asked the Minister for Agriculture whether he is aware that following the outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease in the district the Mountgeale creamery committee on their own initiative closed the creamery on the 23rd April, and that on the following day the manager consulted over the 'phone the responsible officials of his Department and was advised to reopen the creamery, which advice was implemented on the 25th April, resulting in outbreaks of the disease in calves and pigs on a number of farms due to infected separated milk, and, if this is so, will he say what steps he has taken to ensure that no such mistake will be allowed to spread the infection in future.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Foot-and-Mouth Disease.
I am aware that the manager, Kilkenny central creamery, to which Mountgeale is an auxiliary, at the request of a member of bis committee, closed Mountgeale creamery on 22nd April and that, following a telephone conversation with one of the Department's lay inspectors, who informed him that the closing of Mountgeale would serve no purpose if the suppliers then took their milk to another creamery, the manager reopened the creamery on 23rd April after consultation with his committee.
Is the Minister not aware that the reopening of the creamery had the effect of spreading the infection right through the district? The Minister has not adverted at all to that part of my question.
I do not think that is exactly right. I do not want to contradict the Deputy, but there is a doubt about it.
What caused the rapid spread of the infection amongst small stock?
In the Mountgeale district?
Yes.
There is some doubt about it, but the Deputy may be right.
Are steps being taken in the matter?
Since then, the cerameries have to sterilise the skimmed milk.
asked the Minister for Agriculture if, with reference to foot-and-mouth disease in County Kilkenny, be will state the date on which the outbreak was reported, the date of confirmation and date of slaughter in each of the following cases in the Tullaroan Gárda district, namely, that of Mr. Patrick Hoyne, Dreelingstown; Mr. Sim Walton, Remeen; Mr. Richard Fleming, Monavadrew; Mr. Philip Hogan, Rathmoyle; Mr. James Dillon, Tullaroan.
The dates asked for by the Deputy are as follows:—
|
Reported to Garda at |
Confirmed |
Slaughtered |
|
|
Pk. Hoyne, Dreelingstown |
Noon, 15/4/41 |
15/4/41 |
20/4/41 |
|
S. Walton, Junior, Remeen |
6.20 p.m., 30/4/41 |
30/4/41 |
4/5/41 |
|
R. Fleming, Monavadrew |
8.50 p.m., 29/4/41 |
30/4/41 |
5/5/41 |
|
P. Hogan, Rathmoyle |
11.00 a.m., 2/5/41 |
2/5/41 |
7/5/41 |
|
J. Dillon, Tullaroan |
1.15 p.m., 21/5/41 |
21/5/41 |
26/5/41 |
Arising out of the Minister's reply, I wish to say that, on the l7th June, I put a question to the Minister with regard to the time-lag in dealing with this disease, and I was informed by him that the average time involved was not more than from two to three days, and that, in fact, it had been reduced recently to about 24 hours. I have got information with regard to some cases in the meantime, and hence I put down this question, and I want to ask the Minister how he reconciles the answer that he has given to-day with the answer that he gave to my question of l7th June?
In all cases difficulties were met with, in the digging of pits for burial, including rocks in some cases and sandy soil in other cases. In one particular case, there were rocks found on top of sand, and the sand collapsed. The average time for all cases in Kilkenny is a day and a half, so that the Deputy's correspondent must have gone to considerable trouble to pick on these particular cases.
Does the Minister not realise that these five cases are in the one area—that they are neighbouring farmers?
Yes.
Will the Minister consider the possibility of using mechanical diggers?
Yes; we had them.
Does the Minister say that he used them in those particular cases?
I do not say that.
Does the Minister realise that it has taken five days in the particular cases to which I have referred?
Yes, in those particular cases.
And does he not realise the importance of getting these carcases underground as quickly as possible?
Yes; of course.
Does the Minister not realise that that does not show efficiency in that particular district?
I could give the Deputy instances of about 90 cases in Kilkenny.
In the one district?
No, but taking the whole of Kilkenny.
But this refers to the one district?
Yes, but I say that to take that particular district is extremely unfair. As I said, Deputy Hughes's correspondent must have gone to some trouble to get that particular information.
Does the Minister not realise that these people are all neighbours, and actually in the one townland?
Yes.