Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 16 Feb 1999

Vol. 500 No. 4

Written Answers. - Disease Eradication.

Trevor Sargent

Question:

177 Mr. Sargent asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food if his attention has been drawn to the statement by the Secretary in his Department to the Committee of Public Accounts in 1997 querying the wisdom of devoting further resources to badger eradication while there is no anti-tuberculosis vaccine for badgers; if the badger cull costs £2 million a year; if he will outline the expenditure on a tuberculosis vaccine for badgers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4001/99]

Minister for Agriculture and Food (Mr. Walsh)

I am not aware of any such statement. In any event, my Department does not operate a badger eradication policy although significant resources are committed to our efforts to eradicate tuberculosis in both cattle and badgers. The objective in both instances is to protect the host species.

In 1998 approximately 2,500 badgers were removed as part of a scientific programme under licences issued by the National Parks and Wildlife Service of the Department of Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands. This figure represents less than 1.5 per cent of the estimated total badger population. The objective of the programme is to understand more fully the mechanisms involved in the spread of this disease among badgers and cattle and to develop suitable means for its control and eradication.

The cost of this part of the programme is relatively small and although final figures are not available it is anticipated that the total expenditure for 1998 will not exceed £200,000. The proposed budget for 1999 on this work will be in the order of £400,000.