With the permission of the Ceann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 21 to 23 together.
Since the initial outbreak of illness the chief medical officer of the area has been in direct personal touch with the situation in Rush and has kept my Department informed of developments. The chief medical officer of my Department has also visited the school and reported to me.
I am advised that everything possible has been done both to care for the children affected by the outbreak and to trace the source of it. Investigations in this respect have eliminated such possible causative factors as methyl bromide and the water supply and, on the basis of the information available, I am satisfied that there is not a major cause for concern for the health of the children. Some of the children had mild enterovirus infection which caused stomach upsets, and circumstances within the classes involved may have combined to produce a psychological reaction in other children, which quickly cleared up.
The chief medical officer of the area is keeping my Department informed of developments.