Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry South, Independent)
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913. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his views on correspondence (details supplied) regarding TB testing. [13984/14]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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Under EU and national TB rules, all animals on a holding, with the exception of calves under six weeks old which were born in the holding, must be subjected to tuberculin testing at twelve month intervals. This has been the case for many years. In order to improve compliance with this legislative requirement and to provide for a more effective TB eradication programme, my Department introduced “anniversary” testing 3 years ago. Under these arrangements, the final due test date for the “Annual Round” is the 12 month anniversary of the last test, irrespective of the type of test involved. Where farmers avail of the option to bring their annual test forward, they are informed that the earlier date becomes the due date for their “Annual Round” test the following year. There is no evidence that the new arrangements have resulted in the scenario outlined by the Deputy.