Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 18 Nov 1999

Vol. 511 No. 2

Written Answers. - Laboratory Tests.

Bernard Allen

Question:

91 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Health and Children if he will set up a laboratory which will have the ability to detect e.coli in samples submitted in view of the fact that health boards have to send these samples to the United Kingdom. [23924/99]

Minister of State at the Department of Health and Children (Dr. Moffatt)

Laboratory testing for the presence of e.coli is carried out in the public health laboratories of the health boards. If verocytotoxin producing e.coli, VTEC, is isolated, confirmatory identification of VTEC is unavailable in Ireland and suspect isolates of VTEC must be sent to the United Kingdom.

The Good Friday Agreement between the Governments of Ireland and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland provides for the establishment of six North-South implementation bodies, including a food safety promotion board. Among the proposed functions of the FSPB are the surveillance of food-borne diseases, the promotion of scientific co-operation and links between laboratories and the development of cost-effective facilities for specialised laboratory testing. The FSPB is to have a general remit to develop and sustain a strategy for the island of Ireland for the delivery of specialised laboratory services. This includes conducting an early study of the relative cost-effectiveness of available options, preparing cost-effective proposals for submission to the North-South Ministerial Council and overseeing the implementation of the strategy once approved.

In the interest of public health, I have, within the last week, asked the FSAI to establish a working group immediately which will examine the need for an enteric reference facility in Ireland. On the full implementation of the Good Friday Agreement this task will transfer to the FSPB which will consider the issue on an all-island basis.