I move:
That Dáil Éireann approves the following Regulations in draft:
Bovine Diseases (Levies) Regulations, 1993,
copies of which Regulations in draft were laid before the Dáil on the 28th day of April, 1993.
The proposed regulations are being made under the Bovine Diseases (Levies) Act, 1979 and their purpose is to reduce the financial contribution by the farming community towards the cost of the bovine TB and brucellosis eradication schemes by a sum of £2 million which sum it is proposed, will be saved on the estimated running costs of this year's programme.
A scheme for the eradication of bovine tuberculosis in cattle was first introduced in Ireland in 1954. The scheme was successful by the mid 1970s in reducing the endemic levels of disease in the national herd to an animal incidence of approximately half of one per cent. Progress toward final eradication had, however, slowed at that level and persistent difficulties were encountered in achieving further sustained reductions in disease levels. Clearing residual levels of any infectious disease is difficult but it is surprising that achieving further reductions in the level of TB has proved so difficult.
In 1988 as a new initiative, ERAD — the Eradication of Animal Disease Board — was established by the then Government as a specialised agency to implement a vigorous four year bovine TB eradication programme. This arrangement operated from 1988 to April 1992. The main conclusion to be drawn from the ERAD experience is that eradication is more difficult than had originally been envisaged; that high volume of testing per se is not the answer; that special emphasis needs to be placed on the development of technological tools including a computerised movement permit system and a blood based diagnostic test to supplement the existing skin test together with a possible vaccine for cattle and wildlife. Consideration is currently being given to the type of arrangements appropriate for the next four years of the programme. In the meantime, however, it is necessary to continue the effort to systematically and progressively reduce the existing levels of the disease. Ireland's economy depends to a large extent on exports of beef and dairy products and we must continue to pursue the long term objective of eradication.
When ERAD was established the Government undertook that, in addition to meeting the administrative costs of the scheme, which this year will come to about £18 million it would maintain a financial commitment to the running costs of the schemes. The current running costs are shared by the Exchequer and the farming community. The farmers' contribution is provided through levies collected under the 1979 Bovine Diseases Levies Act. In 1992 farmers contributed £29 million by way of levy. For 1993 the amount now proposed for collection will be approximately £27 million while the estimated running costs of the schemes for 1993 will be reduced from £43.5 million to £41.5 million.
The background to the proposed new financial arrangements relate to the establishment of the EC Veterinary Fund under which member states can seek funding for disease eradication measures in the context of reaching a common animal health status to facilitate animal movement in the Single Market. Ireland has made application to the Commission for EC funding for part recoupment of bovine TB reactor compensation and testing costs amounting to a potential drawdown of some £20 million per year. While the application is technically acceptable to the Commission Services it has not yet been approved as the veterinary fund budget is fully taken up for 1993 and cannot, for the present, fund a number of member state programmes, including Ireland's bovine TB programme. However, I am continuing to press that the money be made available at the earliest possible date. The availability of EC funding is central to the provision of the amplified resources needed to push for a sustained reduction in the residual incidence of bovine TB and I intend to continue to ensure that securing of that funding remains a priority.
Securing this level of EC funding will, of course, allow for the possibility of a significant reduction in the financial burden of the eradication schemes on both the Exchequer and the farming community. However, pending the drawdown of the EC funding it is necessary for trading and veterinary reasons to proceed with an adequate monitoring of the national herd and this year's TB testing programme has, in fact, commenced. It is proposed that a full round of TB testing will be completed before the end of the year. This will involve a test for every herd together with any necessary consequential testing arising from reactor disclosure. In addition, the national herd will continue to be monitored for brucellosis through a combination of milk testing of the dairy herds and blood testing of the non-dairy and suckler enterprises.
Following discussions with the farming organisations it has been possible to identify agreed savings of £2 million through an adjustment in reactor compensation and a slight reduction in the amount of testing originally planned for this year's programme. These savings will allow for a reduction in the bovine diseases levies of the order of 0.1p per gallon of milk processed and 60p per animal slaughtered or exported live. It is proposed to pass back the full amount of the savings to the farming community. The savings, while relatively modest, have been accepted by the farming organisations as a recognition of the significant cost to herdowners in the context of tightening enterprise margins.
I would like to mention a number of areas of the eradication programme which have caused some controversy in recent times, particularly the role of wildlife. It has been said that my Department is operating a badger slaughter policy. This is simply not true. The position is that my Department operates a research programme against the background that it is now widely recognised that badgers play a role in the transmission of bovine TB. There is a growing body of scientific evidence to support this opinion.
With regard to control, badgers are a protected species under the Wildlife Act, 1976 and may only be removed under licence. Where my Department is satisfied that there is a probable link between badgers and an outbreak of bovine TB in cattle, application is made to the Wildlife Service of the Office of Public Works for a licence to remove badgers for post mortem. Applications are considered in the context of an agreed programme aimed at determining what role the badger plays in the transmission of bovine TB. Badgers are humanely removed by shooting and are brought to the most conveniently located veterinary laboratory for post mortem examination and disposal. The number of badgers removed from the population is minimal. Also, road casualty badgers are fully utilised as research material.
I am sure the House will appreciate that given the overriding requirement to reduce the incidence of bovine TB, a thorough analysis of all the factors involved in disease transmission, including the role of wildlife, must be a key element of any eradication programme. On the overall question of research, the TB investigation unit has been in existence for four years now and has carried out a variety of projects in relation to factors which militate against eradication. It has carried out a considerable amount of analytical work on statistical data. Nineteen projects were completed in 1992 and an extensive programme of work has been mapped out for 1993. Valuable work is also being done by my Department's veterinary research laboratory especially on culturing post mortem samples and on the evaluation of blood tests.
Work is continuing on the development of a blood test which has been identified as a major research priority not just in this country but in others having a bovine TB problem. My Department is participating in EC funded trials, and we are also carrying out our own research projects and collaborating with research elsewhere in this area. Although the project is as yet very much at an experimental stage, and progress is slow, the objective is to get to a situation where the blood test would be reliable under practical field conditions and could augment and back up the tuberculin test in certain situations. If perfected it could be of particular use in clearing out the last vestiges of disease where chronic breakdowns have occurred.
Research is also in train on ways to address the wildlife factor. This is a difficult and complex area. There is a number of related projects in progress including a study on the feasibility of using a vaccine in wildlife. A project is almost complete also on a census of the badger population. There are lessons to be learned from other countries where wildlife infection became endemic, and we are collaborating with research workers in these countries.
Work on the computerised movement permit system is progressing well and, when completed, will be of enormous benefit to the administration of the eradication programme. The system will be extensive and complex and will form part of the current overall computerisation of my Department. In the meantime herd owners should consider the benefit of keeping their own records of the movements of cattle into and out of their holdings. In any event, such record keeping will shortly be a requirement arising from the introduction of the Single Market.
The question of value for money spent on the disease eradication schemes has often been raised. In this regard a recent comprehensive cost-benefit analysis carried out by Professor Séamus Sheehy of UCD has shown that the TB Eradication Scheme has been substantially of benefit to the national economy. In its absence, the Irish cattle and dairy industries would have remained at a very low level of development and would have been at a severe competitive disadvantage. The conclusion of the analysis indicated that the benefits exceeded the costs by a minimum of 86 per cent or a rate of real return of 16 per cent on the investment in the scheme to date. Given the anticipated improvement in the disease situation it is envisaged that this rate of return will be maintained or enhanced over the next number of years. The experience of ERAD would indicate that the goal of eradication is more difficult than originally envisaged. However, I believe that with the full co-operation of all concerned it will be possible to break the back of this disease once and for all. I commend these regulations to the House.