Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 26 July 2022
2146. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the areas where the BTB programme has fully transitioned to a vaccination programme; those which have not; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41344/22]
View answerThe areas of the country that have transitioned to a vaccination programme are displayed in green on the attached map.
All of county Longford and most of counties Louth and Kilkenny have fully switched to badger vaccination against bovine TB (bTB). Every other county has large areas switched to vaccination with the exceptions of Dublin, Clare and Wicklow.
A review of vaccination areas is being carried out currently in all Regional Veterinary Offices and staff in each of these offices are scheduled to meet with my Department's Wildlife Unit in August to decide on new areas to be switched over to vaccination.
This is guided by the findings of research which indicate that vaccination is more successful when underlying bTB rates in both cattle and badgers have been brought under control and where there is an existing low badger density.
Map showing programme of badger vaccination against bovine TB
