John Perry (Sligo-Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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Question 207: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food if the herd of a person (details supplied) will be deemed clear following the herd test on 7 November 2006; if she will ensure that all the restrictions are released as they will then have two clear herd tests free of diseases as they do not have adequate housing of foodstuff for the extra animals in their herd and financially cannot the afford the extra costs; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37271/06]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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EU Directive 64/432/EEC provides that, where an animal reacts positively to a TB test, two clear reactor re-tests at 2 month intervals are required before the Officially TB-free status of the holding can be restored. The Directive does, however, provide for a derogation from the second test provided certain conditions are fulfilled. This derogation is catered for under the Department's singleton policy which, among other things, provides that glands removed from the reactor must not show any visible lesions following laboratory analysis.

The herd in question was restricted following disclosure of an inconclusive animal on 25 May 2006. The inconclusive animal was retested on 25 August 2006 and deemed a reactor. On 14 September 2006, the reactor was slaughtered and the glands were sent to the Central Veterinary Research Laboratory (CVRL) for histopathological examination. The remainder of the herd was tested on 16 September following the removal of the reactor animal. This test was clear. However, the report from the CVRL indicated that visible lesions were detected in the glands of the reactor animal. In view of this, the herd does not qualify for the singleton derogation referred to above. Accordingly, two reactor retests will be required before the herd can be derestricted. The first reactor re-test will be completed on 10 November 2006. The second reactor re-test will be scheduled for the first week in January 2007. If the two tests are clear, the holding will be de-restricted and the cattle passports will be returned to the person concerned.