Animal Diseases
Seanad Éireann — 2025-12-16
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Michael Healy-Rae (IND), Kerry

I fully acknowledge the frustration farmers experience with this disease.
By addressing the bovine TB disease levels in Ireland through the implementation of the actions in the recently launched TB action plan, we will be able to tackle this disease in a meaningful manner and better protect farm families in Ireland from this disease. Bovine TB is a challenging disease to control and eradicate. The Minister for agriculture, Deputy Heydon, and I, and everyone in the Department, are acutely aware of the financial and emotional trauma associated with a TB breakdown. It causes significant hardship for farmers and farming families. The Minister is fully committed to the ultimate objective of the TB programme, which is eradication. However, our immediate focus has to be on reducing the current high levels of this disease, which are very much out of control.
The aim of this action plan is to reset the bovine TB programme by putting in place the necessary measures to tackle the current disease situation. These measures target both transmission between wildlife and cattle and between cattle. It is vital these measures are taken to reduce disease levels and to protect the livelihoods of farmers and rural communities. The combined efforts of all stakeholders in implementing these actions will make a significant contribution to reducing the levels of TB we have unfortunately seen in recent years. The cost of the bovine TB programme has increased significantly in recent years. The most effective way to reduce the cost of the bovine TB programme is through reducing disease levels. I thank the Senator again for raising an exceptionally topical matter that is terribly important.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/seanad/2025-12-16/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-08-14T04:54:28+00:00
Sitting date: 2025-12-16