Senator Tim Lombard told the Seanad that the increasing levels of bovine tuberculosis (TB) is causing “terrible stress” for farm families.
The senator told stories of farmers with outbreaks in his home county of Cork, where he said the levels of TB “have gone through the roof”.
As of September 1 this year on a national scale and one a 12-month rolling basis, the herd incidence increased to 5.52% compared to 4.74% at the same time last year.
In the past 12 months 5,607 herds were restricted, compared to 4,872 in the previous 12-month period, according to the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Charlie McConalogue.
“We are experiencing an outbreak of TB across the country that we cannot control,” Senator Lombard said.
He said that the issue will “get a great deal worse”, with the bovine herd going into housing, perhaps leading to further spread.
TB levels
“We will see the levels of TB increase dramatically next spring, which will have a huge financial impact on family farms and the co-operative societies.
“It will cause unbelievable mental trauma for farmers to have their stock taken away to be slaughtered.
“Members of the veterinary community coming into the yards of farmers they know very well may have to put down a large percentage of their herds as reactors. That is another trauma in the system,” Senator Lombard said.
While the amount of money spent by the state on the TB eradication programme increased by approximately €17 million last year, the herd incidence rate also went up, reaching almost 5% by the close of 2023.
The senator called for a debate in the chamber with Minister McConalogue in order to ensure staff are provided to deal with the issue.
Senator Lombard said there are currently eight vacancies on the wildlife side, indicating that the country does “not have the personnel on the ground” to deal with the disease.