Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Thursday, 7 Nov 2002

Vol. 556 No. 5

Written Answers. - Foot and Mouth Disease.

Willie Penrose

Ceist:

35 Mr. Penrose asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food if his attention has been drawn to the independent review of foot and mouth disease in Northern Ireland, published in June 2002, and to the Anderson report on the British foot and mouth outbreak, published in July 2002; if he will use these reports as a contribution to combat future foot and mouth outbreaks here; the degree to which there is ongoing cross-Border and Anglo-Irish ministerial co-operation on this issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20825/02]

Minister for Agriculture and Food (Mr. Walsh)

I am aware of the independent review of foot and mouth disease in Northern Ireland and of the Andersen report on the British foot and mouth disease outbreak in 2002. It is vital that those involved in the agriculture sector, not just in Ireland but across the European Union, should learn the lessons of the 2001 outbreak. In this context, I assure the Deputy that my Department is anxious to learn from the experiences not just in the United Kingdom, but also in other member states.

My officials and I have assisted in a review of the crisis by the foot and mouth disease subcommittee of the European Parliament. At national level, my Department held a seminar in November 2001 to draw on the practical operational experiences of people involved in managing the crisis in Ireland at all levels, not just from my Department but from other agencies such as the Garda Síochána, the Customs and Excise authorities, local authorities and colleagues from the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development in the North. This seminar marked the first step in a comprehensive, thorough and exhaustive process of evaluation, which is now concluding. This will result in the publication of a comprehensive operations manual as a template for action for those involved in a future foot and mouth disease outbreak, from field staff to policy makers at departmental headquarters.

I have always enjoyed excellent relations with my ministerial counterpart in Britain. In so far as Northern Ireland is concerned, I believe that considerable progress has been made on the development of an all-island animal health strategy under arrangements established in the Good Friday Agreement. The detailed issues are being taken forward at official level by a number of policy working groups. An all-island animal health strategy, properly implemented, will be of real benefit to all involved in agriculture, North and South, in managing future threats to our animal health status, whether from foot and mouth disease or any other quarter. The foot and mouth disease experience last year left no doubt that a joint approach to animal health issues on this island is necessary if we are to successfully manage such matters in the future.