Written answers
Tuesday, 20 May 2025
Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine
Animal Diseases
Paul Lawless (Mayo, Aontú)
Link to this: Individually | In context
178. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will report on the proposals made at the emergency TB stakeholder forum and address the comments surrounding restriction and blacklisting of herds; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25734/25]
Martin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context
At the February meeting of the TB Forum it was agreed that all stakeholders would provide proposals on new measures for inclusion in the TB programme aimed at reducing TB levels in cattle against the backdrop of surging disease levels.
At the TB Forum on 26th March all stakeholders were provided the opportunity to present proposals on draft measures to be incorporated into the TB programme to address the recent increase in disease incidence over the last number of years.
Following this meeting the Chair of the Forum wrote to me in early April outlining discussions at the meeting.
On 8th May 2025, I held a meeting of key stakeholders to address the deteriorating TB disease levels where discussions were held on the most effective ways to mitigate the impact of bTB on farm families and to reduce herd incidence and spread of the disease.
At this meeting I presented 30 actions underpinned by 5 key pillars to address the current rates of bTB:
- Support herds free of bTB to remain free
- Reduce the impact of wildlife on the spread of bTB
- Detect and eliminate bTB infection as early as possible in herds with a TB breakdown and avoid a future breakdown
- Help farmers improve all areas of on farm biosecurity
- Reduce the impact of known high risk animals in spreading bTB
Consideration of all views expressed by stakeholders on the day are continuing and I will shortly be meeting with farm organisations again to discuss updated proposals on foot of our discussions at the summit.
I hope to achieve a broad consensus to these proposals but there is an urgency here and I intend to move quickly to refine the programme and ensure that the necessary steps are taken to reduce the impact of this disease on farmers and their families.
I will ensure that any measures adopted are based on the best scientific and veterinary advice. Through strong leadership by all involved in the programme and by working together we can take the necessary measures to protect farmers livelihoods from bTB.
Paul Lawless (Mayo, Aontú)
Link to this: Individually | In context
179. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will commission thorough independent research on the efficacy of the TB eradication programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25735/25]
Martin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context
Ireland's bovine TB Eradication Programme is guided by national and international scientific research and advice. A large body of peer-reviewed research has been conducted into the spread of TB in Ireland and the risks underlying its transmission. This research has found that the principal causes of TB introduction and spread include:
- movement of cattle with undetected infection
- residual infection in cattle previously exposed to TB
- spread from infected badgers to cattle
- spread across farm boundaries, and/or,
- indirect spread through other biosecurity breaches
- Relative contribution of different wildlife reservoirs and other sources, including cattle movements, to cattle herd breakdowns, using whole genome sequencing and other methods
- Elucidation of the epidemiology of bTB and the potential impact of policy changes using mathematical/simulation models and other decision support tools
- Evaluating the effectiveness of TB vaccination of badgers to protect cattle
- Improving diagnostic tests for TB in cattle and badgers
- Elucidation of the factors that drive various stakeholder attitudes and compliance to different TB control measures
That study concluded that this current approach is insufficient to achieve bTB eradication, and needs to be augmented through risk based trading , pre-movement testing and improved on farm biosecurity to prevent transmission between badgers and cattle at individual farm level.
I am committed to reducing TB incidence rates across the country. On 8th May 2025, I held a meeting of key stakeholders to address the deteriorating TB disease levels where discussions were held on the most effective ways to mitigate the impact of bTB on farm families and to reduce herd incidence and spread of the disease.
At this meeting I presented 30 actions underpinned by 5 key pillars to address the current rates of bTB:
- Support herds free of bTB to remain free
- Reduce the impact of wildlife on the spread of bTB
- Detect and eliminate bTB infection as early as possible in herds with a TB breakdown and avoid a future breakdown
- Help farmers improve all areas of on farm biosecurity
- Reduce the impact of known high risk animals in spreading bTB
I will shortly be meeting with farm organisations again to discuss updated proposals on foot of our discussions at the summit.
I hope to achieve a broad consensus to these proposals but there is an urgency here and I intend to move quickly to refine the programme and ensure that the necessary steps are taken to reduce the impact of this disease on farmers and their families.
I will ensure that any measures adopted are based on the best scientific and veterinary advice. Through strong leadership by all involved in the programme and by working together we can take the necessary measures to protect farmers livelihoods from bTB.
No comments