asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries if, in view of clearance done in County Donegal, he will exempt farmers there from the obligation of the third dressing for warble fly eradication.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Warble Fly Eradication.
26.
Encouraged by the success which has attended the warble fly eradication effort over the past three years, the main farming organisations have asked for one further national dressing campaign against the pest. I, too, am satisfied that given the full co-operation of all concerned in such a campaign the level of infestation, which in May of this year was at the extremely low figure of 1 per cent of cattle examined, could be reduced still further. Exemption of the herds in any particular area from the statutory dressing requirement would undoubtedly lead to demands from other parts of the country for a similar concession and under such conditions herdowner participation to the degree necessary to assure the success of the campaign would be impossible to secure. There is a further consideration of particular concern to herdowners in County Donegal and that is the requirement of the Northern Ireland authorities that all cattle entering that area must be accompanied by official warble dressing certificates. My reply to the Deputy's question must accordingly be in the negative.