Peter Burke (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Ceann Comhairle. I also thank Deputy Cahill for raising this issue. I acknowledge the people in the Gallery who have come here to hear this Topical Issue debate. I am obviously taking this on behalf of the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Deputy McConalogue, who cannot be here.

As someone from a farming background who was reared on our family's suckler farm, I can really appreciate from Deputy Cahill's testimony how distressing an experience like this can be. I do ask him to be aware, however, that I had no knowledge of this case up until now and in the context of this Topical Issue debate. I will read into the record the contribution the Minister has sent.

During the Topical Issue debate on 7 November, the Minister, Deputy McConalogue, explained that the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, along with other public sector bodies, invested significant resources in an investigation of animal health and environmental concerns on a farm in County Kilkenny. This exercise concluded some 13 years ago and commenced a number of years before that.

The Minister explained that an interagency group was convened in 2004 to examine this matter. It brought together a broad range of scientific expertise, from the Department's laboratories, the Environmental Protection Agency, EPA, Teagasc, the Health Services Executive, HSE, and Kilkenny County Council. That group reported its findings in June 2006. I also understand that during the latter part of 2005, the then Department of Agriculture and Food funded a comprehensive animal health programme on the affected farm. This included a programme of mastitis control, calf vaccinations and the provision of calf hutches for the 2006 calving season, as well as the provision of advice on enhanced biosecurity.

I am advised that the multiagency report concluded that the problems in this herd were multifactorial in nature and that common infectious diseases were likely to have accounted for much of the ill-thrift and poor growth rates recorded. It also concluded that there was no evidence of fluoride or cadmium intoxication of animals in this herd nor any evidence of environmental pollution on the farm. It is clear nonetheless that the events around this time were extremely distressing for the herd owner. Against that background, the Minister committed to considering this matter further.

To better inform this consideration, the Minister requests that Mr. Brennan would provide any evidence, in writing, that was not available at the time of the investigation to the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine. The Minister would also welcome any additional information, in writing, that Mr. Brennan believes was not properly considered at the time of the investigation. Once the Minister has had an opportunity to consider this new information, he will provide an update on this matter in the new year.

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