culture-war criteria was met (each was below 0.60).
- Assessed as legitimate policy scrutiny (0.91).
- No identity-based framing was identified (1.00).
- The overall probability was at or below the not-flagging threshold.
This is an AI-generated assessment of the text, made against published criteria. It is not a finding of fact about the MLA or their intentions. The Assembly record itself is the fact.
Jev’s structured answers
| Question | Probability | Met? |
|---|---|---|
| Identity framing | 0.02 | No |
| Sectarian or communal antagonism | 0.01 | No |
| Cultural grievance politics | 0.01 | No |
| Dog-whistle messaging | 0.01 | No |
| Controversy escalation | 0.02 | No |
| Legitimate policy scrutiny | 0.91 | Yes |
| Overall judgement | 0.02 | At or below not-flagging threshold |
| Option | Probability |
|---|---|
| No identity-based framing (chosen) | 1.00 |
| Reports or questions it | 0.00 |
| Criticises or condemns it | 0.00 |
| Adopts it | 0.00 |
| Subject | Probability |
|---|---|
| No identity-related subject | 0.75 |
| Disability (including neurodivergence and mental health), disabled people and disability or sickness benefits | 0.24 |
| Another identity-related subject | 0.01 |
| Flags, emblems, symbols, names and memorials | 0.00 |
| Parades, bonfires and commemorations | 0.00 |
Assessed 21 October 2026 at 11:21 UTC by jev-1.13.0 (requested as typesafe/jev) under rubric 2026.10-r9, methodology 1.9.
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