Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The badger programme is a targeted one. There is a great deal of misunderstanding about how we catch and put down badgers. We try to do it as humanely as possible. The view that we use wire snares is incorrect. We had a long discussion on the programme during the debates on the Animal Health and Welfare Bill 2012 on Second and Committee Stages. I reassure people that we are trying to do everything we can to take account of welfare considerations. I hope to move to a badger vaccination programme rather than continue with the termination programme. As soon as we can do that without undermining our goals on TB, we will. People would be much more comfortable with that.

The evidence strongly suggests at the moment, however, that targeted badger culls in areas where there is a link between badgers and the spread of TB is hugely effective. In Northern Ireland and the UK they have been nothing like as successful in reducing the incidence of reactors within herds. The major difference in approach between the jurisdictions involves badgers. I will move to a targeted programme of vaccination of badgers rather than a targeted cull as soon as we can credibly do it and as soon as I am advised that we can proceed without undermining the overall programme.

If we can be more accurate in badger management by actually testing some of the badgers that have been killed on the roadside, it seems to be a sensible suggestion and I will include it in the system for consideration.

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