Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Thursday, 14 Feb 2002

Vol. 548 No. 4

Written Answers. - Disease Eradication Schemes.

Ivor Callely

Ceist:

94 Mr. Callely asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development the moneys spent on bovine tuberculosis and brucellosis eradication schemes from 1990 to 2000, inclusive; the comparative figures for the levels of such diseases in herds; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4117/02]

Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development (Mr. Walsh)

During the period 1990 to 2000 a total of €652.4 million, excluding administration costs, was spent on my Department's bovine TB and brucellosis eradication schemes. It is not possible to break down the cost of each scheme due to the fact that the majority of TB tests and brucellosis tests are undertaken simultaneously.

The incidence of bovine TB is measured by the number of reactor animals per 1,000 tests. The average APT for the period was 3.2. Since 1999 the national incidence of bovine tuberculosis has been decreasing. This downward trend continued in 2001 and the provisional data available to my Department indicates that for 2001 the total number of reactors here will be less than 34,000 compared with a figure of 39,847 in 2000. The APT was reduced to 3.55 in 2001 from 3.9 in 2000.

The incidence of brucellosis is measured by the number of individual holdings restricted. In the period the total number of new restrictions was 6,129. Since 1998 the number of newly restricted herds has fallen by 49% from 1,081 in that year to 553 in 2001. With the maintenance of current testing levels it is reasonable to expect that the disease can be eradicated in the short to medium term.

My Department is committed to meeting the objectives agreed under the PPF, to reduce the current incidence of TB by 50% in the worst affected areas and to make progress towards the eradication of brucellosis.

In relation to TB and brucellosis, resources are being assigned to carrying out investigative work into the causes of herd break-downs, and to taking a pro-active approach to the removal of all sources of infection. Current procedures and practices will continue to ensure the gradual reduction in the incidence of both these diseases. These will be augmented by new research and testing methods.