Healy Rae raises serious fears over the delays in removing TB cattle from farms

DELAYS currently being experienced when it comes to removing livestock struck with TB from farms ultimately threatens to spread the disease even more widely among animals.

That’s the warning from Independent TD Danny Healy Rae this week, after he raised the issue of the lengthy delays in the Dáil where he described them as a ‘very serious issue.’

It’s now taking longer than three weeks to remove cattle diagnosed with TB from farms and the delays are being experienced more acutely by farmers in isolated areas in particular.

Deputy Healy Rae queried the procedures governing removal as well. At present, second TB tests are administered 60 days after the animal is removed from the farm.

Deputy Healy Rae said the 60-day period should begin as soon as the animal is diagnosed.

“Why is it taking more than three weeks to remove cattle that have gone down with TB from farms?” he asked Taoiseach Enda Kenny last week.

The Kilgarvan politician asked if there is a dispute between the Valuation Section and the Department and said that ‘it is very unfair that the clock does not start ticking for the next 60 day test until the animals have been removed from the farm holding’.

“The 60 days should start from the date of the first test which highlighted TB infected animals.

“It appears too that there is a backlog in the Factories and that they are holding up the slaughter of these infected animals.

“Here likewise seems to be a problem with transportation from remote area. This obviously results in more animals possibly contracting TB and exasperating the issue further.

“The Taoiseach agreed that this was indeed that this was a very serious matter and that he would talk to the Minister for Agriculture about finding a solution to this issue.”