DAERA Minister Andrew Muir has welcomed a £4m allocation from a public sector Transformation Fund to help deliver a cross-border research project into bovine TB.

Taking place in the Derry and Strabane region and crossing into northeast Donegal, the project has already secured around £5.6m from the Irish Government’s Shared Island Fund.

Under the project, the plan is to reduce disease levels among badgers in the area (subject to licensing approval) using a Test and Vaccinate or Remove (TVR) approach.

In addition, there will be more use of the interferon gamma (blood) test in TB breakdown herds and enhanced biosecurity advice to farmers. Badger sett surveys commenced in January 2026, and since then around 96% of local farmers have granted permission for DAERA to access their land.