Andrew Doyle (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Question 604: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food the steps he will take to deal with TB outbreaks in isolated blackspots across the country; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31351/10]

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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My Department's overall national strategy for the eradication of TB provides for a comprehensive range of measures, including the mandatory annual testing for all cattle in the national herd, the restriction of holdings where reactors are disclosed, risk-based testing of herds contiguous to infected herds, the early removal of reactors, a wildlife programme involving the targeted removal of badgers where they are implicated in a TB outbreak, the use of the gamma interferon test in problem herds, the depopulation of infected herds, where appropriate, and the payment of compensation to farmers whose herds are affected by disease.

With regard to TB outbreaks in isolated blackspots, in addition to the measures outlined above, my Department also implements more frequent risk-based testing of herds that had experienced TB outbreaks in the recent past. Such herds are obliged to undergo a sequence of six monthly TB tests for a period of 18 months after clearance. Furthermore, these areas are the primary focus for gamma blood testing, which can help to identify additional infected animals and thereby shorten the length of time taken to clear the herd of infection, and badger removal. With regard to the latter, if no source of infection is otherwise apparent in a high risk herd, an epidemiological investigation will seek to establish if badgers were present in the local environment of the herd and were the probable cause of the breakdown. Where there is evidence of badger activity, badger capturing and removal takes place in the areas associated with the TB breakdowns, under licence from the Department of Environment, Heritage and Local Government. The selected areas, which may cover a number of infected high risk herds, are subject to continuing surveillance and capture for a period of 5 years.

These measures have contributed to the effectiveness of the programme as evidenced by the significant progress which has been achieved here in controlling TB over the past 10 years, particularly since the introduction of an enhanced badger removal programme in 2004/5. Reactor numbers have fallen from 45,000 in 1999 to just under 24,000 last year. The herd incidence has fallen from 7.7% to 5.1% in the same period. More recently, the average annual number of reactors removed in the 5 years since the introduction of the enhanced badger programme was 14% lower than in the 5 years preceding its introduction.

My Department will continue to monitor and review the effectiveness and efficiency of the programme on an on-going basis with a view to the eventual eradication of the disease in all areas.