Derek Nolan (Galway West, Labour)
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456. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine for details of any improvement in the tuberculosis testing used on Irish cattle since it was first introduced; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38048/15]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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The skin test which is currently used for TB has remained relatively unchanged over the years since the launch of the TB eradication programme in the 1950s. However the tuberculin used for the test is now much improved since ‘old tuberculin’ was replaced by the PPD tuberculin (Purified, Protein Derivative) which was introduced in the 1970s. Another aspect of the testing regime that has contributed to the improvements in the accuracy of the skin test is the actual performance of the test and the site of injection on the neck. With regard to the performance of the test, my Department has put in place a comprehensive quality control system aimed at ensuring that the test is performed correctly by the testing veterinarian.  The introduction of the AHCS system has also facilitated more effective monitoring of the disease. In addition, there has been a significant improvement in the on-farm facilities over the years with the result that, in general, there is now a good testing environment on most farms that allows the test to be conducted with care and this greatly enhances the accuracy of the test. The issue of the most appropriate site has been repeatedly examined and the most recent studies have confirmed previous findings i.e. that the centre of the neck is the optimal site for an accurate test.

The introduction of the Interferon-gamma blood test for use in recent years in TB infected herds to complement the TB Skin test also ensures that the maximum numbers of infected animals are removed from herds. This helps to reduce TB spread and return the herd to TB-free status as soon as possible. In several studies in TB infected herds in Ireland and Northern Ireland, this test has been shown to find positive animals that would fail to be detected on the initial skin test. These animals are at much higher likelihood of becoming a skin test reactor or a TB confirmed case at slaughter in the future than animals that remain IFN-gamma negative.

In conclusion, while the skin test has remained relatively unchanged over the years, the accuracy of the test has been enhanced by several factors such as the introduction of the new PPD tuberculin, the quality control system implemented by my Department and the improvement in on-farm facilities. Various attempts to develop more accurate tests for bovine TB (M Bovis) have been unsuccessful with the result that the skin test remains the most accurate test currently available.