Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

It is extremely disappointing for our farmers and our food industry that a case of atypical BSE has been detected. We export over 90% of the beef we produce, so our reputation for safe and sustainable production is crucial. The animal was ten and a half years old and was identified during the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine's ongoing systemic surveillance of fallen animals. The animal did not enter the food or feed chain so there is no public health risk associated with this occurrence. Atypical BSE is a rare spontaneous event that may occur in any bovine population and, indeed, in most mammals. It is not related to feed contamination. Ireland has been granted World Organisation for Animal Health negligible risk status for BSE. This is the lowest risk rating available. The identification of a single case does not affect our rating as being at the lowest risk so that is encouraging. It is disappointing that the Chinese market is temporary closed to us. As the Deputy knows, it is only a small proportion of our export market, so I do not think it will have an impact on price or on other issues. Certainly, however, we will work with the Chinese control authority to try to have that ban lifted as soon as possible. We have no indications that any of the 70 other countries that we export to are going to follow suit.

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