asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries if he will consider either the abolition or reduction of charges made under the warble fly dressing scheme.
42.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Warble Fly Scheme.
41.
asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries if he will subsidise the warble fly eradication scheme in the present year so as to ensure the co-operation of the farmers in getting all the cattle dressed.
43.
asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries if, in view of the confusion at present in relation to the eradication of warble fly in cattle, he will make a statement on the matter.
With your permission, a Cheann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 41, 42 and 43 together.
As I have already announced, it has been found impracticable to operate a national dressing campaign for warbles this autumn as had been originally visualised.
I understand however that the AI stations are dressing cattle for herd-owners, on request, for a charge of 4s per animal. It is in the herdowners' own interest to have their cattle dressed between now and the end of November.
The charge for dressing is so modest in relation to the value of cattle, and the benefits from dressing cattle are so considerable, that the payment of any subsidy towards the cost could not be justified.
In view of the short time available for dressing cattle this year, would the Minister engage immediately in consultations with the farming organisations in an effort to come to some settlement with them in respect of this year's dressing?
As to the duration of the dressing period?
Yes.
I think this is a veterinary problem. For the incubation process of the warble fly larva, the operative time is the time specified in the reply I have given. If the dressing is applied thereafter the effect might not be so good. It is a veterinary problem which I do not understand. This is the optimum period in which to apply the dressing.
Is it not true that to eradicate the warble fly you must apply the dressing in a certain period— you cannot dilly dally about applying it?
Why did the first effort to eradicate the warble fly fail?
To implement a big national scheme of warble fly eradication of this kind, the co-operation of all farming organisations and of farmers generally is absolutely vital. This, for various reasons, was not forthcoming. That is the reason.
Mr. O'Leary
Is the result of not applying the dressing at the proper time that the hides of animals killed by warble files are perforated to such an extent that the hides of the carcases are not very valuable unless the decision is made at the proper time to apply the dressing?
There are no warble files in Dublin, anyway.
What steps has the Minister taken to get the co-operation of the farmers?
I tried all my best persuasive powers on the farmers without success.
Is the Minister aware that there are many farmers in the west of Ireland who are not sure whether this scheme is obligatory?
Notices have been published in all the relevant newspapers and I strongly urge Deputy Donnellan and his colleagues in rural constituencies to recommend to their farmer neighbours and friends to have their cattle dressed at the proper time, because our experience is that the export of store cattle in the spring can be difficult if not impossible if they are warble fly infested.
Is the progress of the warble fly which kills cattle——
The emergence of the pupa starts around February.
And it comes to fruition in May?
It progresses to May or June.
Is it not a fact that when the eradication scheme was introduced on the previous occasion the Department failed to compel the 10 per cent of the farmers who were not co-operating to apply the dressing? Is that not why the scheme failed and is that not justification for the subsidy which the Minister refuses to give?
I discussed this at great length with the farming organisations. On this point, the historical aspects of the warble fly eradication scheme are not of any great relevance because the problem is with us for one reason or another. In 1967 when the scheme was abandoned, it would have had to be abandoned then anyhow because of the restriction in the movement of cattle because of the foot and mouth outbreak in England. The salient point is that we have the infestation again and it will continue to be with us until we agree among ourselves as farmers to attack it together. In the matter of medication for animals, the benefit to the animals is extremely good value at a cost of 4s per animal, and if I had money to spend in the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries I would not spend it in subsidisation of this medication.