Once a suspect animal is confirmed as being BSE positive various checks are undertaken to seek to establish the cause of the disease. As a matter of routine, the ear tags of the animals concerned are sent to the forensic laboratory of the Garda Síochána for examination, to establish whether there is any evidence that the tag has been interfered with after insertion into the animal's ear. This is an essential part of the Department's BSE controls system and in the vast majority of cases gives no cause for concern in relation to the origin of the animal concerned.
In exceptional cases, however, the forensic report provides evidence that the tag of the infected animal has been or may have been interfered with after insertion into the animal's ear. Where such evidence is judged by the scientists in the Garda forensic laboratory to be particularly strong, my Department investigates the matter further in an effort to clear up any doubts as to the origins of the animal.
It is evident that consumer concerns in relation to BSE had led to a crisis in the beef industry in Ireland and across Europe prior to the foot and mouth disease crisis and, more importantly, that BSE has been linked to the invariably fatal degenerative human disease, nv CJD.
In these circumstances my Department cannot ignore evidence that an ear tag identifying a BSE infected animal has been or may have been interfered with in an illegal manner. Indeed I would regard it as an abrogation of the State's duty to fail to conduct a further investigation where such evidence is available.
The particular case referred to by the Deputy is being investigated for the usual reasons. The procedures to date have been in accordance with due process. There is no provision in the BSE legislation for the payment of additional compensation for the time taken to carry out a legitimate and necessary investigation.
It is not appropriate to provide any further detail in relation to this case at this stage. However, I can assure the Deputy that every effort is being made to expedite the matter and I expect that the matter will be drawn to a conclusion in the very near future.
