John McGuinness (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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1033. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if the records held by his Department relative to a positive TB test on an animal owned by a person (details supplied) will be amended in view of the fact subsequent tests were negative and the incorrect record is affecting the value of the herd; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27226/20]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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Under the so called ‘singleton protocol’ where a single reactor is disclosed in a herd, and where other criteria reflective of lower risk are met, a herd may be derestricted and thus their breakdown ended earlier than is the normal period for TB breakdowns.  The criteria for passing the protocol are;

1) There must be only one reactor disclosed on the test

2) Skin test readings must have specific characteristics

3) The herd must not have had its trading status withdrawn with TB during the 3 years prior to this reactor

4) None of the contiguous herds are concurrently withdrawn status. Herds with single reactors identified on Test type 8, by virtue of the contiguous association to a high-risk TB breakdown, are excluded from eligibility for the singleton programme.

5) Forward traced, high risk animals, or animals that originated in a herd where cohorts were reactor by virtue of their association with and origin in a high risk breakdown herd are ineligible for Singleton Protocol.

6) The reactor animals must not have visible lesions indicative of TB progression and culture for M Bovis in the lab must return a negative result.

If all of these conditions are met, the herd may be de-restricted following one clear test, carried out at least 60 days after the removal of the reactor. This is in contrast to the normal requirements following a positive TB test whereby at least two clear tests are required before a herd is de-restricted.

The herd of the person named did meet the criteria for being considered under the singleton protocol. Herds de-restricted following one clear test under the singleton protocol (as was the case with this herd) are still considered to have experienced a TB breakdown, but the lower risk status allows for earlier derestriction.