Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 29 Jun 1993

Vol. 433 No. 1

Written Answers. - Bovine TB Testing.

Austin Deasy

Question:

100 Mr. Deasy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry if his attention has been drawn to the fact that following the discovery of one dead and one dying badger on lands at Dunhill/Fenor, County Waterford, both of which were found to be infected with Bovine TB, his Department refused to carry out herd tests in the area; if he will have the matter investigated in view of the fact that this particular area has a notoriously high incidence of the Bovine TB disease; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry (Mr. J. Walsh)

My Department has no record of two T.B. infected badgers having been found in any part of the Dunhill/Fenor area of County Waterford. Following an outbreak of T.B. in the Dunhill area a licence to snare badgers was obtained from the Wildlife Service of the Office of Public Works. To date five badgers have been removed. None of the badgers removed has shown evidence of T.B. infection on post mortem examination. The Fenor area is currently under test as part of the annual testing programme while the Dunhill area is scheduled for testing in the near future.