In November 2013, Fannin was cleared of charges brought against him in 2009 by the Special Investigations Unit of the Department of Agriculture that he interfered with animals to make them react positively to a TB test.

Judge Leonie Reynolds directed the jury in Cavan Circuit Court to bring a verdict of not guilty in respect of the outstanding charges and in her summary to the jury said: “It suggests to me, ladies and gentlemen, that in calling into question Mr Fannin’s integrity, in fact what really has been called into question in this case is the integrity of the prosecution.”

The allegation was that Fannin deliberately interfered with the TB test on eight animals in order to claim compensation for reactors.

Fannin was not compensated for the reactor animals that were taken from his farm and destroyed in 2009, even after he was cleared of the charges in November 2013.

Recommendations

On 21 January 2016, the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of the 31st Dáil under chair John McGuinness made a number of recommendations that were sent to the Department of An Taoiseach a few days later.

The first recommendation from McGuinness was that Fannin be compensated for the animals taken from his farm by the SIU in 2009, according to the TB reactor grant protocol.

McGuinness also asked that the internal report commissioned by former agriculture minister Simon Coveney into the handling of the case by the prosecution be made public.

Finally, McGuinness asked that the Department mediate with Fannin outside of court in reference to the farmer’s intention to claim for damages in the High Court.

Despite the issuing of these recommendations, the Irish Farmers Journal understands that Fannin is still awaiting the compensation for the animals and that he has not been contacted by the Department since he was cleared of the charges in Cavan Circuit Court in November 2013.

The Irish Farmers Journal has contacted the Department of Agriculture and Department of An Taoiseach for an update on the matter, but has yet to receive a response.

Judge criticises Department’s SIU for case against Cavan farmer

Department slow at culling reactors

Cavan farmer still awaiting compensation for TB reactor animals

Douglas Fannin, a farmer from Co Cavan, is still awaiting the compensation that the Public Accounts Committee says is owed to him by the Government for TB reactor animals taken from his farm in 2009.