Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 24 Mar 1993

Vol. 428 No. 2

Written Answers. - Bovine TB Eradication.

Ivor Callely

Ceist:

106 Mr. Callely asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry if he will give an annual breakdown of his Department's total expenditure on bovine TB eradication programmes for the five years from 1988 to 1992; if this disease is diminishing; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry (Mr. J. Walsh)

Details of expenditure by ERAD (The Eradication of Animal Disease Board) on bovine TB eradication/brucellosis eradication during the period 1988 to 1992 is as outlined beneath. It is not possible to segregate expenditure on these programmes because of shared costs.

Year	(£m)
1988	28.5
1989	35.6
1990	46.6
1991	41.4
1992	44.2

A full round of TB testing was completed in 1992. Some 35,000 reactors were disclosed, and the APT (reactors per thousand tests) of 3.3 was less than the 1991 figure of 4.4. This out-turn indicates a slightly reduced disease incidence. However, it remains to be seen whether the downward trend will continue. The 1993 TB round is scheduled to commence at an early date.