Open consultation Consultation on Potential Wildlife Intervention Options as part of the Bovine Tuberculosis in Northern Ireland: Blueprint for Eradication

Summary

The Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs' (DAERA) has launched a public consultation on Potential Wildlife Intervention options as part of the Bovine Tuberculosis (bTB) in Northern Ireland: Blueprint for Eradication. The primary method for responses in online via Citizen Space.

Documents

• Consultation on Potential Wildlife Intervention Options as part of the Bovine Tuberculosis in Northern Ireland Blueprint for Eradication Adobe PDF (4 MB)
• Annex I ~Equality and Disability Duties Screening Template Adobe PDF (750 KB)
• Annex II Rural Needs Impact Assessment Adobe PDF (303 KB)
• Annex III Habitats Regulations Assessment Adobe PDF (1 MB)
• Annex IV - Strategic Environmental Assessment Adobe PDF (4 MB)
• Annex V - TBSPG Bovine Tuberculosis-Eradication-Strategy Adobe PDF (6 MB)
• Annex VI - Annotated scientific bibliography - badger intervention - bTB - 2015 to November 2024 Adobe PDF (738 KB)
• Annex VII - DAERA Scientific opinion on the peer reviewed evidence on badger intervention in relation to the control of bovine tuberculosis Adobe PDF (967 KB)
• Annex VIII - Badger Intervention Options Analysis Paper Adobe PDF (1 MB)
• Annex IX Badger Intervention Analyses – Calculation Assumptions Adobe PDF (595 KB)
• Annex X - Bovine Tuberculosis in Northern Ireland Blueprint for Eradication Adobe PDF (1 MB)
• CVO Review of Bovine Tuberculosis in Northern Ireland Adobe PDF (1 MB)

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Consultation description

This consultation sets out proposals regarding potential wildlife intervention options as part of the Bovine Tuberculosis (bTB) in Northern Ireland: Blueprint for Eradication. The consultation seeks views on the role of wildlife intervention in addressing the transmission of bovine tuberculosis between badgers and cattle and forms part of a wider programme of measures being taken forward to eradicate the disease in Northern Ireland. 

The consultation invites views on three potential wildlife intervention approaches:

• Non-selective culling;
• Test and Vaccinate or Remove (TVR); and
• Vaccination only.

 It also seeks views on the deployment methods which could be used to deliver any intervention, including controlled shooting of free-roaming badgers, cage trapping and stopped restraints, together with options for funding and delivery, including industry-led approaches. 

In addition, the consultation seeks views on the Bovine Tuberculosis in Northern Ireland: Blueprint for Eradication, and on whether Northern Ireland should enable licensed lay vaccinators, operating under veterinary direction, to vaccinate badgers against bovine tuberculosis. 

The consultation further invites comments on the supporting impact assessments, options analysis, and evidence base published alongside the consultation document.

No preferred wildlife intervention option is being proposed at this stage. The purpose of the consultation is to gather evidence and stakeholder views to inform future Ministerial decisions on wildlife intervention and the wider implementation of the Blueprint