A DÁIL committee is to investigate the role of road-building activities by National Roads Association in the spread of bovine TB in Tipperary and north Cork.
Deputy Tom Hayes (FG) told the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture yesterday that since road-building began on the Cahir/Mitchelstown road, there had been a major outbreak of the disease on farms in the area.
"Farms where there has been no bovine TB for years have been badly hit because of the disturbance of land which the NRA has gone through," said Mr Hayes, who represents the Tipperary South constituency.
"One farmer who is having disagreements with the Department of Agriculture over an outbreak has actually put his farm up for sale," he said.
He said he would like to see farmers compensated by the NRA for the spread of the disease because it had become a serious problem in an area where it had not existed before the road-building programme began.
Another member of the committee, PJ Sheehan (FG) said road-building disrupted badger setts and traditional fencing.
The South West Cork TD said badgers could travel up to 11km (seven miles) and spread diseases such as bovine TB.
The chairman of the committee, Johnny Brady, said it appeared this was a problem for the Department of Agriculture and not the NRA.
"I suggest that we invite veterinary experts from the Department of Agriculture into the committee to look at this problem and see what can be done," he said.
"It is a very serious situation when something like this is happening in the south Tipperary area," said Deputy Brady. The committee agreed with the proposal.