Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 31 March 2015
313. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the estimated cost per animal of the plan to chip and vaccinate badgers against tuberculosis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12830/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department's TB eradication programme incorporates a wildlife strategy because tuberculosis is present both in cattle and in badgers. Research conducted over the years by the Department and others has demonstrated that the eradication of bovine TB disease is not a practicable proposition until the issue of the reservoir of infection in badgers, which is seeding infection into the cattle population, is addressed. It is therefore necessary to eradicate TB in both species. In view of this, the comprehensive TB Eradication Programme as implemented by my Department has incorporated a badger removal policy since 2004. I should emphasise that badgers are only removed in areas where an epidemiological investigation carried out by my Department’s Veterinary Inspectorate has found that badgers are the likely source of infection.
While the culling of badgers is cost effective and has contributed significantly to the very significant improvement in the disease situation in recent years, badger culling alone will not enable my Department to achieve its ultimate objective of eradicating TB in cattle. Accordingly, my Department intends to incorporate badger vaccination into the eradication programme when data are available to ensure that it can be incorporated in an optimally effective and sustainable manner. A number of field trials are ongoing in Ireland with this objective in mind. Some 1,575 badgers have been vaccinated to date. It is estimated that it costs approximately €21 to microchip and vaccinate each badger. In addition, there are extra costs for manpower used in the programme, but these are difficult to quantify in view of the fact that the staff involved are also engaged in other official duties. It will be a number of years before a viable oral delivery method can be put in place and, therefore, targeted badger removals will continue in the medium term.
