Vol. 533 No. 5
18 Mr. Callely asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development if further to Parliamentary Question No. 151 of 5 December 2000 he is satisfied with the procedures in place as outlined in his response; the additional measures and safety precautions which are put in place when an animal is diagnosed with a disease; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7863/01]
I am satisfied with the procedures in relation to the diagnosis in bovine animals of TB, brucellosis and BSE, as outlined in my reply to Parliamentary Question No. 151 on 5 December 2000.
Such procedures in the case of TB and brucellosis involve slaughter at an approved export plant and detailed veterinary investigation. Entry of each and every reactor into the human food chain is determined by the results of full ante and post-mortem inspections.
The procedure in the case of BSE involves the visit to a suspect case of both a veterinary inspector and a veterinary research officer from my Department and the euthanising of the suspect animal. This is followed by laboratory analysis of a sample of the brain tissue taken from the animal in question, freezing and retention for disposal of the remainder of the carcass and restriction of the remainder of the herd. If BSE is confirmed the entire herd is then valued and slaughtered in a designated plant with compensation being paid to the herdowner. The carcasses are then rendered at a specified rendering plant. In all cases the progeny and the birth cohorts of the affected animal are traced, purchased at market value, slaughtered, destroyed and rendered in the same manner as depopulated herds.
