ALAN ROSSITER,
Sir, - I have always enjoyed Vincent Browne's utterances in the press and on the airwaves. His comments are more often than not probing and insightful, and always entertaining.
However, the comment in his column of July 10th - "the veterinary profession got in on the act with the scam over the bovine tuberculosis scheme which cost the State millions and millions, most of it ripped off" - is a departure from his usual high standards. It is untrue and unfair at best, insulting and slanderous at worst. In either case it is a deep slur on a hard-working and generally honourable profession.
Following the introduction of the national bovine tuberculosis eradication scheme, the incidence of infection among cattle fell from 17 per cent in 1954 to less than 0.5 per cent in 1965. This huge reduction not only helped to reduce bovine TB infection in our human population, it also helped to open up many markets for our cattle and beef, thus actually earning the State "millions and millions".
Since then, however, progress has stalled. In the intervening years the incidence has decreased and remained steady at somewhere less than 0.3 per cent. There are many factors that may have contributed to this lack of progress. These include the incidence of TB in wildlife, the nature and accuracy of the bovine TB test itself and the ability of the veterinary profession to carry out this relatively subjective test in an impartial and objective manner.
Current research by the Department of Agriculture, Food and Rural Development shows the incidence of bovine TB among wildlife, badgers in particular, to be the reason behind the inability to eradicate TB from the national bovine herd.
Similar recent studies in the UK and New Zealand have also revealed a link with infection in wildlife. Prior to these studies the badger population had not been satisfactorily demonstrated to be a source of TB infection in cattle, so there was little research into counteracting this source of infection. However, these now proven links have accelerated advances in the development of an effective vaccine for use against TB in badgers which would enable us to reduce or eliminate this source of infection. Along with the development of newer, more objective, diagnostic tests for cattle, this should facilitate the completion of bovine TB eradication in Ireland.
While no profession is without its bad eggs, as recent events have so clearly demonstrated, it would be a mistake to brand every member of a profession as crooked because of the actions of a few. This is what Vincent Browne has done, and inexcusably so. He has shown an ignorance of the facts unbecoming to a professional commentator. I trust he will now either apologise for this slur on my profession or will back up his accusations with hard evidence, telling us exactly what the scam is and how it is perpetrated and how I have ripped of the State. If he does so I will be among the first to urge my representative and disciplinary bodies to pursue errant members and to stamp out any rot in my profession. - Yours, etc.,
Alan Rossiter,
MVB, MRCVS,
Tullamaine,
Cashel,
Co Tipperary.