andMrs. Doyle asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food if his attention has been drawn to a recent article by his Department's veterinary surgeon (details supplied) concerning classical swine fever disease; if so, if he will consider further constrictions on the importation of pigmeat; if he will give details of the total extent of checking and testing done in imported pigmeat products for this disease; and the proposals, if any, he has to seek at European level special exemption status for Ireland, as an island, in order to ensure that there is no further spread of the disease.
Written Answers. - Classical Swine Fever.
115.
The article referred to was a paper prepared for delivery at the Irish Veterinary Association Congress held in Kilkenny earlier this year. Its purpose was to create an awareness among attending veterinarians that our membership of the EC and the resultant changes in our import policy make Ireland more vulnerable to the possible introduction of certain animal diseases.
This country must comply with EC intra-Community rules on trade and is precluded from imposing national controls. We are already afforded special trade derogations under which we prohibit imports of live pigs and fresh, chilled or frozen pigmeat from member states or regions which are either affected by or vaccinate against classical swine fever. We are, however, obliged under Community trade rules to accept imports of certain pigmeat products from member states provided such products do not originate in "high risk" areas, i.e., areas which sustain outbreaks and resort to emergency vaccination. All imports of pigmeat products are subject to stringent controls. Consignments are individually checked on arrival to verify their origin and to ensure that they are accompanied by the necessary veterinary certification.
The Community's classical swine fever control and eradication measures were recently reviewed. I consider that the proposals which emerged and which were formally adopted by the Council in September this year offer the necessary guarantees to protect out disease freedom. They confirmed our derogations for a further period of four years and introduced a ban on intra-Community trade in live pigs, fresh pigmeat and uncooked pigmeat products from "high risk" areas.