Ms Amanda Mooney:

I thank the Chairperson and committee members for inviting the IFA to address them today. I am the vice-chairperson of the animal health committee. I am accompanied by Mr. Tomás Bourke, senior policy executive, and Ms Anna Daly.

I am acutely aware of the impact of TB outbreaks as I represent farmers from across the country. I hail from County Wicklow, which is a county that has a very big problem with TB and I have had the misfortune of dealing with TB directly on my own farm. Dealing with TB controls poses enormous challenges to farmers from both a financial and emotional point of view.

The TB eradication programme was implemented in Ireland and remains the single largest animal health cost for farmers each year at a combined and indirect cost of over €55 million a year. In addition, despite 4% of the herds breaking down with the disease annually, the fear of a TB outbreak continues to be identified by farmers as one of the largest stress factors associated with farming and as a result has a severe impact on normal farm practices and associated losses.

Irish farmers contribute in excess of €55 million to the TB programme, over €27 million in annual TB testing costs, approximately €8 million in disease levies and a conservative €20 million in labour when facilitating the testing of the 9 million animals a year.

For the €55 million investment, farmers receive just over €26 million, based on the figures for 2021, for compensation for animal and production loss and maintenance costs associated with the TB programme. Eradication of the disease within the shortest feasible timeframe must be the objective for all of us. It will not be achieved by the simplistic approach of tightening controls on farms while ignoring the impact this has on farmers and the associated losses to our farms and businesses.

On TB strategy, hard decisions have been taken by the TB working groups by farmers in terms of controls on farms and the financing of the programme. The Minister, Deputy McConalogue, and his officials must now play their part. Payment for the EU animal health law, AHL, requirement of a 30 day pre- or post-movement test and resourcing of an effective wildlife control programme are critical components which the Department must finance. On financial supports for restricted farms, while the objective must be eradication of TB from the national herd within the shortest feasible timeframe, we cannot lose sight of the impact TB controls and measures have on farmers, their families and their business. Regardless of how effective new or enhanced controls will be in reducing the levels of TB and ultimately achieving eradication, we must remember this is a long-term process throughout which farmers will incur financial losses through animal removals and trade restrictions. The impact of these issues must be offset in support schemes. Discussions on these matters are advancing and have been detailed in our submission, which l look forward to discussing in more detail with members of the committee. The increased rates proposed in these schemes by the Department carry a requirement for additional farmers' contributions if there is increased expenditure in the three schemes. We are prepared to discuss this in detail but there are some critical areas, as outlined, where the Department must come forward with increased funding if discussions are to progress.

Concerning eradication policy, to achieve TB eradication, the main driver of the disease must be tackled. The simplistic and one-dimensional approach of controls on farms or on farmers in how they go about their daily business will not deliver results. While a multifaceted approach will be necessary, the main driver has been and always will be wildlife. The effective implementation of a wildlife control programme is critical. The main limiting factor is the lack of human resources available to implement the programme effectively and efficiently to impact positively on the levels of TB. Additional funding has been provided, with further increases proposed. We must now see this translated into boots on the ground to carry out surveying and capturing. It is infuriating for farmers when, despite the additional financial resources provided, the wildlife programme remains grossly understaffed. If we are serious about eradicating TB, we must have effective and efficient implementation of the wildlife programme with a primary focus on density reduction of badgers when found associated with TB outbreaks. To provide this, staff resources must be allocated to the programme as urgently as possible.

The Minister has announced the re-establishment of the deer management group and has put a chairman in place. This group must address both the TB risk associated with deer, which is becoming more prevalent, and the broader impact these deer have-----