asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food if he will make a statement, as a matter or urgency, on the outbreak of illness affecting two turkey flocks in County Monaghan.
Private Notice Questions. - Turkey Illness Outbreak.
asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food, in view of the paramount importance of the poultry industry to the economy, if he will confirm immediately that there is no question of an outbreak of Newcastle disease.
I propose to take these two Questions together.
I can reassure the House that Newcastle disease has not been confirmed in County Monaghan. An illness which caused some deaths prompted investigations into the health status of two turkey flocks in the county. While definitive test results will not be known until next week, the signs are encouraging. There is no clinical evidence of serious disease and the mortality rate has abated.
I am glad the Minister is able to reply in such reassuring terms. Will he accept that there is need to broadcast widely this reassurance in the light of the initial alarmist reaction to the problem and the effect that such reaction could have on the Christmas turkey market?
We will have to measure the impact of widespread broadcasting of what is involved. We take the opportunity to reassure the industry and the public that there is no problem. I should like that message to go out from here.
We must accept the need for restrictions and the alerting of veterinary officers, agricultural officers and gardaí in such instances. Where did the term "Newcastle disease" emanate from?
As of this moment I am not in a position to tell Deputy Leonard where the name derives from. It is obviously a colloquial name for a veterinary term.
Three years ago I had to complain about the media treatment of a similar incident. On that occasion it was avian flu that was complained of. Is the Minister aware that the media reports last weekend have seriously endangered the livelihood of hundreds of turkey producers who have made substantial financial commitments to rear turkeys? Is the Minister aware that the future of one of the best processing plants in Europe which employs 200 people has been endangered by the idle talk and unsubstantiated evidence of diseases? It has been accepted that the problem arose because of the movement of flock and the change in temperature.
I fully share the Deputy's fear and apprehension knowing how important the turkey rearing industry is to Monaghan. I agree with the sentiments he has expressed and I am glad to be able to reassure the Deputy, and the House, that there is no fear of the Newcastle disease.
Will the Minister ensure that investigatory procedures are established in his Department so that such false alarms are not given intensive coverage in the media? The weekend complaints turned out to be a damp squib.
I should like to tell the Deputy that the Department are anxious to ensure that there is no broadcasting of false information or publicity given to such scares. However, we must recognise that the Department have no control over news items that may emanate from different sources.
With the permission of the Chair I should like to raise on the Adjournment the reduction by 44 per cent in the funding to ACOT and AFT.
I will communicate with the Deputy.