Jack Wall (Kildare South, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 51: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food his plans for brucellosis free status here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37482/08]

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I can confirm that, because of the dramatic reduction in the incidence of Brucellosis over the past ten years and because there has been no confirmed outbreak of this disease here since April 2006, I intend to apply to the EU for officially Brucellosis-free status for Ireland next April.

This is a very significant development and is another important measure of the high disease status of our national herd. The successful eradication of this disease is due to a number of factors, not least the full cooperation of all stakeholders with the eradication regime, which included comprehensive testing and depopulation arrangements, the tightening up on illegal cattle movements, the regulation of dealers and appropriate follow up of breaches and failures to comply with animal disease and identification regulations.

In addition to the obvious benefits to the farming sector, the eradication of Brucellosis brings considerable public health benefits, as the risk of a disease that was once a significant threat to the health of farmers, vets and others in agriculture has now greatly diminished.

Securing officially brucellosis-free status for Ireland will enable me to reduce some of the control elements of the eradication programme over the coming years. A gradual reduction in the level of testing will, over time, lead to lower testing costs for farmers. However, we need to take a cautious approach with a controlled reduction in the programme over a period of years, based on risk assessment, following the achievement of disease free status for the country. My Department has begun the process of consultation with the farm organisations and other stakeholders with a view to settling a roadmap for the gradual scaling down of the programme in the years following the attainment of the status. I will take a definitive decision on the roadmap in light of these consultations.

Notwithstanding the current position, it is essential that farmers continue to adopt appropriate replacement policies and effective bio-security measures. Where farmers have to buy in replacement stock, including young female stock, they should do so only from known sources. Some calves and young female stock can carry Brucellosis without showing any signs and without it showing up in blood tests until they calve or abort later in the herd. Furthermore, farmers should continue to apply sensible bio-security arrangements on their premises and report any abortions to their vet or to the Department. I must caution that any new outbreaks of the disease between now and April next could jeopardise the attainment of officially-free status.