Pádraic McCormack (Galway West, Fine Gael)

Real fears have been expressed about the possibility of diseased oyster seed being imported into the country from contaminated oyster hatcheries abroad, particularly from France. The marine environment and food safety services in the Marine Institute at Oranmore have confirmed that the oyster herpes virus has been found in up to 17 locations in various coastal areas around the country. There is therefore genuine concern in my constituency of west Galway about the possibility of contaminated oyster seed being brought in.

The oyster beds in Streamstown Bay, Kill Bay and the Claddaghduff, Cleggan areas of County Galway - on the north-west Connemara coast - are free of the disease, even though there was contamination in the nearby Mannin Bay area, with which I am familiar. There are a number of small oyster farmers in that north-west Connemara area who generate hundreds of thousands of euro worth of oysters every year. France is the main export outlet for our mature oyster crop. Even though there is a local hatchery in the area, some oyster seed may still be imported because of the trade links that have been built up over years in that area.

Controls are in place concerning the importation of oysters. While not totally prohibited any such importation is subject to certification by the relevant competent authority in the country of origin of the disease-free status of the consignment. I am not happy with that and neither are the oyster farmers. It amounts to self-regulation by the exporting country. Notwithstanding this provision, the Marine Institute also encourages producers to avoid importing oysters from contaminated areas. Furthermore, in the case of importation of oysters from abroad generally, producers are strongly advised to submit samples of the oyster to the Marine Institute for testing prior to importation.

That is all very well but it is a voluntary system. If possible, however, the Minister should make it compulsory to certify such samples at the Marine Institute in Oranmore, County Galway. The institute is competent to undertake that type of work and already does so on behalf of oyster farmers in the area.

It has been confirmed that a number of bays have been affected this year. Mannin Bay was temporarily closed and was only reopened approximately a month ago. It caused real concern to other fisheries in that area, however. Meanwhile, Streamstown Bay and Kill Bay in the Sky Road area have not been affected by the herpes virus and farmers who are cultivating oysters there want to keep it that way. They want the Government and Brussels to put controls in place to protect bays that have not yet been hit by the herpes virus.

I make it clear that the herpes virus has no impact on the health and safety of humans through consumption. It kills oysters and could wipe out 50% to 100% of the oyster beds where such contaminated seed is imported. At least 20 people are employed in that area of north-west Connemara as oyster farmers or helpers. If the disease gets into that area it will have a devastating effect on the livelihood of a large number of people where there are few other employment opportunities except farming and fishing.

The Minister of State should endeavour to put in place compulsory testing of imported oyster seed by environmental experts in our Marine Institute. This would solve the problem entirely, thus satisfying people that the disease cannot be brought in here. As the Minister of State acknowledged, it has occurred in up to 17 oyster farms in coastal areas throughout the country.

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