Paul Murphy: Demands End to Badger Cull, Calls for Vaccination
Paul Murphy addressed the Public Accounts Committee, condemning the Department of Agriculture's badger control programme and calling for an end to mass slaughter in favour of 100% vaccination and stronger biosecurity. He cited official figures on badger deaths, described snaring cruelty, and questioned the effectiveness and funding of current policy.
Committee disclosure
Last week at the Public Accounts Committee Paul Murphy said the Department of Agriculture killed 7,735 badgers last year and over 60,000 in the past decade. He noted badgers are supposedly a protected species and described methods of capture and killing including snaring that can cause severe injuries.
Animal welfare and public concern
Murphy highlighted that pregnant and lactating badgers are killed, leaving cubs to starve, and pointed out that snaring badgers is banned in Scotland and Wales. He said two-thirds of people want a ban and argued that Ireland is the only country in Europe funding large-scale slaughter of badgers.
Bovine TB, costs and EU funding
Murphy characterised badgers as a scapegoat for the spread of bovine TB, saying the programme is killing more badgers while the incidence rate rises - "It's over 66% at this stage." He added that the EU has refused to fund the programme and that public funds now cover 100 million euros a year.
Government reply and vaccination plans
An official responded that the bulk of the plan focuses on vaccination and that there will be a significant programme of vaccination this year. The official said the budget has risen to 157 million and that wildlife measures will also continue because transmission occurs, arguing the situation "is not as simple as you have articulated."
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Last week at the Public Accounts Committee we heard that the Department of Agriculture last year killed 7,735 badgers. They've killed over 60,000 badgers in the course of the past decade, even though they're supposedly a protected species. They're first trapped in snares, causing internal organ damage, ruptured bladders, disembowelment. Pregnant and lactating badgers are killed, leaving their cubs to starve to death. Snaring badgers is banned in Scotland and Wales. Two-thirds of people want it banned here. We're the only country in Europe which funds the large-scale slaughter of badgers. And the truth is they're a scapegoat for the spread of bovine TB. We have a programme that is killing more and more badgers and yet the incidence rate goes up and up and up. It's over 66% at this stage. The EU refuses to fund this programme anymore. It means that the public is funding 100 million euros a year. Will you commit to end the mass slaughter of badgers? We need to move to 100% vaccination and have implementation of biosecurity measures to actually deal with the problem. In terms of, first of all, the bulk of the plan is on vaccination. Now, the scientific advice is different. Sorry, Deputy, will you please, you've asked your question. T-shirt, it's not back and forth. Sorry, there'll be a hell of a lot of vaccination this year. The budget's gone away up significantly to 157 million. There will be vaccination. And there will also be the wildlife measures as well because there is transmission. It's not as simple as you have articulated.
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