Vol. 412 No. 6
54 Mr. J. Mitchell asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food if wildlife creatures, such as badgers, are largely responsible for the continuing incidence of bovine TB; and, if so, the measures that will be taken to deal with the problem.
58 Mr. Browne (Carlow-Kilkenny) asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food if badgers in certain areas were examined during 1991, in relation to TB infection; and, if so, the percentage of badgers found to be carrying the disease.
63 Proinsias De Rossa asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food when details of the results of the badger slaughter as part of the bovine tuberculosis eradication campaign will be made public; if he will make available any interim results; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 54, 58 and 63 together.
The badger is a protected species under the Wildlife Act, 1976 and may only be removed under licence issued by the Wildlife Service of the Office of Public Works. ERAD's attention is focused on the role of the badger in TB spread only after exhaustive investigations have eliminated other possible causes.
I am informed by the director of ERAD that it is now generally accepted that wildlife, and in particular, the badger have a role in the transmission of bovine TB. ERAD's wildlife research is at present concentrated on the badger and a national project is in place with the aim of quantifying the effect which badgers have on the bovine TB problem in Ireland. However, it is important to stress that the effects of badger removal on bovine disease levels must be measured over a three to five year period. Interim results from a project conducted in east Offaly have shown a 23 per cent drop in bovine disease levels in the first two years after removal of infected badgers although it is too early to draw firm conclusions.
In 1991 to date a total of 1,747 badgers have been removed under licence from the Wildlife Service of which approximately 10 per cent have been found to be infected with bovine TB.
