Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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Question 45: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food the role played by Irish laboratories and UK laboratories in the recent outbreak of equine piorplasmosis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36190/09]

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick East, Labour)
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Question 62: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food the situation regarding the status of equine piroplasmosis here in view of the outbreak of the disease in September 2009. [36218/09]

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
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Question 84: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food the steps taken by him following recent confirmation of occurrence of equine piroplamosis in a number of thoroughbred horses at an equine facility in County Meath; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36072/09]

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 42, 62 and 84 together.

Equine Piroplasmosis is a tick-borne protozoal disease of horses and other equidae that is common in most parts of the world but not normally found in Ireland. Samples submitted by the private veterinary practitioner attached to a racing stable in County Meath to a UK reference laboratory indicated serological positives for piroplasmosis among some of the horses on the holding. My Department was notified of positive laboratory results on three of the horses on 2 of September 2009, following which a full epidemiological investigation was launched. Animals that moved to and from the affected holding were traced and all animals on the affected holding itself along with all traced animals were tested.

Arising from this, a second related holding in County Wicklow was found to be affected and this holding has also been restricted and subject to investigation. In addition to the initial UK testing, further testing and analysis has been carried out in Irish laboratories - either the Irish Equine Centre in Kill, County Kildare or the Central Veterinary Research Laboratory in Backweston. While investigations are ongoing I am hopeful that the incident of piroplasmosis has now abated on the facility in County Meath.