The pilot project in north Cork is part of a field trial being undertaken by my Department to evaluate the contribution of infected badger populations to the prevalence of bovine tuberculosis in Ireland. The licences for this research are granted by the national parks and wildlife service of the Department of Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands.
The current four area project commenced in 1996 with the selection of areas based on scientific examination of relevant criteria. The other project areas contained in this study are in counties Donegal, Monaghan and Kilkenny. It is not possible to revise the experimental design at this advanced stage of the project.
The percentages of confirmed cases of tuberculosis in badgers in the Cork project area in the three years since removal operations commenced in 1997 were 29.5%, 30.3% and 24%. Data relating to TB levels are being analysed and will be published at a later date. Under the terms of the Programme for Prosperity and Fairness there is a commitment to introduce additional personnel to augment the wildlife programme. These staff will be targeted at the 20% of the country which yields 50% of current TB reactors. Certain selection criteria are being used to identify these areas of higher than average incidence and the areas referred to by the Deputy will be part of this new initiative if a higher than average level of bovine tuberculosis is identified in those areas.