Matt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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365. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question No. 67 of 25 October 2022, the meeting of the TB Forum at which it was agreed that new requirements regarding TB Testing would be introduced; if these minutes at the said meeting are publicly available; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12113/23]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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The new TB Testing regulations are mandatory in nature and directly applicable across all EU member states. While my Department may discuss the mechanics of their implementation with stakeholders, as the competent authority we are mandated by law to proceed with implementation. The implementation of these regulations has been discussed with the Bovine TB Stakeholders Forum on several occasions but primarily through the Implementation Working Group of the Forum throughout 2022.

The minutes in respect of all TB Forum and working group meetings are available to read on

The implementation of the Bovine TB Eradication Strategy 2021-2030 is overseen by the Bovine TB Stakeholders Forum along with support from three working groups – a scientific group, an implementation group and a finance group to ensure that all aspects of the Strategy are addressed. The Bovine TB Stakeholders Forum and its working groups comprise of representatives from across the agri-food sector, leading researchers, farming organisations and the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine.

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 collegially to reduce TB rates. We must keep this going with the ultimate aim of eradicating TB from the herd.