Michael McNamara (Clare, Independent)
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1086. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of cases of TB here by county in 2019; the number of reactors; the number of reactors that killed out with lesions; the number of non-reactors removed from restricted herds; the number of herds restricted by enterprise type, that is, suckler farm, dairy farm and dry stock farm by county in 2019; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10136/21]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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While TB disease is low relative to historical levels, the number of new restrictions and reactor numbers have been gradually increasing since 2016. The pace of deterioration has accelerated in 2020.

My Department is engaged with all stakeholders through the TB Forum to ensure all aspects of the recently launched new Bovine TB Eradication Strategy 2021-2030 are addressed to move toward the eradication of the disease. This new TB Strategy and further information is available on www.bovinetb.ie.

The following table shows details in respect of TB cases in 2019. On average, 30% of skin test reactors will have visible lesions at post-mortem inspection. This does not mean that most of animals slaughtered do not have TB, it means that the disease has not progressed to the point where lesions are visible at post mortem.

* Number of In-Contacts 2019 i.e. number of non-reactors that were removed from restricted herds.