Colm Burke (Cork North-Central, Fine Gael)
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125. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to provide an update on his Department's recent discussions with the TB forum to address the increase in the incidence of tuberculosis on Irish farms; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25612/25]

Colm Burke (Cork North-Central, Fine Gael)
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Will the Minister give an update on the Department's recent discussions with the TB forum to address the increase in the incidence of tuberculosis on farms, and will he make a statement on the matter?

Martin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael)
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I thank Deputy Burke for raising this very important issue. I know it is a cause of great concern. Even if I had not been engaging with farm organisations, since I got this role, on the area of TB and if I had not been pointing to the fact I need a new approach to the TB programme, which I would like to do through consensus, there is that concern with farmers already. The concern at the rise in the incidence of TB is palpable among farmers. Those who have it on their farms are very stressed and want a clear pathway out of their current restrictions, while those who do not have it do not want to get it and are very much afraid the rising incidence means they will get it.

Bovine TB is a challenging disease to control and eradicate. In recent years, bovine TB levels have continued to deteriorate. Herd incidence has increased from 4.31% in 2022 to 6.04% in 2024, resulting in a 36% increase in the number of herds restricted between those two years.

As of 11 May, over a 12-month period we had a herd incidence of 6.3% with more than 42,200 reactors. This disease is having an impact on farmers and their families both financially and emotionally throughout rural Ireland. At the February meeting of the TB forum, it was agreed that all stakeholders would provide proposals on new measures for inclusion in the TB programme aimed at reducing TB levels in cattle against the backdrop of surging disease levels. The TB forum met on 26 March, at which representatives presented their proposals for measures aimed at reducing the high levels of TB. The chair of the TB forum wrote to me following this meeting outlining discussions at the meeting. On 8 May, I held a TB summit to address the deteriorating TB disease levels with key stakeholders at which discussions were held on the most effective ways to mitigate the impact of bovine TB on farm families and to reduce herd incidence and spread of the disease. I have outlined on the record that I have 30 proposed actions across five key pillars. My approach is to try to get consensus. We will meet farm organisations and stakeholders again later this week. We cannot do business as usual, such are the numbers. We want to work together to ease this burden on farmers and the stress as well as the financial impact on them.

Colm Burke (Cork North-Central, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Minister. As I outlined and as the Minister said, between 2022 and 2024, there was a 36% increase in herds restricted. That is a huge increase. More than 6,000 farmers have lost 40,000 productive animals within a short period. The breakout of TB has a huge effect, especially in my area, a lot of which is urban but is also rural, where there are large dairy farms. When TB hits a dairy farm, the level of restriction that has to be put in place and the economic and emotional effect on a family are horrendous. Recently, I saw figures of farmers losing about €130 million in real terms because of the TB problem. As the Department is putting in more than €100 million, there is a huge loss to both the State and the people directly involved.

Martin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael)
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There absolutely is. There is also the emotional impact and trauma, which I would not underestimate. I remember when we had a reactor at home on the farm in Kildare in the 1990s when I was still in school and the devastation of seeing that cow and that reactor go. It stayed with me for a long time afterwards. I want to do two things. I want to provide a clear pathway to those directly impacted by this disease where they can see light at the end of the tunnel. Many say to me they do not have that sense; there is a sense of hopelessness right now. That is not a good place for anyone to be in. Second, I want to avoid the 94% of farmers not affected by bovine TB, besides having to do an annual herd test, having to get this. We would greatly reduce the number of farms, farm families and herds impacted and, therefore, the number of reactors. The Deputy highlighted the key numbers. By working together we can do this if we follow the science. There are three causes of that infection. We have to deal with all three elements.

Colm Burke (Cork North-Central, Fine Gael)
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The Minister outlined the challenges for families. The big problem is when a large number of stock animals has to be disposed of. Farmers then have the problem of trying to build back up that herd, especially in dairy farming. The time and cost of that are huge. The important issue is how to bring down the numbers affected and how to deal with this in real terms. We have had the TB testing scheme for a long number of years. It is unfortunate we are seeing a rise rather than a reduction. We must give priority to this issue over the next three to four years.

Martin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael)
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I agree. The Deputy spoke about the investment from my Department. It will take increased investment in the short term to try to get on top of this issue. I am willing to do that in order to prioritise. There are three key drivers of the infection: the role of wildlife, cattle-to-cattle transmission and the residual element left in herds that had a significant breakdown. My five-point plan includes supporting herds free of bovine TB to remain free; reducing the impact of wildlife on the spread of bovine TB; detecting and eliminating bovine TB infection as early as possible in a TB breakdown to avoid future breakdowns; and helping farmers to improve all areas of on-farm biosecurity. There are simple measures that can greatly reduce, statistically, the risk of the spread of infection. The final point is reducing the impact of known high-risk animals in spreading bovine TB. If we follow the science, we can make a significant difference and greatly reduce the number of people directly impacted and the economic impact that is so devastating for our farmers and farm families. I would love to be able to do that with consensus of the key stakeholders I will meet later this week.