Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 24 Mar 1994

Vol. 440 No. 6

Written Answers. - Bovine TB.

Avril Doyle

Question:

63 Mrs. Doyle asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry if his attention has been drawn to the plans to harmonise the reporting of the incidence of bovine TB within the EU; whether we should record only proven infection rather than continue to include the 10,000 false positives which grossly inflate the total number of reactors, 30,000, due to the non-specificity of the tuberculin test; and the way in which, on the basis of our present reporting procedures, our incidence of bovine TB compares to other European states.

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

The tuberculin test is the standard biological and legal test used in all member states in the EU for the identification of TB infected animals. The procedures currently applying to the diagnosis, reporting and clearance of herds affected by bovine tuberculosis are those specified in the EU Directive on animal health problems affecting intra Community trade. This directive is currently the subject of a review and updating procedure and it is expected that a uniform system of reporting will be included in the revision. There is no evidence to indicate any great disparity between the reporting methodologies in different member states but a completely uniform system would be desirable. The specific definitions relating to suspect disease and confirmed disease have yet to be discussed but it is hoped that a more discerning set of definitions will emerge as part of the review. The level of bovine tuberculosis in most other EU member states is lower than in this country.