Debate contribution: Bovine TB

Debate contribution by Mr Declan McAleer on 19 November 2024.

MLA

Mr Declan McAleer

Party at the time

Sinn Féin

Date

19 November 2024

Type

Debate contribution

Business

Private Members' Business

Heading

Bovine TB

Assembly identifier

Official Report component 4666055

Read the official Assembly record

Text

I beg to move

Go raibh maith agat, a Leas-Cheann Comhairle.

I welcome the opportunity to address an issue that is of immense importance to the agriculture community and has a far-reaching impact that affects farmers, families, our rural economy and, ultimately, food security. The motion acknowledges that bovine tuberculosis remains a serious and persistent threat to farming in the North. Not only does the disease present an animal health crisis but it represents a matter of economic and social importance that impacts on our communities in profound ways. I emphasise the urgency of the motion and the need for DAERA to act decisively. Bovine TB is a highly infectious disease that has devastating consequences for livestock. It creates significant economic and emotional challenges for farmers, which include the cost of testing, cattle losses, movement restrictions and ongoing uncertainty. Recent figures show that bTB-related compensation costs run into millions of pounds annually. That is an unsustainable burden. Farmers are central to the issue and deserve our respect and support. Agriculture is the backbone of the rural North, and our farmers' dedication ensures food security and resilience. Those farmers bear the brunt of bTB's impact and will lead the efforts to eradicate it, however, and, for them to succeed, they need clear support and strong guidance from us: their representatives. One organisation that has been crucial to addressing the crisis is the TB Eradication Partnership. It deserves our gratitude and commendation for its work and its commitment to tackling the disease. The TB Eradication Partnership has undertaken essential work to identify, assess and address the spread of bTB. It has done so with dedication and through collaboration. Despite our collective efforts, we are still faced with a high prevalence of bTB across the region. We need a strategy that brings lasting results and that integrates scientific evidence with a holistic approach to eradication. That brings us to the core of the motion, which is a call on the AERA Minister to bring forward a comprehensive and holistic bovine TB strategy. Effective strategies must be backed by science and rooted in an evidence-based understanding of disease transmission and control. Tackling bTB requires a well-rounded approach that addresses multiple factors including wildlife control, cattle management, biosecurity and testing. Only through a multi-pronged strategy can we expect to achieve a lasting reduction in bTB rates and, ultimately, eradicate the disease from our herds. Evidence from across the globe shows that effective bTB control requires targeted wildlife intervention alongside robust cattle management practices. In England, the badger control policy reduced bovine TB incidence in herds by 56% in intervention areas, while field trials in the South of Ireland have shown clear evidence that proactive badger removal leads to infections in cattle declining significantly. Similarly, New Zealand and Australia achieved bTB eradication through wildlife management targeting reservoirs such as brush-tailed possums, combined with stringent cattle testing and movement controls. Those successes underline a critical point, which is that tackling wildlife reservoirs is not optional if we are serious about eradicating bTB. Without addressing the upstream driver of infection, farmers and rural communities will continue to bear the cost of ineffective disease control. As policymakers, we must act decisively to implement evidence-based and targeted interventions to protect our agriculture industry, safeguard animal health and secure the livelihoods of our farming families. Wildlife management therefore is a key component of any effective strategy. Let me be clear: wildlife control must be done in a way that is humane, scientifically justified and ethically managed. Our goal should be to protect the health of our cattle and the integrity of our natural environment. Bovine TB does not recognise borders, and its impact is felt across the entire island of Ireland, which highlights the need for a coordinated approach to tackle the disease on both sides of the border. Research from the North shows that 21·3% of roadkill badgers that were tested were infected with bTB. That figure, although alarming, is likely to be an underestimate due to the limitations of post-mortem testing. To put it in perspective, it is over 20 times higher than the rate in our cattle population. As a wildlife reservoir, badgers perpetuate the cycle of infection, making it impossible to eliminate bTB from our herds through cattle-focused measures alone. Experience in countries with limited wildlife reservoirs shows that rigorous testing, biosecurity and cattle movement controls can achieve disease eradication. However, in the North, Britain and the South of Ireland, where badgers are a significant reservoir of bTB, such measures alone have proven to be insufficient. That stark reality highlights the need for targeted, science-driven wildlife interventions to break the chain of infection. Our farmers, livestock and rural communities bear the burden of the disease. If we are serious about protecting their livelihoods and eradicating bTB, we must confront the issue with evidence-based policies that prioritise animal health and public confidence. Let the Assembly commit to comprehensive solutions that address all sources of infection, including wildlife, to secure the future of agriculture here. I cannot stress enough that the time for action is now. We cannot afford to delay the implementation of a comprehensive bTB strategy. The financial, emotional and social costs of the disease have been carried by the farming community for far too long. The motion serves as a reminder that, while we have made efforts in the past, our work is far from over. We must commit to seeing this through, and to giving our farmers the tools, resources and support that they need to overcome the challenge. By supporting the motion, we can affirm our commitment to the future of agriculture here. We are committing to the well-being of our farmers, the resilience of our rural economy and the health of our livestock. Let us work together, across party lines, to ensure that a strategy is developed and implemented swiftly. Let us make it clear that we will not rest until bTB is a problem of the past, our farms are free from the grip of the disease and our farming community feels the full support and strength of the Assembly. I commend the motion.

1,022 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.

Assessment

Not flagged

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Assessed 21 October 2026 at 11:37 UTC by jev-1.13.0 (requested as typesafe/jev) under rubric 2026.10-r9, methodology 1.9.

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