On the same topic, I ask the Tánaiste, in her capacity as Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, to state the possible effects on employment in the wider food industry where I understand in excess of 100,000 people are employed, if an outbreak occurs here which leads to the cancellation of movement of farm animals and the cancellation of food exports. Wearing her hat as Minister in charge of the consumer interests, if all movement of animals is cancelled what provisions are being made in the interests of the consumer to ensure an adequate supply of meat is available for purchase in the coming weeks? I put it to her there is widespread public concern that the regulations and the announcements being made by the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development and his Minister of State are not being implemented in practice.
May I specifically state that a farm in the exclusion zone south of the Border has not yet been visited by officials of the Department of Agriculture, Food and Rural Development or any veterinary personnel to explain the obligations of the restriction to that particular farmer? I put it to the Tánaiste that the major radio programmes this morning have been inundated with 'phone calls from persons who have stated they have come through the ports and Dublin Airport where there is no visible evidence of any restriction and many of them are travelling to farms in rural Ireland. When we take into account that there is now a possible outbreak in Armagh and that there are 299 Border crossings, only 29 of which are manned by the Garda, Army or Department personnel, this would suggest that instead of having a ring of steel on the Border we have a sieve or a strainer which has no possibility of inhibiting the spread of the disease.