Peter Cleere (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)

The escalation in expenditure for the TB programme over the last number of years has been nothing short of phenomenal. There was €37 million in 2019, €43 million in 2020, €52 million in 2021, €57 million in 2022, €74 million in 2023 and €100 million in 2024. I attended a meeting of the agricultural committee last June where it was predicted that we were on track for €130 million for 2025. If the trends continue, we are on course for €160 million or €170 million in 2026. The expenditure by the State on the TB programme is massive but the herd incidence rate is also massive.

I acknowledge the additional €85 million that will go towards the initiative in 2026. It will enable the roll-out of the TB action plan. It is, however, imperative that while some of the extra funding is allocated to bovine TB management to tackle the disease, some of it should go to additional compensation schemes for farmers as the current scheme, with the values included in it, has outgrown its time. It is not financially acceptable or fit for purpose in the current economic environment.

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