A European Parliament Committee is to hear a petition from the North Clare farmer who made national headlines when he welcomed quad calves last year.
Along with his wife Mary, Tom Clair will have a petition heard in Brussels today as they seek compensation from the state relating to a refusal to grant cattle identity tags for their herds.
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The case dates back to March 2001, when Mary and Tom Clair, who live near Lahinch, applied to a provider of the cattle identity tags for additional tags.
But, the District Veterinary Office of the Department of Agriculture downsized the order, because they had sufficient unused tags from the previous year.
Mr and Mrs Clair claim these unused tags had been accidentally burned, and that as a result of the refusal, some of their animals were untagged and unregistered.
They couldn’t sell these animals and didn’t have enough shelter for them on their farms.
The following year, they received additional tags for their herds, but as 2000, 2001 and 2002 were reference years for calculating eligibility for EU schemes, their payments were subsequently lower.
They now want compensation from the Irish State and are seeking the farm premium rights allegedly withheld from them.
They are being hosted by MEP Sean Kelly at today’s appearance before the European Parliament’s Petitions Committee, which will consider their case this afternoon.
