Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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Question 60: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food the measures in place to promote disease eradication; if there are plans for the introduction of an all-Ireland health policy; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30099/07]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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My Department accords a high priority to maintaining Ireland's high status in relation to animal health and welfare in the context of protecting consumers and in view of the economic and social importance of agriculture to the country. It remains essential that we anticipate future possibilities wherever possible and maintain the capability of dealing effectively with any threats in this area, from wherever they emerge. A comprehensive approach to these threats involves the following measures — the continued operation of schemes to reduce and eventually eradicate diseases of significant importance such as TB and Brucellosis; an intensive programme of measures to eradicate BSE; and measures to deal with threats from or actual outbreaks of other diseases.

With regard to Bovine Tuberculosis, the Eradication Scheme, which complies fully with the relevant EU legislation, has been successful in reducing the level of this disease from 17% in the 1950s to 0.4%. While efforts are continuing to achieve a sustained reduction below that level, further progress is constrained by the presence of a wildlife reservoir of infection. In this regard, my Department operates an active wildlife and research programme. The incidence of Brucellosis has been falling progressively in recent years. For example, the number of laboratory positives has fallen from 6,417 in 1998 to 212 in 2006 while in the same timeframe, the number of herds depopulated dropped from 328 to three. This progress has been maintained into 2007.

This animal traceability system and the Animal Health Computer System are essential elements in supporting the Department's policies in relation to animal health and welfare activities and consumer confidence. These systems bring the benefits of modern technology also to the administration of the Department's various programmes, including the management of the TB and Brucellosis eradication schemes. The Animal Health Computer System has been extended also to facilitate the creation of a national database of all registered keepers of domestic poultry and captive birds as part of the Department's response to the threat of an outbreak of Avian Influenza.

There is a long history of co-operation between the administrations North and South on animal health issues. The administrations have traditionally shared information at local and national levels on disease control and surveillance issues. The importance of agriculture on the island of Ireland and the potential threats posed by diseases require that both Governments are involved at the highest level in protecting and enhancing the animal health and welfare status of livestock. The establishment of the North South Ministerial Council (NSMC) provided a framework for the development of an all-island animal health policy. The main objectives of the NSMC are to foster co-operation and to devise a common, unified animal health strategy for the island as a whole. This involves the co-ordination of animal health policies and the development of joint strategies for dealing with animal diseases.

The programme of work, mandated by the NSMC, is being progressed through a series of working groups at official level. The remit of these groups includes TB and Brucellosis, TSEs (BSE and Scrapie), veterinary medicines, other Zoonoses and animal diseases, disease surveillance, animal welfare, import and export of live animals and animal products, animal identification, traceability and cross-border aspects of fraud. Since 2001 the structured arrangements have been valuable particularly in our dealings with the recent outbreaks of foot and mouth disease, Bluetongue and Avian Influenza in England. In addition progress has been made in relation to policies on animal identification and on a variety of animal diseases including T.B, Brucellosis, BSE and Scrapie.

The achievement of an all-island animal health strategy involves complex dialogue and negotiation over a range of areas between the Irish, Northern Irish and British authorities and will require the agreement of the European Union ultimately. The ultimate objective of an all-island animal health and welfare strategy continues to be the attainment of arrangements that facilitate the free movement of animals on the island. I am committed also to reviewing and where necessary prioritising the work of Working Groups and to progressing a range of issues by various deadlines. I have put in place an agreed policy document setting down a common chapter for dealing with foot and mouth disease and at present work is continuing on the finalisation of common chapters in contingency plans for Bluetongue and Avian Influenza as well as specified work on identification of sheep, electronic data sharing, trade aspects and common approaches to scrapie, genotyping and salmonella.

I am pleased to state that I hosted the first North/South Agricultural Sectoral meeting in Donegal on the 9th of this month since the restoration of the Northern Ireland Executive and Assembly. Together with my colleague, the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív, I met the Northern Ireland delegation which comprised of Michelle Gildernew MP, MLA, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development and Arlene Foster, MLA, Minister of the Environment. The free movement of animals on the island continues to be the ultimate aim of the animal health and welfare strategy and that the way forward is through co-operation and the development of complementary policies. I believe we should continue to utilise the structured arrangements that are in place to progress matters.