2512. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the progress made in the rollout of badger vaccinations as an alternative to culling; the number of badgers vaccinated in each of the past five years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55842/26]

Ireland’s current TB Eradication Programme necessarily incorporates a wildlife strategy which includes the removal of badgers from areas where there has been a TB outbreak. Such a requirement arises as tuberculosis is present both in cattle and in badgers and both species share the same environment, and the same strains of TB. The current policy was introduced in response to research conducted over many years by my Department.

Supported by scientific research, the current bovine TB eradication strategy includes a combination of badger culling and vaccination depending on the circumstances. The intention is to gradually reduce badger culling per annum in tandem with the badger vaccination. Badger vaccination is a key part of the Irish TB Eradication Programme, following over 15 years of research work.

The evidence to support badger vaccination within the TB eradication scheme is being added to on an ongoing basis as additional research is published in peer reviewed scientific journals. My Department collaborated with University College Dublin and the University of Waginengen to validate the efficacy of vaccination in the field and to model where higher risks exist at a local farm level which will support better targeting of TB controls in future years.

The large-scale rollout of badger vaccination commenced in late 2019, every year more and more of the countryside is designated as vaccination zones. The number of badgers newly vaccinated has increased significantly since the roll out year of 2019. Please see table below for the numbers of badgers vaccinated in the last five years.