The Irish Farmers' Association - IFA

Lobbying Organisation The Irish Farmers' Association - IFA

Date published 17 May, 2025

Relevant Matter Public policy or programme

Public Policy Area Agriculture

Period 1 Jan, 2025 to 30 Apr, 2025

Specific Details Bovine TB

Intended results To emphasise that and enhanced wildlife control programme and a better resourced TB eradication programme is urgently needed to reduce the unacceptable levels of the disease. To seek the support of members of the Oireachtas for an enhanced Wildlife Control Programme. That the proposals put to the TB Forum meeting by the Department of Agriculture and the manner in which they were presented was shambolic. That the Department didn't circulate their ‘proposals' to stakeholders at the Forum, instead choosing to flash them up on a screen halfway through the meeting and seemed unsure themselves as to what they actually were proposing. It was a shambolic approach to such a serious issue for farmers, their families and their livelihoods. That, based on the offering from the Department, they do not seem to have the same objectives and don't appear to appreciate the devastation this disease is causing on farms throughout the country. It was a cocktail of reduced compensation; more and prolonged restrictions on farmers; and blacklisting of farmers through compulsory herd categorisation. To highlight that the current TB crisis is a direct result of flawed policy decisions in the past by the Department of Agriculture and their failure to adequately resource and consistently implement the programme. To propose that; 1. Government must commit to providing the resources necessary to implement an effective and efficient TB programme consistently throughout the country, this includes financial, veterinary, technical and administrative supports. 2. The Wildlife Control Programme must revert to density reduction to bring the badger population to the previously identified DAFM figure of a maximum of 0.5 badgers/sq km to reduce the potential of badger to cattle transmission. 3. Deer Management Units (DMUs) as part of the National Deer Management Strategy to reduce deer numbers must be established in all high prevalence TB areas where deer are present. 4. The DAFM must cease communications on Herd Categorisation and Risk Based Trading. This approach does not stop the movement of potentially TB infected animals, unfairly and unnecessarily devalues farmers livestock who through no fault of their own have recently exited a TB restriction. The recent figures of C10 herds who have TB breakdowns also further discredits this approach 5. The DAFM must implement density reduction of all TB susceptible wildlife in advance of any major ground disturbance works and deforestation in recognition of the recent UCD study findings which were presented to the TB Forum if we are serious about trying to stop new TB breakdowns. 6. The DAFM in consultation with farm organisations must finalise and implement contract rearing Risk Management Plans. 7. The DAFM must develop, in consultation with farm organisations, practical Risk Management Plans for all farmers to be used through the farmers own Private Veterinary Practitioner (PVP) to help drive awareness of TB risk and provide advice on appropriate precautions. 8. To address the concerns raised by the DAFM in relation to the lower sensitivity of the SCIT test and the potential for TB infected animals to remain within herds the more sensitive GIF test should be used in herds where within herd TB spread is confirmed. 9. To complement the proposal at point 8 and further reduce the likelihood of Higher Risk TB animals leaving dairy herds, a compulsory pre movement test for dairy cows entering dairy herds should be introduced. This measure when applied with point 8 significantly reduces the likelihood of TB introduction to dairy herds. The combination of using the GIF test in the original breakdown in herds, which compensates for the lower sensitivity of the SCIT test, reduces the likelihood of TB infected animals remaining in the herd and the compulsory requirement then for all cows entering dairy herds provides additional protection to the purchasing herd. The proposal focuses just on dairy cows entering dairy herds as these are the herds and the animals that proportionately have most TB when measured on Herd Incidence and APT. This measure is not appropriate or necessary for consideration in suckler herds based on their Herd Incidence and APT figures. 10. The DAFM must promote the use of TB resistant bulls 11. The DAFM must advance development of an effective cattle vaccination for TB and a suitable test to differentiate vaccinated animals from infected animals while in parallel addressing the potential market access concerns at EU and international level. 12. The DAFM must provide grant aid to farmers implementing bio security measures on farm that reduces wildlife access to critical areas. 13. Recognising the need to intensify efforts in the TB programme in high risk and larger TB breakdowns, there is also a need to balance this in breakdowns that are not high risk. Factory lesion restrictions must be shortened where it is established there is no further TB reactors on the farm. 85% of these breakdowns do not disclose any further TB reactors on the farm, maintaining a restriction for 120 days spanning two 60-day tests on these farms is unnecessary. To emphasise that the Minister meets with the IFA to agree on and implement a consistent and adequately funded TB scheme, including dealing with infected wildlife, in all counties.

Name of person primarily responsible for lobbying on this activity Francie Gorman IFA President, Damian McDonald IFA Director General, Tadhg Buckley IFA Director of Policy & Chief Economist, TJ Maher IFA Animal Health Chair, Caillin Conneely IFA Hill Farming Chair, Stephen Canavan IFA Galway Chair, Roy O'Brien IFA Regional Executive, William Dolan IFA Regional Executive, Richard O Brien IFA Westmeath Chair, Pat Walsh IFA Offaly Chair, Brendan Hickey IFA Kilkenny Chair

Did any Designated Public Official(DPO) or former Designated Public Official(DPO) carry out lobbying activities on your behalf in relation to this return? You must include yourself, and answer Yes, if you are a current DPO or a DPO at any time in the past. (What is a Designated Public Official?) No

Did you manage or direct a grassroots campaign? No

Was this lobbying done on behalf of a client? No

Lobbying activity

The following activities occurred for this specific Subject Matter Area.

Meeting (6-10)

Social Media (2-5)

Email (2-5)

Informal communication (2-5)

Submission (1)

Designated public officials lobbied

The following DPOs were lobbied during this return period on this specific Subject Matter Area. These DPOs were involved in at least one of the Lobbying Activities listed above, but not necessarily all of them. As returns are specific to a Subject Matter Area the above Lobbying Activities may be associated with multiple returns.

Aindrias Moynihan TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Alan Dillon Minister of State (Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation)

Albert Dolan TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin MEP (European Parliament)

Barry Andrews MEP (European Parliament)

Barry Cowen MEP (European Parliament)

Billy Kelleher MEP (European Parliament)

Brendan Gleeson Secretary General (Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine)

Brian Stanley TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Carol Nolan TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Christopher O'Sullivan TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Ciaran Mullooly MEP (European Parliament)

Colm Burke Minister of State (Department of Health)

Colm Burke TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Cynthia Ní Mhurchú MEP (European Parliament)

Dara Calleary Minister (Department of Environment, Community and Local Government)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Edward Timmins TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Eileen Lynch Senator (Seanad)

Eoghan Kenny TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Hildegarde Naughton Minister of State (Department of Children and Youth Affairs)

Imelda Goldsboro Senator (Seanad)

James O'Connor TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Jerry Buttimer Senator (Seanad)

John Clendennen TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

John Connolly TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

John McGuinness TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

John Paul O'Shea TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

June Fanning Deputy Chief Veterinary Officer (Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine)

Kathleen Funchion MEP (European Parliament)

Ken O'Flynn TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Kevin Boxer Moran TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Kiera Keogh TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Liam Quaide TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Luke Ming Flanagan MEP (European Parliament)

Lynn Boylan MEP (European Parliament)

Maria Walsh MEP (European Parliament)

Martin Heydon Minister (Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine)

Michael Collins TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Michael McNamara MEP (European Parliament)

Michael Moynihan TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Michael Sheahan Director of Operations (Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine)

Natasha Newsome Drennan TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Nina Carberry MEP (European Parliament)

Noel McCarthy TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Pádraig O'Sullivan TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Pádraig Rice TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Pat Buckley TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Paul Lawless TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Peter 'Chap' Cleere TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Regina Doherty MEP (European Parliament)

Rose Conway-Walsh TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Seamus McGrath Councillor (Cork County Council)

Sean Canney Minister of State (Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport)

Seán Fleming TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Sean Kelly MEP (European Parliament)

Thomas Gould TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Tony McCormack TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

William Aird TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Patricia Stephenson Senator (Seanad)