Ulick Burke
Question:143 Mr. U. Burke asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development the plans, if any, he has to replace the present tuberculosis test with a blood test which is the case in other EU countries in view of the increasing incidence of tuberculoses reactors in many herds and the failure of the present test to eradicate it in bovine herds; the annual costs of the present scheme in each of the past five years; the number of herds in each of these years in which reactors were identified; his views on whether the new proposal requirement of locking up herds showing inconclusive animals in herds is not an over-reaction in current depressed market conditions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25621/99]