asked the Minister for Agriculture if his attention has been drawn to a statement concerning cutbacks in disease eradication and the effects such cutbacks will have in County Donegal where the senior veterinary officer of his Department stated that only 1,400 cattle herds out of a total of 11,756 will be tested in Donegal in 1986; if he is aware that the cutbacks were described by another leading veterinary surgeon as nothing short of criminal; and if, in view of these serious statements, he will make a statement on the matter.
Written Answers. - Donegal Disease Eradication Programme.
140.
Due to unavoidable budgetary constraints and the need to make the best possible use of scarce resources in terms of disease detection and control, the programme of testing for the remainder of 1986 will be based on the pattern of disease prevalence as revealed by the current intensive round of testing due to end next April. By that time over 12,000 herd tests will have been carried out in County Donegal and the emerging picture is very satisfactory. Donegal is clear of brucellosis and has the lowest bovine TB prevalence level in the country.
The allocation of resources to individual countries, which incidentally has not yet been finalised, will be based on their respective disease situations and in this regard County Donegal will be treated on the same terms as any other county.