Ned O'Keeffe (Cork East, Fianna Fail)
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Question 72: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food the progress made to date by Animal Health Ireland in achieving and maintaining the highest standards of animals health; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43447/09]

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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My Department has no direct responsibility for the day to day activities of Animal Health Ireland (AHI). AHI operates independently of my Department. It is a company limited by guarantee with its own Board of Directors and a Chief Executive. AHI will be responsible for the wide dissemination of information to stakeholders in relation to its programme of activities. AHI aims to improve through a coordinated national approach to animal health, overall animal health standards. Higher animal health standards will secure improved profitability for farmers and international competitiveness of Irish livestock products through a coordinated national approach to animal health.

AHI came about as a result of a commitment by all interested parties to work together on an initiative to address a range of animal health and related issues. The most innovative aspect of this initiative is that it is industry-led and driven and it is part-financed by industry and my Department – up to a max of €0.5m per annum, for a period of 5 years, subject to a matching contribution being made by the industry. Consequently, the approach represents a substantial departure from the classic current Government-led model for animal health that has operated in this country to date.