APPENDIX I
Interim Memo. - Bovine T.B. Eradication
Issued by the Committee to the Department of Agriculture
This Memorandum states the interim views of the Dail Committee on Public Expenditure following their first hearing of evidence from officials of the Department of Agriculture. It acknowledges the most helpful in which the officials have participated in this enquiry and seeks to respond in this interim memorandum so that the Department will have the benefit of these initial reactions of the Committee in pursuing the enquiry further.
It is the task of this Committee to examine government programmes and agencies with a view to reporting to the Dail on whether the programme is justified or whether it can be undertaken more cost effectively.
It is the intention that the other interests in disease eradication will be invited to give evidence before the Committee in light of the Departments Review of the 1985 scheme in March 1986.
It is hoped that out of this will come new appreciation of the importance of achieving a programmed success in TB Eradication and an increased commitment to co-operation and cost effectiveness.
Even assuming the appropriateness of the existing scheme the Meeting of 3rd December seemed to highlight a number of problem areas of concern to the Committee. Among them were the following.
The Cost of Administration is by any objective standard disproportionately high and warrants the closest examination in the course of the Round Review.
There seems to be a profoundly inadequate data base guiding the scheme.
Thus the data of 30 years experience does not seem to be collated in such a form as to
-increase the capacity to identify the cause of new outbreaks
-increase knowledge and control of cattle movement
-improve controls on leakage through multiple herd numbers
-improve the reliability of the TB test itself.
It is acknowledged that computerisation of records has begun and a clear programme of facilitating epidemiological research should be provided in this.
It is not accepted that control of sales through marts is an adequate movement control.
It is not accepted that a disease levy applying only to cattle output passing through meat export premises is equitable or adequate.
Given the importance the Department of Agriculture ascribes to the full co-operation of all the interests in defeating TB and given the unprecedented 3 year commitment in the current programme, the Committee considers that a clear and agreed objective should be set for this programme
-as to the level of levies the nature of movement tests and other controls
-the frequency of testing and the targeted disease incidence by the end of the programme
-the regime to follow this intensive programme and the target date for achieving official TB free status.
The Committee is satisfied that a greater influence by the two Advisory Groups would improve the prospects of increasing co-operation and commitment to the objectives and controls set.
The importance of the Disease Eradication Programme to market access for Irish livestock products is acknowledged. It is also acknowledged that there are particular Irish difficulties in the eradication of TB arising from the nature of the national herd from structure. The Committee would not however accept that these factors justify an indefinite commitment of public funds to ineffective disease curtailment.
The Committee would therefore put the highest priority on having clear agreed objectives and feasible controls designed to meet the particular Irish problems. This in turn puts the highest priority on the information system and the full commitment of all these interests.
The Committee would wish to see evidence of substantial progress on these points.
Without wishing to support criticisms of the scheme or to assume technical competence the Committee from first principles has serious concerns about the overall validity of the scheme from the point of view of cost effectiveness.
It is acknowledged by the Department and officials that the TB antigens used are used in varying dosages under varying field conditions and that they are no more than 80-85% reliable. It is also acknowledged that 70% of reactors have no visible lesions and that a significant number of these do not have TB. It is acknowledged that older animals and chronically infected animals are less likely to show up as reactors
It is acknowledged by the Committee that the Department say there is no proven alternative means of testing for TB.
But in all the circumstances and given the cost and the acknowledged ineffectiveness of the expenditure on TB eradication over the past 12 years this seems a very poor case for continuing to apply a system which can be no more than 80-85% effective and is likely to be much less in pursuit of the TB infected animals which on the basis of identified reactions is about 0.5% of the herd.
Conclusion:
The Committee welcomes the opportunity to review with the Department of Agriculture the 1985 Round when it is completed and expresses the hope that these concerns can be alleviated in the process.
The Committee would in light of the importance of allaying doubts as to the cost effectiveness or the epidemological effectiveness of the scheme or the need for greater controls recommend to the Department, in the spirit in which they approached this review that consideration be given to inviting an independent expert to participate with them in this important examination of the first round of this accelerated Programme.
In the light of the confusion over costs it would be helpful if the Department prepared a total Statement of Cost of the scheme from 1954 to 1985 breaking down the costs as between Administration etc., Veterinary fees, livestock compensation and the receipts as between Exchequer, EEC funds and farmer levies.
Suggestions made to the Committee as to how the scheme could be improved might also be considered:
-An Epidemiology programme as part of Computerisation
-Higher Compensation for milch cows and younger animals to increase clearance incentive
-Closer supervision, speedier clearances and identification of cause on newly identified reactor herds
-Some means of controlling cattle sales not undertaken through licensed livestock marts
-Speed-up resolution of commonages
-Review DVO system with a view to increasing cost effectiveness in the light of impending computerisation; considering livestock Marts, Al stations and abbatoirs as alternative bases for the supervision of the Disease Programme
-Consider direct farmer contribution rather than levy system.
5 Dec 85
John McCarrick.
|
