Written Answers. - Porcine Disease.
Matt Brennan
Question:
383
Mr. M. Brennan
asked the
Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry
if his attention has been drawn to the fact that 33 cases of blue ear, a respiratory disease in sows, have been reported in Northern Ireland; if his attention has further been drawn to the fact that the abattoir (details supplied) in County Leitrim is the only one in the State still slaughtering pigs from Northern Ireland; the number of cases of positive blue ear disease which have been reported at this abattoir; the steps, if any, he intends to take to address this issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[8099/97]
Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS), more commonly known as "blue ear", is a condition which affects pigs and has no known implications for human health. It is highly contagious within the pig population and can in fact be wind-borne.
I am aware that in excess of 30 pig herds in Northern Ireland are now believed to be infected. Officials of my Department have been in frequent contact with their counterparts in Northern Ireland since the first outbreaks there several weeks ago. This has been important not alone in terms of monitoring the evolving nature and scale of the problem in the North but also of maintaining a necessary awareness of the approach being adopted by the authorities there to sampling, testing, containment, slaughter, etc. In that context my Department, on being notified of the first outbreaks of PRRS in Northern Ireland, publicly advised all involved in the pig industry of the risks of transmission, including, specifically, the transmission risks associated with the transportation of animals and the vehicles used for such purposes, and identified particular measures which should be taken to minimise such risks.
Officials of my Department have also met with representatives of pig producers on a number of occasions, most recently within the past week, and have worked very closely with them in addressing this issue. Arising from these contacts my Department undertook to carry out a programme of sampling at a number of processing plants with the specific objective of testing pigs supplied from herds in both Northern Ireland and the Republic for PRRS. Checks made by my Department to date would indicate that there is at least one processing plant still slaughtering pigs from Northern Ireland. Reports that other plants are also processing such pigs are being followed up. Testing carried out by my Department on samples taken have established the presence of PRRS in 49 animals which originated in five herds in Northern Ireland. In all cases the details have been given by my Department to the Department of Agriculture in the North for follow-up action.
There is to date no evidence of PRRS in any pig herd in the Republic and I am obviously concerned that we should do everything possible to minimise the spread of the disease from Northern Ireland. The best means of addressing this problem lies in all elements of the industry in the Republic taking effective, co-operative, risk minimisation action themselves and, where possible, in collaboration with their Northern counterparts.
My Department will of course continue to work closely with and provide all appropriate support to the industry on this issue. In particular, the Department will continue its programme of testing at pig plants and will, as it has done up to this point, ensure that results are speedily made available to all concerned. I also anticipate further contacts involving the Departments of Agriculture in both jurisdictions and representatives of the pig industry in both the Republic and Northern Ireland in coming weeks which will focus on limiting the spread of the disease.
