The Irish Natura and Hill Farmers' Association (INHFA) has welcomed that the bluetongue vaccine will be available as an option under the beef and sheep welfare schemes.

The 2026 National Sheep Welfare Scheme (NSWS), which will open for applications in the first half of April, will allow farmers to choose to vaccinate against either bluetongue or clostridial diseases.

While this year's Beef Welfare Scheme (BWS), due to open in August, will include the option to vaccinate against either bluetongue, clostridial diseases or calf pneumonia.

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Martin Heydon said "farmers thinking of vaccinating animals in advance of the 2026 schemes being rolled out can do so confident that vaccinating for bluetongue will be subsidised at existing payment rates".

Bluetongue

INHFA vice president John Joe Fitzgerald thanked Minister Heydon for taking the farm organisation's representations on this issue in recent months on board.

Fitzgerald said the INHFA has been contacted by a "huge number" of farmers expressing their concerns about the potential impact of bluetongue on the welfare of sheep and cattle, along with the "serious cost implications".

"It gives the farmers the opportunity, if they want to take up the bluetongue vaccine on both these schemes, they have the option there now to do it.

"It will offset part of the cost of the vaccine. It will give them an option, which they were looking for," he told Agriland.

Fitzgerald said every farm is different and it is a decision for each individual farmer whether to use the bluetongue vaccine.

He advised any farmers who are considering the vaccine to discuss their options with their own vet.

Cases

The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) previously said that bluetongue virus has now been confirmed in "multiple cattle herds".

The first case of bluetongue was confirmed in a suckler herd in Co. Wexford on January 24.

Following this detection, the department said a comprehensive analysis of cattle blood samples, taken for other disease detection purposes, are being tested for bluetongue.

Blood samples taken since September 2025, when modelling suggests that animals were first infected with bluetongue, have been tested.

One of these samples has now tested positive for antibodies to bluetongue.

The department said this animal originated from a farm in Co. Monaghan and was slaughtered in November 2025.

"These cases have been detected in counties Wexford, Wicklow, Laois, Louth and Monaghan," DAFM said.

Bluetongue virus, which does not pose a public health risk, is spread by infected biting midges which are present in Ireland and are generally most active between April and November.

The replication of the virus can only occur in the midge in temperatures above 12-15°C.