Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Councillor Tim McClelland has called on DAERA Minister Andrew Muir to introduce badger culling without delay, as he feels strongly that nothing short of such decisive action will contain Bovine TB, given its prevalence.
Speaking at last Monday’s (February 23) ABC monthly meeting, the Tandragee farmer was responding to correspondence from the Minister, explaining that a wildlife intervention consultation will take place in the spring.
In his letter, the Minister added: “Following this, I will be in a position to decide on the wildlife intervention measures to be implemented, alongside people and cattle measures, as part of the overall TB eradication strategy.
“Once the wildlife intervention measures have been agreed, the next step will be to introduce implementing legislation at the earliest practicable opportunity.”
In previous correspondence, the Minister had outlined his strategy in greater detail, explaining: “Within my department, a new Bovine Tuberculosis Eradication Transformation Programme has been established to deliver the actions set out in the TB Partnership Steering Group’s (TBPSG) Bovine TB in Northern Ireland: Blueprint for Eradication, which was published in April 2025.
“I established the TBPSG in January 2025 as our key TB stakeholder engagement body comprising of farming, industry, veterinary and environmental representatives.
“I was pleased to endorse its Blueprint which was founded on the principle that eradicating this disease requires a unified, multisectoral approach.
“My officials continue to work closely with TBPSG to advance the Blueprint’s actions, with initial work focused on increasing the use of interferon gamma testing; the provision of on-farm biosecurity advice; improved TB testing; a new-cross border regionalisation initiative; and preparations for a new consultation on the full range of potential wildlife intervention options available.”
Cllr McClelland (DUP, Lagan River DEA), however, felt strongly that the time for decisive action was now, and that nothing short of badger culling would contain the disease.
He commented: “TB is out of control in Northern Ireland, and it’s to be welcomed that there’s going to be wildlife interventions and options.
“But as one industry source said to me, the Minister has strategically and successfully kicked the can down the road, knowing full well that primary legislation will not get through the Assembly at this late stage in the mandate.
“And I think in some ways that says it all. Everyone knows that a badger cull has to be a step in terms of finally getting TB under control within the province.
“There are some — whether it’s within DAERA, or whether it’s within the Alliance Party or whatever — who don’t want to actually put control measures in place.
“And I think it’s too serious, Lord Mayor, and we need to be deploying any and all and every measure as a means of controlling TB.
“Plain fact is, it’s been a problem for 30 or 40 years perhaps. It’s cost millions of pounds annually, and essentially the question is, when is someone going to actually take it by the scruff of the neck and do something about it?
“And I think I may be articulating some of the frustration amongst livestock farmers out there.
“I would propose that we write to the Minister, asking that there is no time delay and that we have effective action as soon as we possibly can.”
On the issue of delayed action, Councillor Peter Lavery (Alliance, Lurgan DEA) felt that the previous DUP DAERA Minister was the one that should be blamed.
He commented: “I have to remind Cllr McClelland that for years, for decades, both his own party and other parties in this chamber were in charge of the Agriculture Ministry, and they did next to nothing to resolve this very serious matter.
“You only have to look to the previous DAERA Minister Edwin Poots. He promised the world and delivered nothing, other than a reduction in fines for polluters.
“The key to getting this issue resolved, is actually figuring out something that works and something that is legally-compliant.
“I welcome the cross-border trial that has been announced recently to try and figure out on a smaller basis what actually can work, rather than just simply rushing into decisions, as the previous incompetent DUP Minister did, which did not stand to scrutiny under any kind of judicial process.
“So, if Cllr McClelland wants to write a letter to the Minister, so he can outline the good work that he’s doing on the matter, I’m happy to second that, and I’m sure the Minister will outline to Cllr McClelland the good work which is going on in DAERA on this matter.
“It is not being kicked down the road, it is being resolved. Unfortunately, as Cllr McClelland has outlined, it is going to be a difficult one to resolve due to its long-standing nature.”
Councillor Keith Ratcliffe (TUV, Cusher DEA) pointed to the sheer scale of the problem in his own area: “I’d like to thank Cllr McClelland for bringing this forward.
“Just [on] the significance of it, I was speaking to three farmers just at the weekend, and they were saying about how many farmers’ livestock had been down with TB.
“Within the Clare area, there’s about 70-odd farmers. Cllr McClelland probably knows the majority of them as well in our local area.
“And it’s quite clear, unfortunately, it’s the badgers that’s causing this. It’s been known for a number of years.
“And probably the only way around is culling the badgers. Unfortunately, it is something that people probably don’t want to grasp and take authority on, but I think the only way to get round it is, there’s going to have to be a culling of the badgers.
“And I just feel for the farmers, and as Cllr McClelland has already said, this is costing a huge amount of money.
“Obviously, farmers are having to be paid for their animals whenever they’re put down, so we do need something to go forward.”
Cllr McClelland argued that delayed action would only make the issue worse: “Cllr Lavery referenced the pilot scheme, and I’ll just read a very interesting quote about that pilot scheme from an industry source: ‘The pilot scheme in Donegal and the North West of Northern Ireland could set a dangerous precedent, resulting in no action being taken to do anything on TB for a decade in Northern Ireland’.
“We all know what needs to happen, and although it may be uncomfortable, the reality, as Cllr Ratcliffe has said, is that a badger cull of some description has to happen.”
Cllr McClelland then clarified that his proposal was for the council to write to the DAERA Minister, asking that there is no delay in implementing measures to control Bovine TB.
The proposal was seconded by Cllr Ratcliffe, and as there was no counterproposal, it was duly carried.
