A major reset of the TB eradication programme has been flagged by the Minister for Agriculture Martin Heydon.

A meeting of all the key stakeholders has been called for Thursday 8 May to discuss measures to address what the minister described as “deteriorating TB disease levels”.

Minister Heydon claimed that the Irish farm sector had reached a “crossroads” in its “efforts to control and ultimately eradicate bovine TB”.

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

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

“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,” he added.

The herd incidence of TB has increased from 4.31% in 2022 to 6.04% in 2024. This is a 36% increase in the number of herds restricted between 2022 and 2024, Minister Heydon pointed out.

It has been accepted by senior Department officials that the number of TB reactors this year could increase by 50% to over 60,000.

However, a raft of proposals recently tabled by the Department at the TB Forum sparked a furious reaction from the farm organisations.

Minister Heydon said “leadership” will be required and difficult decisions will have to be taken to get TB levels under control and “reduce the number of farm families affected”.

The Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General is currently carrying out an examination of spending under the TB Eradication Programme.

The European Commission’s Directorate General for Health and Food Safety is also carrying out an audit of Ireland’s TB eradication programme.