Ned O'Keeffe
Question:161 Mr. N. O'Keeffe asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development if he will permit a person (details supplied) in County Cork to restock his farm. [9502/01]
Written Answers. - Foot and Mouth Disease.
I am acutely aware of the difficulties being experienced by farmers and others as a result of the foot and mouth disease crisis, including those farmers whose herds have been depopulated for various reasons and who, for the present, cannot re-stock as a result of the foot and mouth disease restrictions.
Unfortunately, inter-farm movement of animals is still considered to be an extremely high risk activity from the point of view of foot and mouth disease and for the immediate future, at least, it will not be possible to allow farmers to re-stock. This issue will continue to be reviewed and I will make adjustments to the existing policy on the basis of the best veterinary advice available and in particular, on the basis of advice from the expert group which I have appointed to review the control measures in place.
While the current foot an mouth disease controls involve considerable sacrifices for many sectors of society, they are intended to prevent the spread of the disease and the very serious consequences further outbreaks would have for the agricultural sector and for the economy in general.