The Minister for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs, Andrew Muir today (Tuesday, April 15) published the bovine tuberculosis (TB) steering group’s blueprint for eradication of the disease in Northern Ireland.
The steering group, chaired by chief veterinary officer (CVO) for Northern Ireland, Brian Dooher, was established in January 2025, consisting of a broad range of industry, veterinary, and wildlife stakeholders.
The group’s first task has been to explore proposals aimed at eradicating bovine TB, as recommended in the CVO’s review of bovine TB in the region.
This has resulted in the group’s full agreement for a new step forward in government-stakeholder partnership to tackling the disease in Northern Ireland.
The ‘Bovine TB in Northern Ireland Blueprint for Eradication’ plan is built along three broad thematic areas of people, cattle, and wildlife.
Bovine TB
The steering group is confident the blueprint will place Northern Ireland on a pathway towards eventual eradication of bovine TB, delivering significant benefits to people, animals, and the environment.
Minister Muir said: “This blueprint is the result of hard work, forward thinking, and excellent collaboration by members of the steering group.
“We cannot continue on the current path; change is required and this ambitious blueprint provides us with a clear and decisive way forward to finally setting Northern Ireland on the pathway to eradication.”
“I would like to thank members for their extensive efforts in developing and agreeing the blueprint together. I have directed my officials to advance the necessary recommendations and decisions which we now need to progress as we set out on this journey together.”
Separately NI’s CVO Brian Dooher also said: “The blueprint marks a new step forward in our efforts to eradicate bovine TB here.
“It details the immediate actions which must now progress and also provides a roadmap of medium and longer-term areas where continued collaborative working between government and our stakeholders will be essential if we are to deliver the real change now required in our efforts to fight bovine TB”.
