The wildlife control programme, which aims to reduce the spread of TB from wildlife, is “severely understaffed in the worst areas for TB”.

That’s according to TJ Maher, the animal health chairperson for the Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA), who described this situation as “unacceptable”.

“Until this issue is resolved with the sufficient operatives on the ground, disease levels will not be reduced,” he said.

Maher was responding to a report from the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) which highlighted concerns over trends in the “funding and expenditure” for the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine’s TB Eradication Programme.

He said that the report “failed to identify the biggest losers, which are farmers”.

“The PAC report not only grossly underestimates farmers’ contributions to the programme, but also fails to recognise the impact the programme and associated controls have on farmers, their incomes and their ability to farm when restricted,” Maher said.

He criticised the department for what he called its “failure” to properly implement an effective wildlife control programme throughout the country.

“The [PAC] report only recognises the direct contribution of farmers in disease levies and annual herd test payments of almost €40 million/year, but fails to acknowledge the enormous labour contribution of farmers in facilitating almost 9 million tests on animals each year.

“Organising TB testing; presenting animals on both days of the test; and cleansing and disinfecting afterwards requires an enormous farmer labour contribution that continues to go unaccounted for in the programme,” he added.

The IFA estimates that the minimum value of farmer labour contribution is €20 million.

“If we are to reduce the levels of TB in the country, we must implement the measures that are proven to be effective and this must start with honouring commitments on the resources for the wildlife control programme,” Maher commented.

“Blacklisting of farmers and herd categorisation are not fooling farmers… It is time for the department to focus on the real drivers of the disease if we are to see meaningful reductions in disease levels.”

The IFA animal health chair said the PAC is correct to seek updates from the department on the progress of the Eradication Programme, but that there are “a lot more metrics they should consider”.