Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Wednesday, 14 January 2026

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture and Food

Biosecurity: Discussion

2:00 am

Dr. Eoin Ryan:

I remember that it is challenging doing the tests, breaking what can be terrible news to somebody and then providing that advice. That is why we talked earlier about the Animal Health Ireland TB targeted advisory animal support visits. We did 1,422 of those last year, which was twice the total number carried out in the previous three years. There is huge uptake of that because farmers and private veterinary practitioners are now really interested in receiving this training and carrying out these visits. There are very few schemes where in one year you get more than in the previous three years combined. That shows the interest in involving veterinary practitioners from practitioners, farmers and the Department. You have more and more of that discussion, but it is a tough job.