Carol Nolan (Laois-Offaly, Independent)
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399. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the breakdown of Departmental spending on the tuberculosis eradication initiatives in each of the years 2017 to 2019 and to date in 2020; the number of Departmental inspectors and staff assigned to tuberculosis testing and detection; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27941/20]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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A full breakdown of the costs of the TB programme for 2017 to 2019 is presented in the table. The most up to date estimates of expected 2020 expenditure on the TB Programme are also presented.

The overall cost of the TB Programme has increased from €86.4 million in 2017 to an estimated €97.3 million in 2020 (+€10.9 million or 13%). In that time, the primary drivers of increased costs have been:

- Compensation +€6.2 million

- DAFM staff costs and admin +€1.6 million

- DAFM paid TB testing +€1.5 million

Compensation increases largely relate to higher incidence of disease. DAFM staff cost increases primarily reflect an additional 16 posts sanctioned in 2020 to assist the TB Eradication Programme at an estimated cost of €1 million per annum. Farmers pay their Private Veterinary Practitioner for the annual round test and DAFM pay for all other consequential testing which occurs. The number of consequential tests has increased since 2017 reflecting higher disease incidence. This cost has been met by DAFM.

The TB Programme is financed by farmers, the Exchequer and the EU. Farmer contributions to the Programme since 2017 have been broadly stable reflecting the mechanism through which they contribute to the Programme. Farmer contributions relate to the assumed annual cost to the farmer of TB testing and receipts from bovine disease levies. The contribution from the EU has fallen sharply by €4.4 million between 2017 and 2020 reflecting reduced funding ceilings and penalties related to deteriorating disease incidence. Based on Programme metrics to date for 2020, my Department is expecting a further 20% funding penalty (€1.1 million) to be imposed in respect of 2020. This will be subject to decision by the Commission in mid-2021.

The significant increase in Programme costs allied with reductions in EU funding has seen Exchequer funding of the TB Programme rise from €41.7 million in 2017 to a forecast €57 million in 2020 (+€15.3 million or 37%). This level of increase in investment is not sustainable.

I have convened a TB Stakeholder Forum for 1 October which I will attend. Attaining TB-free status remains critical from a farm family profitability and sustainability perspective and from a trade perspective at national and at international level. I am acutely conscious that every TB restriction represents a significant challenge to the farm family concerned.  I want to work with all stakeholders in ensuring fewer herdowners experience the challenges associated with a TB restriction and that we work purposefully towards eradication of this disease, thus eliminating this on-going cost on farmers and the State.

TB Programme Expenditure and Financing

Methodology notes:

- DAFM has assumed that farmers privately pay the same rate as the Department to Private Veterinary Practitioners for PVP testing. This helps derive the farmer paid testing estimate of €27.4 million which is assumed to be unchanged in 2020 from 2019

- In calculating DAFM staff costs, DAFM surveyed internal staff across policy, laboratories, Regional Veterinary Offices etc. in 2018 to determine the proportion of time allocated to the TB Programme. It is estimated that 620 staff within DAFM spend at least part of their time  implementing the TB Programme. 2020 calculations include the sanctioning of an additional 16 staff to assist the TB Programme

- While the EU has sanctioned a €5.42 million contribution for Ireland’s 2020 TB Programme, DAFM is anticipating this will be reduced by 20% (€1.1 million) reflecting deteriorating disease statistics. This would directly result in the Exchequer contribution exceeding €58 million in 2020 based on current estimates.