asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries whether any further precautions against the foot and mouth epidemic are being contemplated; and, if so, if he will give details.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Foot and Mouth Disease.
8.
In reply to the Deputy's question on 22nd November, I made a general statement on the position. Since then, restrictions on imports have been intensified; all passengers from Britain are being disinfected, their baggage examined and their movements restricted, and the holding of fairs, shows and certain sporting fixtures has been discontinued. Details have been widely publicised over the past weekend.
I am giving continual consideration to what further measures may be desirable, and any decisions will be promptly announced.
The Minister has requested people to burn letters they receive from England. A number of people have come to me and said this request is ridiculous as long as we have such a volume of newspapers, some printed in affected areas, coming in. Is this a serious threat and if so, what is being done about it?
This matter of the burning of letters arose during questions at a press conference. It was quite legitimately suggested that it might help. The matter of newspapers printed in areas where the disease is now rampant is a much lesser hazard than are letters emanating from farms where cattle are suffering from the disease. It is not quite the same thing and would not present quite the same danger. The danger in neither case would be great if some of the things we are trying to persuade people to do were done.
The Minister does not intend to do anything about British papers coming in?
No, the danger is not great.
Would the Minister say if he is satisfied with the cross-Border arrangements in regard to foot and mouth, particularly in regard to bus traffic?
The cross-Border arrangements have really only got under way in the physical sense since late on Friday night. They may or may not at this point of time be fully in operation in all respects but if what we intend doing is being done and is being fully implemented, I am satisfied with them but I am not quite sure if they are being put into operation fully.
Would the Minister say that if a person puts his head into the bus and asks if there are any English people there and if there are not go away is sufficient precaution, even if this happens late at night? I am referring to last weekend.
A great deal of the impact of what we may be doing and what we propose to do will be determined by the manner in which precautions are taken at the ports of entry, air and sea, in Northern Ireland. Putting my head into a bus might in certain circumstances be sufficient. If we are not to have the co-operation of the people, no matter how they are asked, the most we could profitably do would be to repeat what we may already have been doing by way of spraying disinfectant — unless they truthfully mention they were from an affected area. In that case we could do something more thorough. Whether one shouts through the bus door or not, unless the people are prepared to volunteer information there is not a great deal we can do.
The Minister said last week that buses and passengers, particularly tour buses to Dublin, would be sprayed. This was not done during the weekend. Has the Minister enforced the regulations or are there new regulations? If regulations were made, they should be carried out.
It was not so much the spraying of their parcels as the giving of an indication that practices which would not be in conformity with normal import and export of goods——
I was referring to last weekend.
I should like to repeat that as far as the weekend is concerned not all of our intentions were being carried out but they have been built up during the past few days and I hope we have now reached a stage when they will be fully operative.
May I point out that a great many people do not know the proper disinfectant — washing soda in about 4 per cent solution — and will he take steps to ensure that in advertisements his Department will let people know that is the most effective disinfectant?
I have already indicated in a specific manner that we should do this, not only in relation to washing soda but to other approved treatments. I have taken steps to do this in the form of advertisement and the matter will be made perfectly clear.
Up to this people have been using whatever came to their mind.
Is the Minister satisfied that adequate precautions are being taken in private slaughterhouses by way of disinfection?
If the Deputy has any views, as he may well have, on this matter——
It is not a loaded question.
I am not throwing it back at the Deputy. As I said, if the Deputy has some views of matters which he may be aware of, I would welcome any suggestion as to any aspects which we may look at. I am not merely giving this as an answer. I would just like to know if there is anything we should do about this.
Would the Minister say whether there has been any notification or communication by his Department to registered owners of private slaughterhouses, regarding the desirability of precautions?
I am not specifically aware that this might be so in regard to registered premises. There were meetings with various organisations which have contact with all the trade, butchers, those engaged in slaughtering or export. I could not say if such were specifically instructed.