Written answers

Wednesday, 25 May 2005

Department of Agriculture and Food

Animal Diseases

9:00 pm

Breeda Moynihan-Cronin (Kerry South, Labour)
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Question 84: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food the number of cases of BSE in cattle discovered in 2004 and 2005 to date; the way in which this compares with recent years; the number of such cases which were discovered in animals born after the imposition of the ban on meat and bone meal; if she has information regarding the reason so many cases in such animals are still being discovered; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17389/05]

Photo of Mary CoughlanMary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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In 2004, 126 cases of BSE were confirmed compared with 182 in 2003 and 333 in 2002. There have been 27 cases to date in 2005, which represents a decrease of 57% on the number of cases, 63, discovered in the same period in 2004. The vast majority of these cases were in animals born prior to the introduction here of the additional controls in 1996 and 1997. The age profile of BSE cases as well as the reduction in case numbers indicates that the additional controls have been effective in significantly reducing the exposure of animals born after 1997 to the infectious agent. It is expected that the incidence of disease will continue to decline as cows born prior to 1998 leave the system.

Investigations are carried out into the feeding regimes of all herds in which BSE is identified and, in particular, in herds in which cases born after the feed controls were re-enforced are confirmed.

In the context of the overall picture, the diagnosis of BSE in a small number of animals born after 1997 was not unexpected and reflects what has happened elsewhere. To date, 12 animals born after 1997 — four 1998 born animals, seven 1999 born animals and one 2001 born animal — have been diagnosed with BSE. In addition, ten cases were confirmed in 1997 born animals but some of these were born before all the re-enforced measures were fully in place.

My Department had foreseen the likelihood that individual cases would from time to time arise which may relate to circumstances specific to the farms in question and which do not conform with the general trend as the incidence of the disease in the national herd recedes. There is, however, no basis for suspecting that these cases are indicative of either a systemic failure in controls or of a reversal of or deviation from the overall positive trend with BSE in Ireland.

Photo of Billy TimminsBilly Timmins (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Question 87: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food the conclusions of the meeting with the author of a report (details supplied); her plans to implement the recommendations of the report; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17317/05]

Photo of Mary CoughlanMary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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A group under the chairmanship of Dr. Crosby carried out a technical examination of costs arising following restocking with a particular category of sheep in the case of flockowners where the depopulations occurred during the initial scrapie depopulation regime. In total, some 100 flocks were depopulated under this phase and restocking was not permitted for a period of two years. Flockowners received compensation for the capital value of the sheep and for income loss for that period. In addition, those who restocked in the third year also received compensation for income loss for that year.

The terms of the agreement and amounts of compensation and income loss involved were clearly understood and accepted by all concerned at the time of depopulation. This agreement did not contain any commitment to pay further compensation in respect of later years. While my Department did agree to the setting up of a technical group to examine the costs arising following restocking, it did not give any undertaking regarding the findings of the group.

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