Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 29 Nov 2001

Vol. 545 No. 3

Written Answers. - Bovine Disease Controls.

Jim O'Keeffe

Question:

18 Mr. J. O'Keeffe asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development if he is satisfied with the results of the disease eradication programme; the costs to date of the programme; and his plans for the future of the programme. [30042/01]

Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development (Mr. Walsh)

I presume that the Deputy is referring to my Department's bovine tuberculosis and brucellosis eradication programmes.

The initial policy when the TB scheme was introduced in 1954 was to eradicate bovine TB from cattle herds and this still remains the objective. Significant progress was made in the earlier stages of the scheme but the programme has stalled, albeit at a relatively low level of the disease. However, given the experience in the past 30 years there is a recognition that the incidence of the disease in wildlife is a major impediment and that further technological advances will be needed to achieve further progress. An important short-term objective is to ensure that the incidence of the disease is reduced to an acceptable minimum so that markets, in particular export markets, are not jeopardised and so that there is no serious threat to human health. I am satisfied that these two objectives are being fully achieved. The anticipated number of reactors this year is 34,000 compared with 39,847 in 2000 and 44,903 in 1999.

Good progress was made in eradicating brucellosis in the initial 20 years of the programme up to 1986, but there were setbacks in the programme over the next decade. The programme to combat the disease was again stepped up from 1996 and significant progress has been made since in reducing the incidence of the disease with the number of herds restricted to date in 2001 being less than 50% of the corresponding period in 1998. I am satisfied that the current programme, if maintained, will lead to the eradication of the disease in the medium term.

Since the launch of the TB eradication scheme in 1954, and the brucellosis eradication scheme in 1966, the combined expenditure for both schemes has totalled £954 million – excluding administration costs – up to the end of 2000. The receipts for the same period totalled £429 million leaving a net expenditure of £525 million.