Matt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I thank our guests again, particularly those we have seen several times over the past few weeks, for making the effort to be here.

I better disclose that I am a member of the Committee of Public Accounts. To analyse the report of that committee, you have to assess how it approaches these things. It does not deal with policy; it deals very much with expenditure and value for money. Ultimately, the committee's net point stands. We are spending more money each year on a TB eradication programme but the number of infected animals is not decreasing. We are getting less money on an annual basis to such a point that in a couple of years we will be getting zero from the European Union. That is because the European Commission has decided that our TB eradication programme is not doing what it says on the tin; it is not eradicating the disease.

Be that as it may, this committee is where the nuances of policy and the detail of policy responses are dealt with. We have evidence from various organisations outlining different things that could or should be done or that possibly have been done in the past and are not being done now. I have a number of questions. Some of them were touched upon in the opening statements but it would be useful to get some elaboration.

My first question relates to the badger vaccination programme. Can we get a view from the organisations present as to whether they see it as working and whether it is an effective way of dealing with the spread of TB from that source?

Everyone who made an opening statement mentioned deer. Unfortunately, there are no departmental officials here this evening. I presume they are coming at a later date. Is there a sense on the part of our guests that the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine recognises the role of deer in this matter? I heard a man on the radio last week saying that the only way to deal with expanding deer populations is by introducing wolves. I have heard others saying-----