Vol. 216 No. 5
asked the Minister for Health the number of samples of milk for human consumption in the Dublin city, county and Dún Laoghaire areas which have been tested for the presence of antibiotics; whether the presence of such antibiotics is detrimental to the health of humans, particularly of children; and, if so, what steps he proposes to take in the matter.
55.
asked the Minister for Health whether his attention has been drawn to the report of the Chief Medical Officer submitted to Dublin Health Authority at its meeting on Thursday, 3rd June with regard to the presence of antibiotics in milk for human consumption; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
With your permission, a Cheann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 54 and 55 together.
I have seen newspaper reports of a statement made by the Chief Medical Officer of the Dublin Health Authority, at its meeting on 3rd June, regarding the presence of antibiotics in milk.
I have ascertained from the Dublin Health Authority that, in the three months ending 31st May, 1965, the following results were obtained for milk samples from the Dublin area tested for antibiotics :—County Dublin —78 samples—11 contained antibiotics; Dublin City—40 samples— none contained antibiotics; Dún Laoghaire Borough—16 samples—4 contained antibiotics.
The presence of antibiotic residues in milk is obviously undesirable and I am advised that the consumption of such milk may produce ill-effects by the development of resistant organisms, and may also give rise to reactions in a person who is hypersensitive to a particular antibiotic when he takes milk containing that antibiotic.
The control of the use of antibiotics in animal husbandry is a matter for the Minister for Agriculture. My Department have been in correspondence with the Department of Agriculture on this subject and the matter is being reviewed by my Department in the light of the recent report of the Chief Medical Officer of the Dublin Health Authority.
