Ryan O'Meara (Tipperary North, Fianna Fail)
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1742. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the total number of TB reactors in the periods 1 January 2024 to 1 April 2024 and 1 January 2025 to 1 April 2025; to provide a breakdown of same, by county; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20484/25]

Martin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael)
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The table below sets out the number of reactors for the periods Q1 2024 and Q1 2025. Please note that the figures reported for statistical purposes are a 12 month rolling average number of reactors.

Bovine Tuberculosis (bTb) is a challenging disease to control and eradicate, and I am committed to making real progress. I am acutely aware of farmers emotional and financial trauma associated with this disease.

As the spread of this disease is multi factorial, we are fighting it on all fronts. The TB programme in each county focuses on multiple factors including, local disease spread, contiguous programmes, gamma interferon testing, cleansing and disinfection, testing compliance and swift isolation and removal of reactors and wildlife.

There has been a deterioration in the incidence of TB in recent years. However, stakeholders are taking the necessary steps to control this disease and continue to work together. The ultimate aim is to control and eventually eradicate TB from the national herd.

The Bovine TB Stakeholders Forum oversee the implementation of the Bovine TB Eradication Strategy 2021-2030. Three working groups inform the Bovine TB Stakeholders Forum – a Scientific Group, an Implementation Working Group and a Finance Group. These groups address all aspects of the Strategy. The Bovine TB Stakeholders Forum and its working groups comprise of representatives from the agri-food sector, leading researchers, farming organisations and my department.

Details of the TB Strategy along with information about the TB Forum and its working groups are available at: www.bovinetb.ie/

Ryan O'Meara (Tipperary North, Fianna Fail)
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1743. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of animals deemed to be TB reactors as a result of the skin test and the number deemed to be TB reactors as a result of the blood test; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20485/25]

Martin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael)
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The following table sets out the number of skin and blood test reactors for 2024.

Bovine Tuberculosis (bTB) is a challenging disease to control and eradicate, and I am committed to making real progress. I am acutely aware of farmers emotional and financial trauma associated with this disease.

As the spread of this disease is multi factorial, we are fighting it on all fronts. The TB programme in each county focuses on multiple factors including, local disease spread, contiguous programmes, gamma interferon testing, cleansing and disinfection, testing compliance and swift isolation and removal of reactors and wildlife.

There has been a deterioration in the incidence of TB in recent years. However, stakeholders are taking the necessary steps to control this disease and continue to work together. The ultimate aim is to control and eventually eradicate TB from the national herd.

The Bovine TB Stakeholders Forum oversee the implementation of the Bovine TB Eradication Strategy 2021-2030. Three working groups inform the Bovine TB Stakeholders Forum – a Scientific Group, an Implementation Working Group and a Finance Group. These groups address all aspects of the Strategy. The Bovine TB Stakeholders Forum and its working groups comprise of representatives from the agri-food sector, leading researchers, farming organisations and my department.

Details of the TB Strategy along with information about the TB Forum and its working groups are available at: www.bovinetb.ie/