asked the Minister for Agriculture if he will state why the killing of meat in Dun Laoghaire is still prohibited in view of the fact that there has been no case of foot-and-mouth disease within its boundary or within many miles of it.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Meat-Killing Prohibition in Dun Laoghaire.
The prohibition of the movement of fat stock for slaughter in the Borough of Dun Laoghaire was a necessary measure for dealing with the serious outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease in the Dublin area. The restrictions have to be continued for the present in order to maintain adequate control of the situation and permit of the resumption of exports of live fat stock from Dublin port.
There has been no outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease in Dun Laoghaire, nor within six miles of it. Meat is slaughtered in the Dublin abattoir, where the first outbreak occurred, and which was the hub of the disease. Does the Minister contemplate restoring the killing of meat to Dun Laoghaire at all, or is he using this as a lever to force the butchers of Dun Laoghaire to buy their meat in the Dublin abattoir?
I have no interest in the Dublin abattoir, but we must continue to be very careful. We must have ante-mortem and post-mortem examination of all cattle slaughtered in this area, and it is not possible to operate that at the moment in more than one slaughter-house in the area.
Is that not possible in Dun Laoghaire where there is a whole-time veterinary officer employed by Dun Laoghaire Borough?
There is no slaughterhouse in Dun Laoghaire of any size.
There is enough accommodation for Dun Laoghaire's requirements.
There is not one slaughterhouse of sufficient size.
The Minister's attitude is that cattle from Dun Laoghaire area should be carted in——
If the Deputy has a supplementary question to put, he had better put it.
I am putting it, but I want to explain it.
Questions must be brief and so also must supplementaries.
Will the Minister recommend to the Minister for Supplies an increased allocation of petrol to those who have to run their cattle in on floats to the market and to the butchers of Dun Laoghaire who have to bring back the dead meat?
Transport is already provided for bringing cattle to the abattoir.
By whom?
By the railways and by lorry owners. Dun Laoghaire has nothing to do with that.
I am talking of Dun Laoghaire and of nowhere else.