Mary White (Carlow-Kilkenny, Green Party)
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Question 356: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food the amount her Department has spent annually in recent years on research and development of a vaccine against tuberculosis for badgers. [10310/08]

Mary White (Carlow-Kilkenny, Green Party)
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Question 357: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food the progress that has been made on developing a vaccine against tuberculosis for badgers. [10311/08]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 356 and 357 together.

My Department is committed to a research programme aimed at the development of a vaccine for use in badgers since the mid 1990's. The programme involves collaboration with various bodies and in particular with the badger vaccine group based in UCD and we have committed significant resources to both staff and funding in this regard. From 2001 to date the average annual expenditure on the vaccine research has been in the region of €500,000.

The development and implementation of a vaccine strategy for use in badgers in Ireland is a key component of the strategy to eradicate bovine tuberculosis. The expectation is that, if badger vaccination is successful in preventing disease transmission between badgers and subsequently between badgers and cattle, the existing comprehensive control and surveillance programme for cattle will then be capable of dealing more effectively with the disease.

Work on the vaccine project to date has shown promising results. A suitable candidate vaccine has been identified and efficacy following oral delivery has been demonstrated in a laboratory environment. It is planned, in the next stage of the process, to commence a three to four year field trial on this orally delivered vaccine. The objective of the field trial is to provide information as to the efficacy of the vaccine in reducing the level of TB infection in the badger population under study. However, it will be some time before the benefits of the vaccine will become evident and the current badger removal policy is unlikely to be changed in the medium term.

Mary White (Carlow-Kilkenny, Green Party)
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Question 358: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if, in regard to the east Offaly badger research project 1988 to 1995, she will provide the number of badgers culled, the number of tuberculosis infected badgers culled, the herd numbers involved, the number of reactor cattle involved and the special veterinary measures, such as restrictions on cattle movements, taken during the project. [10312/08]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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The East Offaly project, undertaken between 1989 and 1994 by my Department, was the first of a number of formal studies which demonstrated that a marked reduction in the levels of tuberculosis and a significant reduction in the risk of a herd experiencing a TB breakdown was observed when the local badger population was maintained at a low level. The total number of badgers culled under the project was 1,797. Of this number, 195 badgers were found to be tuberculosis infected on gross post-mortem examination. However, if current, more sensitive laboratory techniques were available at the time of the study it is estimated that the confirmation rate would increase by a multiple of between 2 and 3. The total number of herds involved in the project and control areas averaged 3,558 in each year of the study and the number of reactor cattle killed under the programme, averaged 893 per annum or almost 5,500 cattle over the six years. Reactor numbers (cattle) in the removal area fell progressively from a high of 362 in 1989 to just 30 in 1995.

There were no special veterinary measures taken in relation to the herds in the project area. Every herd in which TB was disclosed was restricted as required under the TB Eradication Programme and was subjected to the standard programme of testing before becoming eligible for de-restriction. The standard requirements of the TB Eradication Programme have continued to operate in the Project area as they have throughout the country.