Tom Fleming (Kerry South, Independent)
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161. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will extend the wild deer testing for tuberculosis carried out in County Wicklow, as the infection rate is 20% and this statistic demands the roll-out of this programme to other wild deer populated counties, as deer are travelling extensively onto farmland and grazing, in many cases, on the same grounds as farm animals; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25344/15]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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I refer to my reply to Question No. 471 on 9 June to the Deputy in connection with the survey conducted by my Department on the incidence of TB in deer in Wicklow. In that reply, I explained that further laboratory analysis of cultures is ongoing in relation to tissue taken from the deer to identify linkages between the TB found in deer, badgers and cattle. This work has not been completed yet. As I indicated to the Deputy in my reply on 9 June, responsibility for wild deer rests with my colleague, the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht under the Wildlife Acts. However, my Department monitors the incidence of TB in wild deer nationally through the analysis of suspect lesions or carcases submitted by farmers and hunters who are permitted to slaughter deer under licence from the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht. Submissions of deer since 1^stJanuary 2014 from farmers and hunters to our Regional Veterinary Laboratories indicate very low levels of TB in wild deer in all areas with the exception of parts of Wicklow.

I should point out that the tuberculosis herd incidence rate for cattle in West Wicklow is 12.4% and in East Wicklow is 6.3 %, both of which are well above the national average of 2.75%. The findings in relation to the Wicklow deer study will be considered by the recently established Irish Deer Management Forum (IDMF) which will assess the findings and make appropriate recommendations in relation to all aspects of deer management for Wicklow and nationally.