Michael Moynihan (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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23. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the measures his Department is taking to tackle the spread of TB in the badger population, which is easily transferred to livestock. [11722/23]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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Bovine tuberculosis (TB), caused by infection with Mycobacterium bovis, is a persistent problem in cattle herds in Ireland. The epidemiology of TB is complex and challenging.

There are three main sources of infection for cattle - the purchase of infected cattle, the presence of residual (undetected) infection within cattle herds and from wildlife (badgers predominately),. The relative importance of these factors vary from herd to herd and all three need to be addressed to protect livestock and eradicate TB.

Specifically on the issue of wildlife, M. bovis was first detected in badgers in Ireland in 1974, although its significance was not fully understood at that stage. In the 1980s, the east Offaly project provided evidence of the role of badgers in the epidemiology of TB. A large scale trial over a five-year period from 1997 to 2002 in areas within Counties Donegal, Monaghan, Kilkenny and Cork showed significant reductions ( from two fold to four fold) in the incidence of TB in areas where badgers were removed relative to areas where badgers were not removed.

On the basis of this evidence the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine established a wildlife programme to reduce the density of badgers in areas of high TB prevalence. However, it is acknowledged that culling on its own is not sustainable as a long-term measure, and a vaccination programme has now also been integrated into the DAFM Wildlife Programme. I have, over recent budgets, provided significantly extra funding for the Wildlife Programme and I will continue to back its work.

Badger vaccination is now an integral part of the Irish TB Eradication Programme. This follows over 15 years of research work using BCG vaccine to prevent tuberculosis infection in badgers, and scientific trials carried out between 2013 and 2017 that show that vaccination is no less effective than culling.

Badger vaccination is thus being substituted for continued culling of badgers such that a significant reduction in the numbers of badgers culled can be achieved over the coming years while still maintaining effective control of the risk posed to cattle.

The large-scale rollout of badger vaccination commenced in late 2019. Every year more and more of the countryside is designated as vaccination zones. This is reflected in the numbers of badgers captured for vaccination in these zones rising from an initial figure of 1,937 badgers in 2019, to 4,698 badgers in 2020. This figure rose again in 2021 to 6,586 badgers, with a further 7,244 badgers captured for vaccination in 2022.

I am committed to reducing TB incidence rates across the country. There is a terrible financial and emotional pain associated with a TB breakdown. We have made good strides since I launched the new TB Strategy in 2021 with all stakeholders working collectively and collegiately to reduce TB rates. We must keep this going with the ultimate aim of eradicating TB from the herd.