Michael Finucane (Fine Gael)

I welcome the Minister of State to the House. I have decided to raise this matter now, even though the closure of the Knockalisheen regional veterinary centre is not expected until approximately 2009. I understand a decision has been reached in the Department of Agriculture and Food to create a new facility at Macroom, County Cork, to cater not just for the closure of Knockalisheen regional veterinary centre but also the dairy science laboratory in Limerick and similar facilities on Model Farm Road, Cork.

The Knockalisheen regional veterinary centre caters for Limerick, Clare, north Tipperary, north Galway and north Kerry. Approximately 50% of all samples are delivered by hand. On average, 700 bovine foetuses are delivered per annum. The Teagasc survey indicates that farmers generally will not travel beyond 60 km to deliver samples, which means that brucellosis and other disease outbreaks may go undetected and there will be a delay in disease diagnosis. This goes against all the recommendations and policies on disease control and eradication.

The BSE and foot and mouth outbreaks highlighted the necessity for effective veterinary surveillance as a means of enabling the early detection of change or unexpected animal-related events. The closure of the Limerick centre would diminish the effectiveness of the accepted veterinary surveillance strategy. The UK had to rethink its policy on closure of local veterinary inspectorates and laboratories in light of the foot and mouth and BSE outbreaks. The following is the breakdown of animals within the Limerick regional veterinary centre areas. Clare has 295,500 cattle and 116,000 cows, 92% of which are currently within 60 km of Limerick regional veterinary centre. None of these is within 60 km of Macroom. Tipperary has 143,000 cattle and 51,300 cows, more than 88% of which are within 60 km of Limerick and less than 1% of which are within 60 km of Macroom. Limerick has 405,000 cattle and 150,000 cows, of which more than 99% are within 60 km of Limerick regional veterinary centre, with just 22.5% of them within 60 km of Macroom. I am providing these figures to indicate the significance and importance of the catchment area and the distance factors relative to the regional veterinary centre. The Limerick regional veterinary centre has 11 staff, which includes three veterinary surgeons, four technicians, two clerks and two attendants.

I trust the foregoing illustrates the importance of the retention of the regional veterinary centre at Knockalisheen. Farmers are concerned about the loss of the facility and the implications of the reduced veterinary monitoring service in the area. I look forward to the Minister of State's response.