Jimmy Deenihan (Kerry North, Fine Gael)
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Question 234: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will adopt the same policy with respect to Bluetongue as occurred in Northern Ireland and the UK where imported animals found to be infected with the disease are immediately slaughtered, as the policy here of re-exporting infected animals is placing Ireland's blue tongue free status, which is the envy of Europe, in jeopardy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44266/08]

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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The movement of susceptible animals within and from bluetongue restricted areas is subject to EU legislation which is kept under ongoing review and adapted from time to time.

As Ireland is free of Bluetongue, it has availed of certain transitional provisions available under EU rules which limit movements of live susceptible animals out of bluetongue restricted zones to cattle and sheep that are less than 90 days old or that have natural or vaccinated immunity to relevant strains of bluetongue. In addition all such animals are tested for bluetongue after arrival here.

Notwithstanding the current safeguard arrangements that are in place with regard to trade, the recent cases of BTV1 in England and the ongoing confirmation of BTV6 and BTV8 in several member states mean that there are a number of strains of the bluetongue virus circulating in the EU. The existence of several strains of bluetongue increases the risks and raises serious concerns about the wisdom of importing any animals from affected regions at this time. Consequently, I have consistently urged Irish farmers not to import animals from any bluetongue affected country or region so as not to jeopardise our disease free status with its consequences for our entire livestock sector.

Any such imports will continue to be tested and if found to be BTV positive to a PCR test, they will be immediately slaughtered and there are no compensation arrangements in place in the case of such slaughter. Accordingly, importers should be aware of the possible financial risks that they are now exposed to in addition to the risk that imports pose to the national herd.