Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I am glad to clear up this matter. The animal had four calves. All four progeny were alive. They have all been slaughtered and they have all tested negative. There is a very tenuous link, if a link at all, between a mother and a calf as regards the passing on of BSE. Some scientists suggest it is possible; others say it is very unlikely. We know, however, that it is a non-issue here. We know the mother of this animal did not have BSE because she was tested. The grandmother that had been imported was also tested when slaughtered and tested negative. The four progeny all tested negative as well. The 63 other animals born the year before, the year after, and the same year as this animal and all of which grew up on the same farm were all slaughtered and tested and they all tested negative. All the animals that could have been connected in any way, through progeny or through other cohorts which would have been feeding on the same feed as this animal, tested negative. It is important and reassuring to note that fact. Something happened here which was not systemic. It certainly was not a broad problem in terms of the import of feed because it was isolated to one animal.

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