Department Must do More to Eradicate Bovine TB Says Committee
10 Apr 2014 12:43 PM
The Committee for Agriculture and Rural
Development has told the Department that it must do more to implement and
develop agreed measures to tackle and eradicate Bovine TB. Departmental
officials attended Tuesday’s (8 April 2014) Committee meeting to update
Members on the progress made towards implementing recommendations stemming from
the Committee's 2012 report into Bovine TB
Speaking after the meeting, Committee Chairperson Paul
Frew MLA said: "While the Committee welcomes the
announcement that new herd breakouts have decreased by 12.7% this year, we
remain concerned that more must be done to sustain this reduction and to
eradicate Bovine TB completely.
“Back in September 2013, the Minister told us of
her intention to establish a cross government/industry Strategic Partnership
Group to produce a longer-term strategy and action plan to eradicate Bovine TB.
However, we learn today, that almost nine months later no progress has been
made in relation to this plan.
Mr
Frew concluded: "The Committee accepts that there can be no one stop shop
to finding a solution to this issue and that many factors contribute to the
existence and spread of the disease. However, farmers, their families and rural
communities are continuing to suffer personal and financial stresses due to
herd breakdowns. The Minister and her Department must do all that they can, as
quickly as they can, to prioritise and action a cohesive and feasible approach
towards tackling this very serious issue once and for
all.”
Committee Deputy Chairperson Joe Byrne MLA added:
“In the 15 years leading up to March 2011 Bovine TB has cost the local
economy around £317m. This is a substantial amount of money in
anyone’s book, particularly when we consider that the bulk of this has
gone towards the testing regime and on compensation payments for the slaughter
of infected animals.
Mr
Byrne concluded: “The Department must act now to redirect its focus and
all available funds towards developing clear and practical preventative
measures to eradicate this scourge. In the longer term this approach can only
result in the availability of more funding to support and further develop local
farms, the agricultural industry and rural communities.”
Notes to Editors:
The
Committee also expressed concern around some of the practicalities of the
Wildlife Intervention Study, commonly known at the Test, Vaccinate or Remove
(TVR). This included: the projected length of the study and analysis of
results, the limited testing area and if workable the extended timeframe
necessary to roll TVR out across Northern Ireland.
The
Committee Report on its Review into Bovine Tuberculosis is available here.
Committee Membership;
Mr
Paul Frew – Chairperson
Mr
Joe Byrne – Deputy Chairperson
Mr
Thomas Buchanan
Mrs
Jo-Anne Dobson
Mr
William Irwin
Mr
Declan McAleer
Mr
Trevor Lunn
Miss Michelle McIlveen
Mr
Oliver McMullan
Mr
Ian Milne
Mr
Robin Swann