There has been one case of variant CJD confirmed in Ireland. This occurred in 1999.
To establish the true incidence of CJD and to determine any changes in the pattern and-or nature of its occurrence, a national surveillance system has been established and is based at Beaumont Hospital, Dublin. The objectives of this project are to build a database of information on CJD cases in Ireland, including variant CJD, and to provide a facility to medical practitioners for the verification of suspected cases of the disease. My Department has provided capital funding in the sum of £160,000 for this project. It is funding the ongoing revenue costs and has just recently provided an additional £100,000 for the project.
In terms of other research into CJD-BSE, Ireland participates in a number of projects at European level such as the European and Allied collaborative study group on CJD. These research projects deal with diagnosis, epidemiological surveillance, prevention and control of CJD-BSE. Ireland also participants in the European surveillance programme on CJD.
In 1996, the CJD advisory group was established to advise the Minister for Health and Children on CJD-related matters including surveillance, research strategies and international developments generally in relation to this disease and to provide advice on particular issues referred to the group from time to time by the Minister. The advisory group is comprised of experts inter alia in neurology, virology, neuropathology, food safety, haematology, public health, veterinary medicine and microbiology. The group is chaired by Professor William Hall, head of the virus reference laboratory in UCD.
My Department has no plans to introduce a trust fund for any future victims of CJD.
