Mary Wallace (Meath, Fianna Fail)

The issue raised in the Deputy's question of 27 June 2006 continues to be the subject of a thorough and comprehensive investigation by our Department, as part of which officials have travelled overseas to consult with international colleagues.

An extensive amount of information has been gathered as part of the investigation which is currently being assessed. It is not possible at this stage to state when the investigation will be concluded other than to say that it remains our position that if sufficient evidence is gathered to support a prosecution, we will seek to have the case prosecuted through the courts. I am sure the Deputy will appreciate, in view of the circumstances, that it would be entirely inappropriate for us to comment any further on the progress of the investigation.

As regards the disease, the position is that since the initial case was confirmed in June 2006, the Department has taken very significant steps to contain the outbreak and progress its eradication and to protect the valuable Irish bloodstock industry.

To date, 28 cases have been confirmed, the most recent on 10 December 2006 — over eight weeks ago. This is, by some considerable distance, the longest interval between any two previous cases and, with over 14,000 blood samples having been tested last month, gives increasing confidence that the outbreak has been contained and we are well on the way to its eradication. Monitoring is continuing and the Department is currently following up a suspect case where there is an inconclusive test result.

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