Minister for Agriculture Charlie McConalogue, has admitted that “a mad amount of money” will be spent on the TB programme in the next decade if current figures don’t improve.

The minister said that “not far off a billion euro” would be spent on the programme over the next 10 years and expressed his misgivings that the money could be spent on better things if figures could be improved.

“Eight additional farmers a week are going down with reactors now compared to 18 months ago, and that is causing considerable stress,” the minister said, in response to a question from ICMSA deputy president Lorcan McCabe during the organisation’s AGM last Thursday.

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He acknowledged the pain and frustration farm families face when a TB outbreak occurrs and told the 120 participants on the Zoom call that the figures needed to be tackled.

The Department of Agriculture recently published a draft TB eradication strategy and TB risk letters, both of which were met with backlash.