John McGuinness (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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173. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the EU Petitions Committee have recommended that he should issue an apology, in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny; if the apology will be issued; when the independent company will be appointed to analyse the scientific data collected relevant to the case as agreed at the EU Petitions Committee; the cost to date of all Government agencies involved in the examination of the case; if his attention has been further drawn to the fact that some recordings of data were under recorded by 50%; if he will investigate same; if he will assist the person to recoup losses at their farm during this time; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5319/15]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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A large number of studies and investigations have been undertaken by various state agencies into the production problems affecting the farm of the person concerned between 2004 and 2009. The farm issues were investigated by my own Department’s Veterinary Laboratory Service with the assistance of Teagasc and subsequently by the Centre for Veterinary Epidemiology and Risk Analysis (CVERA) based in UCD. The factory emissions were investigated by the EPA and no evidence was found to indicate that factory emissions were the cause of the individual’s difficulties. The factory closed in December 2008. Investigations or validations of the performance of animals on this farm have not been undertaken by my Department since 2008 and it is not proposed to take any further action in relation to this case. The issue of recouping losses does not arise. My Department has at all times sought to assist in every way possible the person concerned, most particularly through the extensive investigations undertaken on his behalf. At a meeting of the Petitions Committee of the EU in March 2012, the Committee were advised that a remedy available to them in regard to trying to understand conflicting views of the significance of complex data was to ask the EU Commission and specifically DG Sanco to refer the report in question to one or other of the expert bodies available to the Commission such as the Joint Research Council or the European Food Safety Authority for an independent expert opinion. This was for them to pursue and not my Department.

Based on information available to me, the costs incurred by my Department in examination of the issue amounted to almost €600,000 and my Department is continuing to assist the herd owner with his ongoing milk recording. I am unaware of an allegation that some recordings of data were under recorded by 50% and if the Deputy has any further information on this I would be grateful if he could forward this to my Department.