Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 20 May 2021
62. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the status of the BTB incidence rate among Irish herds in 2021; if he expects the annual incidence rate to rise again from 2020; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27012/21]
View answerLevels of bovine TB have been rising since 2016, and this deteriorating trend has continued into the first quarter of 2021. The current 12-month rolling herd incidence at 9th May 2021 is 4.27% compared to 3.92% on 10th May 2020. The 12-month rolling average number of reactors up to 9th May 2021 (21,926) is considerably higher than figure at 10th May 2020 (18,813), indicating that increase in disease trend is still rising. These trends highlight the need for urgent action by all stakeholders to manage the risk more effectively across all transmission routes.
Earlier this year, I launched a new Bovine TB Eradication Strategy 2021-2030. The implementation of this strategy is overseen by the established TB Stakeholder Forum along with support from three new working groups on science, implementation and finance to ensure that all aspects of the Strategy are addressed. Extensive consultation within the three working groups will develop a shared understanding of how collectively we can reduce TB incidence along with implementing the new TB Eradication Strategy. As we are dealing with an infectious disease, the strategy is not set in stone - it is a living document which will be subject to amendment and refinement on an on-going basis. This new TB Strategy is available on www.bovinetb.ie.
Attaining TB-free status remains critical from a farm family profitability and sustainability perspective and from a trade perspective at national and at international level. I am acutely conscious that every TB restriction represents a significant emotional and financial challenge to the farm family concerned.
I am working with all stakeholders in ensuring fewer herdowners experience the emotional and financial pain associated with a TB restriction and that we work purposefully towards eradication of this disease, thus eliminating this on-going cost on farmers and the State.
