Joe Carey (Clare, Fine Gael)
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956. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will review the practice of issuing TB herd history letters; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23834/21]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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I recently launched the new Bovine TB Eradication Strategy 2021-2030. The implementation of this strategy is overseen by an established TB Forum group along with being supported by three working groups – a scientific group, implementation group and finance group will ensure that all aspects of the Strategy are addressed. I am committed to driving down the rates of bovine TB as quickly as possible as I am acutely aware of the financial and emotional burden TB places on farm families.

As we are dealing with an infectious disease, the strategy is not set in stone - it is a living document which will be subject to amendment and refinement on an on-going basis. The issue of herd history letters and reports is covered within this new strategy whereby it outlines when it is proposed to send further advisory communications to farmers on how to reduce the risk of TB in their herd, the contents of such letters will be discussed with the TB Forum in advance and any decisions on implementation will be informed by these discussions.

The objective of these letters was to provide farmers with information about their own herds to help to mitigate the risk of a TB outbreak. The next TB Forum meeting is due to take place at end of May. This new TB Strategy is available on www.bovinetb.ie.