Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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While there has been an increase in reactor numbers and herd incidence in Galway this year, the herd incidence for Galway remains below the national average.

Studies to date have failed to demonstrate any association between enhancements to infrastructure and deteriorating levels of animal disease. In the same way that my Department is required to negotiate permissions to capture badgers with the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) of the Department of Environment, Heritage and Local Government, the promoters of roads, rail projects or gas lines are also required to have regard to environmental considerations and must equally obtain prior approvals for their plans from the NPWS. Officials from my Department do not participate in such deliberations, which in any event fall within the competence of the NPWS.

Issues relating to wild deer are primarily the responsibility of the Parks and Wildlife Divisions of the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government. My Department does not operate an official programme for the eradication of tuberculosis in deer and therefore does not routinely test or sample deer herds for TB. It does, however, provide ongoing advice to keepers on disease control measures and biosecurity in relation to wildlife, including deer. Further, when an outbreak of TB is identified in a cattle herd, an epidemiological investigation is carried out by my Department to identify the likely sources of the infection and thus to provide relevant advice to the farmer. These investigations reveal that deer are seldom implicated in bovine TB outbreaks.

I am advised that the likely causes for the increase in infection emanates from infected local badger populations and residual infection. The policy of my Department is to deal with the former source of breakdowns by removing badgers where appropriate, and I am satisfied this is being done effectively in Galway. The residual component of the problem is being addressed by the application of a more stringent severe test interpretation and a greater use of ancillary tests, such as Gamma Interferon blood testing, which may result in a higher reactor removal rate but which should, in the longer term, help to clear the infection more rapidly.

With regard to field staff resources, currently 2 Technical Agricultural Officers and 8 Farm Relief Service (F.R.S.) operatives are responsible for implementing the Wildlife programme in Co. Galway. Department and F.R.S. staff, as a matter of routine, are upskilled on a regular basis and avail of improving methodology and technology. The percentage of agricultural land under treatment in Co. Galway increased from 11.1% in December 2006 to 14.5% in December 2007, a significant increase in such a large county. The percentage of agricultural land under treatment in the county was 15.2% as at 1 July 2008. I believe that the existing staffing resource available for badger capturing in Galway is adequate.