Willie Penrose (Longford-Westmeath, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I do not think so. They are so poorly paid now that I would rather be a vet. It is a source of concern. It has been said we must tighten up risk-based management and two clear skin tests are not sufficient, and that we are a victim of legislation because it is not tight enough. Anything that comes from Europe is usually strangling legislation so I am very worried to hear Professor More say that. Will he explain this risk-based approach system? Is it a system where those in the higher risk category sell from one to the other and do those with lower risks sell to each other? What way does that work? It would be interesting to get it operating in Ireland and it would certainly represent a challenge.

We are trying to extrapolate from an international context the role of deer as a reservoir host with spill-back to cattle. Those who have been involved in this for a while are wondering how something that is fairly virulent in Wicklow does not apply in Tipperary, Westmeath or wherever. Is the witness advocating that the only way to tackle this is to go straight in with a scheme or system modelled on the compulsory national BVD eradication programme? Could a parallel be drawn with that which could produce an earlier result, so that I could see this eradicated before I die rather than when I am well gone? This has only vindicated my layman's view as ten Parliaments will have been gone through discussing it, leaving historians to evaluate the effectiveness.