Vol. 514 No. 6
52 Mr. Ferris asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development the plans, if any, he has to introduce stricter criteria governing the disposal of cattle carcases by burial in view of reports that a small number of animals which tested positive for BSE were buried; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5045/00]
I assume the Deputy is referring to the practice of disposal under strict conditions of the carcases of BSE suspect animals on farms. The only BSE-related burials which take place involve individual suspect animals from which the heads have first been removed and taken for laboratory examination. Such burials take place on the farm of origin, not on landfill sites. In excess of 50% of all suspects buried on farms prove negative for BSE.
When a BSE suspect has been confirmed positive after laboratory examination of brain tissue, the remaining animals in the herd are slaughtered at a designated plant, rendered and destroyed. None of this material is buried on farms or landfill sites.
In all cases of burial the rules of regulation 4 of Statutory Instrument 257 of 1994 must be followed. Under these provisions, if multiple carcases are involved, the local health board and the local authority must rule on the suitability of the proposed site. If a single carcase is involved the district veterinary office is empowered to make the decision.
Suspect carcases are buried under licence from my Department and under the direct supervision of a departmental veterinarian. This officer ensures that the site is located away from water courses; the hole is dug to a depth of ten feet; the head is removed at the edge of the hole and any contaminated soil is buried; and the carcase is covered in quicklime before being covered in soil.
A preferred option for disposal of BSE suspect carcases would be incineration of the entire carcase. There is, however, no suitable public or commercial incineration facility available in Ireland at present. Consequently, as acknowledged by the relevant EU authorities, there is no immediately available alternative to the disposal of such carcases other than by burial under strict conditions.
My Department is, however, exploring other options for the disposal of carcases and is anxious to identify and secure feasible arrangements which would enable it to dispense at the earliest opportunity with the need to bury carcases.
Does the Minister of State feel it would be appropriate to have a monitoring process in place to determine if there are any problems for a period of years after the burial of material contaminated by BSE? Are there any plans for an incineration facility for Ireland given that, unfortunately, the figures for BSE seem to be on the increase rather than on the decrease, as anticipated?
We can arrange monitoring and if the Deputy has views on that, I would like to hear them. We badly need an incinerator, but where can we site it? It is obvious that it is necessary—
Mitchelstown.
Fair enough. What about Ballinasloe? Incineration is the best alternative, but Deputies will be aware that Irish people are very conscious of that system and there is also great opposition to dump systems. I take the point that incineration is ideal and we must look at such a system for the long-term to deal with dead animals, as we cannot continue with the present system.
Does the Minister of State believe it is acceptable that we should bury animals in light of the fact that in the UK it is strongly recommended that human bodies with CJD should be incinerated? Yet we are allowing these animals to be buried and there is not any monitoring. Does the Minister of State believe this is acceptable and will he implement proper monitoring procedures?
Animals are only buried when we have suspects and approximately only half the suspects are found to be positively carrying BSE. Only one animal in each herd is buried at any time. The head is removed and the animal is buried – I have outlined the burial procedures. The other half are not infected; the exact figures are 449 were buried and there were 647 carcases in total, so roughly half of those showing up are being positively identified as having BSE.
There are too many animals being found positive.
It is only one animal in each case. When an animal in a herd is found to be positive, the whole herd is removed, taken away, manufactured into meat and bone which is taken out of the country for incineration abroad.
Does the Minister of State agree that according to an EU scientific steering committee study, little or no information is available on the behaviour – including potential accumulation – over the years of BSE-infected material in the soil? We have no information. Would that be a cause for concern?
Does the Minister of State believe farmers should be charged £60 per head for the collection of dead and worn out animals from Irish farms?
It is £30.
Deputy Connaughton should submit the issue he raised as a separate written or oral question. Regarding Deputy Penrose's question, a UK Environment Agency assessment of the Thruxted Mill rendering plant in January 1997 stated that nervous tissue which might con tain poisons has a poor affinity for water and will not be inclined to leach into subterranean water courses. I hope that deals with the Deputy's question and if we get further information we will supply it to him.
