Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 14 Dec 1993

Vol. 437 No. 2

Written Answers. - Animal Health Declaration.

Paul Connaughton

Question:

131 Mr. Connaughton asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry if he intends to declare Ireland a scrapie free area; if the incidence of this disease in the sheep flock is sufficiently low to allow such a declaration to be made; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry (Mr. J. Walsh)

The European Union's Scientific Veterinary Committee on animal health was asked to formulate criteria by which countries could be certified as scrapie free.

The Committee concluded that, given the absence of a diagnostic test for infection, it is virtually impossible to certify absolute freedom for scrapie infection in any country. It recommended that this objective should not be pursued until adequate methods are available for detecting pre-clinical infection in live animals.

My Department is at present pursuing the course recommended by the Committee which is the registration and monitoring of flocks whose owners wish to export live breeding sheep to other EU countries. If and when a satisfactory test is developed full consideration will be given to the possibility of declaring Ireland scrapie free.