Seymour Crawford (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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Question 375: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food the efforts she has made to bring about an all-Ireland animal health policy and agreement; her views on whether the co-operation from the Minister for Agriculture and Rural Development in Northern Ireland, Ms Brid Rodgers, had a very positive influence on the outcome of the foot and mouth issue and proved, if necessary, that there are major benefits in having an all-Ireland policy; if there is any possibility of such a policy being implemented without the working of the Assembly in Northern Ireland; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4543/05]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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I am fully committed to the development and implementation of an all-Ireland animal health and welfare strategy. My ultimate target is a policy that facilitates the free movement of animals on the island, subject to EU rules. I believe that such a policy can generate real, practical benefit for the agriculture sectors North and South and for all whose livelihoods are bound up with agriculture on this island.

I agree with the Deputy that the 2001 outbreak of FMD highlighted the value and necessity of close co-operation and co-ordination between Administrations North and South. The two Administrations worked successfully in a co-ordinated manner at official, ministerial and political level to address the FMD crisis and have since developed co-ordinated contingency arrangements in the event of any future outbreaks of FMD, or indeed other animal diseases. This deepening and strengthening of co-operation, information exchange and ongoing co-ordination between the two Administrations will be a linchpin for future implementation of a unified strategy for the island as a whole.

In the absence of the Assembly in Northern Ireland, the programme of work mandated by the NSMC to agree a common animal health and welfare strategy for the island has been taken forward by a series of working groups at official level. These working groups have met at regular intervals over the past two years. Their work has focused on three main themes: common or equivalent controls at points of entry to the island; convergence of internal animal health policies; and development of joint strategies for the control of animal disease.

The main achievements to date are the development of a co-ordinated and complementary approach towards import policies and portal controls at points of entry to the island, the convergence of policies in regard to animal identification and scrapie and the strengthening of co-ordination and co-operation between both Administrations on a variety of issues such as FMD, BSE and cross-Border fraud.

It must also be recognised that the achievement of such an all-island animal health strategy involves complex dialogue and negotiation over a range of areas between the Irish, Northern Irish and British authorities. Ultimately, the agreement of the European Union will be required.