Michael Fitzmaurice (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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1107. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if a farmer carries out tests on cows, heifers and calves and they test positive for Johne's disease if the animals are culled; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29514/25]

Martin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael)
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The Irish Johne's Control Disease Programme (ICJP) was launched in 2017 as a voluntary programme which is operated by Animal Health Ireland. Funding for the Programme is provided by my Department, milk processors co-ops and farmers.

The objectives of the Irish Johne’s Control Programme (IJCP) are:

1. Enhance the ability of participating farmers to keep their herds clear of Johne’s disease (JD).
2. Assist participating farmers to reduce the level of infection in their herds, where present.
3. Provide additional reassurance to the marketplace in relation to Ireland’s efforts to control Johne’s disease and sustainability of Irish cattle production.
4. Improve calf health, farm biosecurity and sustainability in participating farms.

Johne’s disease is considered an incurable condition and treating known infected animals is not recommended. Infected cows can be stopped from spreading the bacteria to others in the herd only by culling or strict isolation from all other stock. There is no compensation scheme for animals culled because of Johne’s disease in Ireland.

Michael Fitzmaurice (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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1108. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if a farmer carries out tests on cows, heifers and calves and they test positive for Johne's disease the financial support system for farmers who have to get their herd tested for this disease, have to get rid of a percentage of their breeding stock, have to continually and periodically treat and medicate these animals; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29515/25]

Martin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael)
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The Irish Johne's Control Disease Programme (ICJP) was launched in 2017 as a voluntary programme which operates by Animal Health Ireland. Funding for the Programme has historically been provided by my Department, milk processors co-ops and farmer in seeking to deliver equal cost shared.

My Department will continue supporting the Programme during 2025 but the form and extent of this has not been decided yet. Any decision on this will be made in consultation with stakeholders through the Animal Health Ireland Johne's Disease Implementation Group and communicated in due course.