Mr. John Keane:

First, to touch on the badgers, the study that was conducted in Kilkenny a number of years ago was conducted over three years of full vaccination in one particular zone, half-vaccination in another zone and no vaccination in a third. After the three years, it was still found in the fully vaccinated zone that 24% of the badgers in that area that were caught after the three-year period were still carrying the infection of bovine TB. There still is work to be done in terms of effectiveness and in terms of the endurance of the vaccine for protection. We are all well aware of Covid and we are boosted three, four and five times. The research still needs to be done in terms of the effectiveness and how long that lasts within the badger population. The research from the study to which I referred would suggest that even after three years there was still a certain amount of infection transferring within the badger population.

An earlier study conducted in Offaly in the early 2000s drew significant links between a reduction in the density of the badger population and the occurrence and frequency of the infection of mycobacterium, M, bovis within the bovine population. Work still needs to be done there. As for simple acceptance that we have that solved in the badger population and once we get them vaccinated we will be fine, from our side of things there is still more research needed to be done there.

In terms of the deer population, and I understand that the Department was in in front of the committee not too long ago speaking about this as well, the numbers of deer that have been captured and tested for lesions are very small. Over 200 is the most that have been tested in any calendar year that have been captured, and results from that are available as well. In more recent years, as a result of Covid fewer than 100 deer have been captured to distinguish the prevalence of TB, with the numbers in the region of three or four out of 70 or 80 that have come back testing positive for the presence of the strain within the deer population. The Department has been on the record in saying that it cannot ultimately deny - in front of this committee - the possibility that in high-density areas of the deer population there is the ability of the strain of M bovis to transfer from deer to cattle. If we look across the world, the research in places such as America, Australia and New Zealand would also show that there is prevalence and the possibility that the strains of M bovis can be carried in animals such as foxes. The research needs to continue, but also there need to be controls in terms of the density of the populations in high-prevalence areas. The evidence would suggest that the control of the wildlife in those areas has resulted in the occurrence and frequency of occurrence within the bovine population.