Farm organisations are insisting that farmers must not be asked to carry the cost of any additional tests required under the new legislation.

A number of meetings of the TB implementation group are scheduled to thrash out the details over the coming weeks.

IFA animal health chair Pat Farrell said pre- and post- movement tests had no basis for inclusion in the Irish TB programme as there was no scientific basis for them.

Farrell insisted that any additional testing costs imposed by the Department will not be accepted by farmers.

Hugh Farrell, Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers Association (ICSA) animal health chair, said farmers already pay over €27m per year on TB testing and could not be asked to cover more tests.