Progress on Bovine TB eradication strategy demanded

The party’s agriculture spokesperson said: “Bovine TB is a disease that we urgently need to get under control. At a herd incidence rate of 8.3% compared to 4.3% in the south, the bTB programme costs almost £40 million per year.

“In addition to this, we have also lost £5 million per year from the EU Fund for Disease Eradication. This contributed towards the department’s bTB programme but now there is a £5 million shortfall, courtesy of Brexit.

“My party colleague Michelle O’Neill as Agriculture Minister in 2014 commissioned the Test Vaccinate Remove (TVR) wildlife intervention study and set up the TB Strategic Partnership Group (TBSPG), an expert advisory body to develop a long term strategy.

“This group published a bTB Eradication Strategy in 2016 which set out a series of inter-related proposals including health management, partnership, wildlife, research and finance and DAERA consulted on this in 2017/18.”

Mr McAleer continued: “However, despite the passage of time we have still not seen the publication of the new bTB Eradication Strategy.

“According to the most recent update, DAERA economists and veterinary officials are working on an Outline Business Case (OBC) and the Minister has sought further information to help inform his deliberations.”

Mr McAleer concluded: “With our bTB her incidence rates twice as high as the south and with enormous challenges facing us in terms of future funding, I call on the minister and his department to urgently progress the Bovine TB Eradication Strategy.”