A total of 7,245 badgers were captured and vaccinated against TB under the TB eradication programme last year, Minister for Agriculture Charlie McConalogue has said.

To date this year, 3,783 badgers have been captured and vaccinated in the vaccination zones.

This is up over 800 animals compared with the this time last year, he said in response to a parliamentary question from Wexford TD Verona Murphy.

“Badger vaccination is now an integral part of the Irish TB eradication programme.

“This follows over 15 years of research work using BCG vaccine to prevent tuberculosis infection in badgers and scientific trials carried out between 2013 and 2017 that show that vaccination is no less effective than culling,” he said.

Culling

Last month, the Minister confirmed that fewer badgers will be culled under the eradication programme as more are being vaccinated.

He said that shifting the focus of the fight against TB from culling to vaccination will be effective in keeping TB from entering cattle herds.

“Badger vaccination is thus being substituted for continued culling of badgers such that a significant reduction in the numbers of badgers culled can be achieved over the coming years, while still maintaining effective control of the risk posed to cattle,” he said.