Is the Department of Agriculture considering a name change for the TB Eradication Programme? And would ‘TB control scheme’ be a more apt moniker for its latest iteration?

The Dealer asks these questions in light of statements made by the Minister for Agriculture Martin Heydon, when announcing this week’s emergency TB summit.

“I intend to bring forward proposals for a revamped eradication plan following this meeting.

“These will be based on the best scientific and veterinary advice available which will be debated and discussed in detail at the summit,” Minister Heydon said.

Tellingly, he then added the following: “I am confident that if we take a robust scientific approach to controlling TB, not alone can we halt the increase of recent years, but in time reduce it to a level where we can start working once again to our ultimate goal of eradication.”

These comments suggest that the Department has given up the ghost on eradicating TB in the short to medium term, and that controlling the spiralling TB numbers is now the primary focus.

There are good reasons for this change of tack – if this is in fact what’s happening.

TB herd incidence has increased from 4.31% in 2022 to 6.04% in 2024 – a 36% increase in the number of herds restricted over the two years – while the number of reactors this year is set to top 60,000 animals.

However, it’s a sad state of affairs that Ireland launched its latest eradication drive in 2021 with an aim of wiping out the disease by 2030, but has effectively had to abandon ship after just four years.

Minister Heydon admitted as much when he talked of Ireland slipping back to TB levels not seen since 2003.

Obviously, radical changes to the TB Eradication Programme will be needed to halt the current spread of the disease. Continuing along as we have been for the last two, three or four decades is not an option. This has already been flagged up in both Dublin and Brussels.

The Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General is currently carrying out an examination of the TB Eradication Programme, as is the European Commission.

The TB Eradication Programme costs around €100m a year in direct expenditure, and €180m a year, if farmer costs and Department labour charges are factored into the mix. Little wonder then that the Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General and the boffins in Brussels are assessing the spend.

For that sort of money, the TB results need to be steaming in the right direction. Unfortunately, however, they are doing the exact opposite.

Minister Heydon will have his hands full turning this ship around.