An independent consultant will be appointed to quantify the costs and benefits of the TB eradication programme as they affect farmers, the Department of Agriculture and other stakeholders.

IFA animal health chair Pat Farrell claims that farmers’ labour costs of over €20m are not presently taken into account in the programme.

Separately, the Department of Agriculture told the TB Forum that the Irish Government Economic and Evaluation Service will carry out a spending review of the TB programme.

The studies mean that the forum is unlikely to agree recommendations for a revised programme as early in 2019 as had been expected.