Seán Power (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)

The CJD advisory group provides scientific, professional and technical advice on all aspects of CJD and the policy responses that are appropriate in the light of evolving information and the evidence on this topic.

Fortunately, the number of people contracting this disease has been small. The Food Safety Authority of Ireland and the Department of Agriculture and Food are responsible for the control of BSE. The Food Safety Authority stresses that the BSE controls that have been put in place since 1996 are very strict and robust so as to ensure maximum consumer protection. There has been a welcome decline in the incidence of BSE in the Irish cattle population, which demonstrates that the controls introduced in 1996 are working. The vast majority of current cases are in animals born before the introduction of these enhanced controls. We would not anticipate an increase in the incidence of new variant CJD. There is no evidence at present to suggest the number of people contracting CJD will increase.

See this speech in context