merrion street

Minister Creed is pleased to welcome the commencement of the TB Stakeholder Forum, the first meeting of which took place on 5 September 2018 and was chaired by Mr. Michael Cronin. The Forum represents a prime example of a new approach to animal health initiatives which reflect the principles outlined in the National Farmed Animal Health Strategy. These principles are:

• Working in Partnership,
• Acknowledging Roles and Responsibilities
• Reflecting Costs and Benefits
• Applying the principle that Prevention is Better than Cure

Reflecting on the first meeting of the Forum, the Minister stated

The Bovine TB Eradication Programme is an example of a shared animal health programme where progress and improvement is to the benefit of all related stakeholders. Thanks to the efforts of all stakeholders, bovine TB levels have reduced significantly in recent years. While herd incidence stood at 8% in 2000, it was under 3.5% in 2017. This represents considerable progress. In the absence of a robust TB eradication Programme, many more farmers would have suffered a TB breakdown and the associated significant mental and financial stress. While much progress has been made in reducing bovine TB levels, I believe greater efforts are required to achieve eradication by 2030. In this respect, I welcome the commitment of all Forum members to work together in drafting proposals that can achieve this ambition to the benefit of all stakeholders. I look forward to closely considering these proposals in due course.

Editors Notes:

Consultation papers that are intended to inform the TB Stakeholder Forum deliberations are available on the Department’s website at https://www.agriculture.gov.ie/animalhealthwelfare/diseasecontrol/bovinetb/tbforum/.

The Department would welcome any comment from members of the public on their content. TBForum@agriculture.gov.ie may be used to communicate with the secretariat of the TB Stakeholder Forum.