Jim O'Keeffe (Cork South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 54: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if she proposes to introduce a national plan for vaccination against bluetongue; if so, the proposed arrangements for administering the vaccine; and the costs involved. [27051/07]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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The bluetongue virus (serotype 8), which emerged in northern Europe in 2006, re-emerged this year and, in September, an outbreak of the disease was confirmed in Britain for the very first time. Cases of the serotype 8 strain have now been confirmed in nine European countries.

Since the disease was first confirmed in August 2006, my Department has been developing contingency arrangements, in the first instance, to minimise the possible introduction of the disease to Ireland and, secondly, to deal with an outbreak in this country. In both regards my Department is working very closely with the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development in Northern Ireland in the development of an all-island approach.

As part of my Department's contingency arrangements, we have produced a comprehensive Bluetongue Contingency Plan for Ireland. My Department's contingency arrangements are kept under constant review and revised as appropriate by reference to the developing disease situation or in the light of legal or other developments, particularly at EU level.

In terms of minimising the risk of the disease being introduced to Ireland, my Department has had in place a ban on the importation of live susceptible animals from bluetongue-restricted areas in Europe. Since 1 November, however, a new Commission Regulation allows for the possibility of movement of susceptible animals from bluetongue-restricted areas under defined conditions that are detailed in the Regulation. However, imports of such animals from Great Britain remain banned under FMD-related measures.

My Department has advised importers of live animals to assess carefully the risks involved in importing animals from bluetongue-restricted areas and to import animals from such areas only where absolutely necessary. My Department is also finalising a risk analysis on other possible routes of introduction of the disease. Arising from that risk analysis, I will consider whether any additional mitigating controls ought to be put in place.

As regards vaccination, there is no vaccine yet available for the particular strain of the disease that is present in Britain and across northern Europe. Three pharmaceutical companies are currently involved in the development of an inactivated vaccine. I understand that such a vaccine may become available by the summer of 2008 though, even then, there will be production issues and a huge demand for the vaccine given the cattle and sheep populations of the countries affected to date.

My Department has been in contact with the three companies involved in relation to the timeframe for the availability of a vaccine and the provision of an adequate supply to ensure that we can put in place a comprehensive and effective vaccination programme. The logistical arrangements associated with securing and administering the vaccine are currently being actively considered within my Department. In the absence, to date, of a vaccine, the Deputy will appreciate that it is not possible, at this stage, to predict what the cost of the vaccine or of a comprehensive vaccination programme will be.

Furthermore, my Department is actively involved with the European Commission and the other Member States in relation to the possibility of developing an overall Community-wide vaccination strategy. The Commission has scheduled a bluetongue symposium to be held in Brussels on 16th January 2008 and, in preparation for that, the first in a series of working group meetings took place yesterday, at which my Department was represented.

I have also discussed the current disease situation in continental Europe and in Britain with my colleagues in the European Agriculture Council and have also discussed it, and will again later this week, with Minister Gildernew, in the context of the development and maintenance of an all-island approach. Indeed, at the September Agricultural Council, a number of Ministers called on the Commission to develop a bluetongue control strategy and I strongly support this approach.