Results 1-20 of 39 for badger cull speaker:Simon Coveney

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Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: TB Eradication Scheme (30 Jun 2015)

Simon Coveney: There is very considerable scientific evidence of a link between badgers and cattle in the context of the spread of bovine TB. Research conducted over the years by the Department and others has demonstrated that the eradication of bovine TB disease is not a practicable proposition until the issue of the reservoir of infection in badgers, which is seeding infection into the cattle population,...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: National Deer Cull (10 Jun 2015)

Simon Coveney: ..., including deer, and are available to discuss these issues with herdowners. However, my Department has no statutory role in the management of wild deer and has no authority to call for a national cull. In relation to the Wicklow study on deer, my Department applied for and was granted a licence by the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht to shoot deer out of season from an...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: TB Eradication Scheme (9 Jun 2015)

Simon Coveney: ...15.5% cultured positive overall.  A previous survey in this region in 2008 found a lower visible lesion rate but the culturing methodology used was different. The exercise also involved the culling and examination of badgers from the same area.  26% of the badgers were cultured positive for TB.  Strain typing to show linkages between the TB in deer, badgers and cattle in...

Other Questions: Bovine Disease Controls (14 May 2015)

Simon Coveney: It is also inhumane that we have to slaughter cattle because they have TB when we know that we can get the incidence of TB down. That is no more humane than the badger cull. What is humane for me is to get TB out of the herd, which is what we are trying to do, and out of the badger population too. In that way, we will not have to target cattle and badgers. We have other questions with...

Other Questions: Bovine Disease Controls (14 May 2015)

Simon Coveney: I thank the Deputy for raising this issue. She and I have spoken about badgers many times and I know where she is coming from. The badger removal strategy, which has been part of our TB eradication programme for some years, has been developed in response to research which has demonstrated that the eradication of the disease in cattle is not a practicable proposition until the reservoir...

Other Questions: Bovine Disease Controls (14 May 2015)

Simon Coveney: We will look at the report. It would be dishonest of me to say that I do not think that the badger targeted cull programme is being done in as humane a way as we can do it. If there are other suggestions as to how we can do it better, we would happily take them on board but to suggest it is not working would be wrong. This has been a hugely successful programme where we have virtually...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: TB Eradication Scheme (14 May 2015)

Simon Coveney: In my earlier response to Deputy O’Sullivan, I outlined the underlying reason for introducing the badger removal programme, which was in response to research, which showed that badger removal had a significant beneficial impact on the risk of future breakdowns, with areas where badgers were not removed being some 14 times at greater risk than badger removal areas. Capturing of...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: TB Eradication Scheme (31 Mar 2015)

Simon Coveney: My Department's TB eradication programme incorporates a wildlife strategy because tuberculosis is present both in cattle and in badgers. Research conducted over the years by the Department and others has demonstrated that the eradication of bovine TB disease is not a practicable proposition until the issue of the reservoir of infection in badgers, which is seeding infection into the cattle...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Vote 30 - Update on Pre-Budget and Policy Issues: Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine (23 Sep 2014)

Simon Coveney: That is the case at the moment. We target resources, including for culling badgers. Herds are frozen, effectively, once there is an outbreak. We are trying to isolate problems, deal with them, slaughter the animals, compensate the farmers and deal with the wildlife issue, including badgers, and I know there is a potential issue with wild deer in the Chairman's area. We must take on these...

Other Questions: TB Eradication Scheme (23 Sep 2014)

Simon Coveney: ...;s TB eradication programme, has been developed in response to research which has demonstrated that the eradication of the disease is not a practicable proposition until the reservoir of infection in badgers is addressed. Capturing of badgers takes place in areas where serious outbreaks of TB have been identified in cattle herds and where Department veterinarians have found, following an...

Other Questions: TB Eradication Scheme (23 Sep 2014)

Simon Coveney: I do not condone or in any way support the illegal killing of badgers in a way that is not licensed, controlled and monitored by my Department. I share Deputy O'Sullivan's views on the matter. It is important to note that culling badgers is only a part of a TB programme that has been extraordinarily successful in Ireland. We have less TB in Ireland now than at any time since 1953 when...

Other Questions: TB Eradication Scheme (23 Sep 2014)

Simon Coveney: ...sure we can do it in a way that keeps the positive momentum in the existing TB eradication programme, which has been extraordinarily successful. Ultimately, we want to eradicate TB from Ireland in badger populations and in cattle populations. There is not a problem with badger numbers in Ireland. The cull will not compromise badger numbers. We have a healthy badger population...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Disease Controls (23 Sep 2014)

Simon Coveney: ...has been developed in response to research conducted over many years which has demonstrated that the eradication of the disease is not a practicable proposition until the reservoir of infection in badgers is addressed. Capturing of badgers takes place under Section 34 of the 1976 Wildlife Act in areas where serious outbreaks of TB have been identified in cattle herds and where Department...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Diseases Issues (23 Sep 2014)

Simon Coveney: ...of deer on private property is the responsibility of landowners who may apply to the Department of Arts Heritage and the Gaeltacht for a permission under section 42 of the Wildlife Acts to cull deer where this is necessary outside the annual open seasons. These permissions offer a facility whereby a person can obtain a permit, on a case by case basis, to prevent...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: TB Eradication Scheme (17 Jul 2014)

Simon Coveney: ...cattle industry in the UK are considerably different to the situation here. As the Deputy is aware, the comprehensive TB Eradication Programme as implemented by my Department has incorporated a badger removal policy since 2004 because TB is present both in cattle and in badgers and it is necessary to eradicate this disease in both species. Research conducted over the years by the...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: TB Eradication Scheme (8 Jul 2014)

Simon Coveney: My Department’s TB Eradication Programme has incorporated a comprehensive badger removal policy since 2004 in response to research conducted over the years by the Department and others which demonstrated that the eradication of the disease is not a practicable proposition until the issue of the reservoir of infection in badgers, which is seeding infection into the cattle population, is...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Departmental Correspondence (1 Jul 2014)

Simon Coveney: ...Control of deer on private property is the responsibility of landowners who may apply to the Department of Arts Heritage and the Gaeltacht for a permission under section 42 of the Wildlife Acts to cull deer where this is necessary outside the annual open seasons. These permissions offer a facility whereby a person can obtain a permit, on a case by case basis, to prevent serious damage...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Welfare (19 Jun 2014)

Simon Coveney: ...that these rules and procedures will be examined in the context of Section 25 of the Animal Health and Welfare Act 2013 with a view to adapting them as modern Codes of Practice under the Act. Badgers are protected by national legislation and are listed within the Berne Convention. My Department monitors the animal welfare aspects of badger culling on a continuous basis and is satisfied...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Welfare (8 May 2014)

Simon Coveney: The current badger removal policy was introduced as part of the bovine TB eradication programme in Ireland in 2004 in response to research conducted over the years by the Department and others which demonstrated that the eradication of Bovine TB is not a practicable proposition until the issue of the reservoir of infection in badgers, which is seeding infection into the cattle population, is...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Tuberculosis Incidence (20 Feb 2014)

Simon Coveney: My Department invests in extensive research in relation to badger ecology and vaccination programmes with the intention of developing a vaccination programme, with a view to replacing badger culling with vaccination when this is a practicable proposition. In this context, my Department has been collaborating for some years with the Centre for Veterinary Epidemiology and Risk Analysis (CVERA)...