Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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Question 91: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if, in view of the continuing threat to human health and the economy generally from animal diseases, she will consider the establishment of a permanent bio-security unit to provide maximum protection against threats of this nature; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13072/08]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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My Department's responsibilities extend to animal and plant health and it works closely with the Department of Health & Children and the Health Services Executive in relation to any such diseases that may have potential implications for human health, for example in relation to avian 'flu.

I am acutely conscious of the threats of various animal disease outbreaks and my Department continually reassesses such threats. On the basis of such risk assessments, I and my officials review the adequacy of our control measures aimed at mitigating the risk of the introduction of such diseases to this country.

In this regard, my Department has at its disposal, a wide range of veterinary, scientific, epidemiological, administrative and legal expertise, all of which contribute, as appropriate, to the process. In addition, my Department is able to avail of extensive external expertise, some of which comes from other State agencies, including the National Parks and Wildlife Service and Met Éireann, as well as organisations such as BirdWatch Ireland and academic expertise, including that provided by the Centre for Veterinary Epidemiology and Risk Analysis in UCD and the Department of Zoology at NUI, Galway.

Based on various increased disease outbreak threats, my Department has offered and continues to offer biosecurity advice to farmers in relation to diseases as foot-and-mouth, avian 'flu and bluetongue. This advice is updated as appropriate and made available in leaflet form, through the national newspapers or on my Department's website.

I am satisfied that my Department has available to it all the relevant expertise to ensure that the necessary biosecurity controls and precautions are exercised and taken both at points of import and at the farm gate. Nonetheless, I am anxious to bring a greater focus to and place a greater emphasis on the need for constant vigilance in the area of biosecurity and, for that reason, I have decided to establish, as a division within my Department, 'Biosecurity Ireland' with a remit to ensure the exclusion, eradication or effective management of risks posed by diseases and pests to the economy, the environment as well as to human and animal health.