Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)

If I understand the Minister correctly, there was retrospective testing since November 2007, but subsequently the Commission regulation allowed for importation from previously susceptible areas. To my mind, notwithstanding the level of co-operation with the Northern Ireland Minister for Agriculture and Rural Development, that implies the risk still exists — and if testing is occurring post-import, the disease might be detected. Is the Minister satisfied that every beast will be tested on importation to offset the risk and take into account the fact that the Commission regulation — notwithstanding Ireland's position — has gone against us?

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