Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 23 May 2013
191. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if it is intended to continue testing cattle for brucellosis at the present frequency; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24917/13]
View answerIreland is officially free of Brucellosis since 2009 (our last case was in 2006). The rules relating to Brucellosis provide that, even where the disease has been eradicated, a reduced testing programme must be implemented for a period of 5 years. In view of this, my Department has scaled down the Brucellosis testing programme as follows:
- the age threshold for annual round testing has been increased from 12 to 24 months for eligible animals;
- only 20% of dairy herds and 20% of non-dairy herds are required to be tested this year for the round test;
- the validity period of the pre-movement test has been increased from 30 days to 60 days;
- the age-limit for the pre-movement test for eligible animals has been increased from 12 to 24 months;
- The one sale rule has been abolished.
Following the above changes, the number of cattle required to be tested in 2013 will have been reduced by 3.3m compared with 2008, the last year prior to the achievement of Brucellosis free status, with significant benefits to farmers in terms of reduced testing costs, estimated at approximately €13m in 2013. I will continue to adopt a cautious approach until such time as Officially Brucellosis Free Status has been achieved in Northern Ireland and, for that reason, I do not foresee any further scaling down of the programme in the immediate future.
