asked the Minister for Fisheries and Forestry if he is aware that the wild life section of his Department was notified in January 1978 that a dead badger, found at Kilkerrin, Ballinasloe, County Galway, was heavily infected with tuberculosis; and the action his Department has taken in the matter.
Written Answers. - Bovine Tuberculosis.
307.
My Department have received no such notification but have been requested by the Department of Agriculture to co-operate in a pilot scheme in County Galway arising from possible involvement of badgers in the spread of bovine T.B. This is being arranged. I must add, however, that investigations carried out to date do not indicate that badgers, or any other form of wildlife, play a significant part in the spread of bovine tuberculosis.