Denis Naughten (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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Question 727: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will establish the gamma interferon blood test as the standardised test for bovine TB instead of the tuberculin skin test in order to assist with the identification of reactors at an early stage and reduce the incidence of the disease and veterinary costs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41401/11]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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Under EU rules the principal test used in the TB Eradication programme is the Single Intradermal Comparative Test (SICTT), known as the 'skin test', as specified in Council Directive 64/432 EEC (as amended). The gamma interferon blood test is authorised for use as an adjunct to the intradermal test under both European and national legislation.

The gamma test is not suitable to be used as the standardised screening test for TB because of its relatively lower specificity, which means that it would disclose as infected with TB a significant number of animals which are not actually infected. Test specificity is quite dependent on the environment in which the test is used. In Ireland, in non-infected herds, the most recent evaluation of the specificity of this test indicated that national average specificity is 91% (9 false positives/100 tested), but in some counties it is as low as 80% (or in some individual herds it is less than 70% specific). In view of this, using this test as a screening test would result in loss of confidence in the test, create significant problems for farmers with non-infected herds and lead to a considerable increase in the cost of the compensation element of the TB eradication programme. In addition, the cost of the gamma test is significantly more expensive per test than the skin test.

The gamma test is suitable for use in TB infected herds where further TB infected animals are anticipated or where it is desirable to retest a herd or animals at a shorter interval than is possible with the skin test and it is used as appropriate by the Veterinary Inspector in these situations.