Relevant Matter
Public policy or programme
Public Policy Area
Agriculture
Period
1 Sep, 2024 to 31 Dec, 2024
Specific Details
Reduction of Staff in TB Programme
Intended results
To stress that the reduction of 8 staff, dedicated to the Wildlife Control Programme in the Department of Agriculture, Food, and the Marine, will result in the loss of up to 10,000 more productive animals from farms this year with reactor numbers predicted to hit 40,000.
To highlight that this is a critical area in investigating and resolving TB breakdowns and ensuring timely removal of reactors which is vital to get TB numbers under control.
To highlight that over 700 farmers or 5.5% of herds have had their farms restricted, while in the same period the Wildlife Control Programme have only dealt with an extra 200 badgers.
To call on the Minister for Agriculture, Food, and the Marine to outline his departments position on TB Eradication.
To highlight that reducing resources in the programme will leave farmers to endure the trauma and financial impact of TB breakdowns.
To call for a fully-resourced Wildlife Control Programme based on density reduction with full Veterinary and Technical Officer staff to investigate TB breakdowns and ensure the timely removal of TB reactors.
Name of person primarily responsible for lobbying on this activity
TJ Maher IFA Animal Health Chair, Tomas Bourke IFA Senior Policy Executive
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.
Informal communication (2-5)
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.
Amii McKeever
Adviser to Minister (Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine)
Charlie McConalogue
Minister (Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine)
Martin Heydon
Minister of State (Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine)
Michael Sheahan
Director of Operations (Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine)