Written answers
Tuesday, 24 March 2009
Department of Agriculture and Food
Bovine Diseases
9:00 pm
Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick East, Labour)
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Question 105: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food the cost and expiry date of the 1 million doses of blue tongue vaccination recently purchased by his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12001/09]
Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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As part of its contingency arrangements to control the spread of bluetongue, my Department in 2008 purchased a supply of 1 million doses of BTV ST8 vaccine to enable us to immediately commence vaccination within a 20km zone, if disease of this particular serotype is confirmed in Ireland. This vaccine stock has a 12 month shelf life and will expire between May and August 2009. The average cost per dose was €0.70.
The purchase of this vaccine, to combat BTV ST8, the most widespread serotype of bluetongue in Europe at present, was a necessary precautionary measure to enable my Department to respond swiftly to a disease risk, which, if realised, would have serious consequences for the livestock sector in Ireland.
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