Vol. 537 No. 1
97 Mr. J. Bruton asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development if he will reconsider his authorisation of availamycin as a permitted growth promoter for use in animal and poultry production in view of the its similarity to ziracin which has been developed as an antibiotic to treat human ailments such as MRSA, VRE, some strains of meningitis and pneumonia; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15465/01]
Authorisation of growth promoters is decided at EU level and it is in this forum that availamycin is authorised. Member states may, under Directive 70/524, temporarily suspend the authorisation to use an additive where there is scientific evidence that it constitutes a danger to animal or human health. No substance belonging to the availamycin group is to date used in human medicine. Clinical trials of ziracin were undertaken by Schering-Plough Corporation but these were discontinued in May 2000 as the company felt that the balance between efficacy and safety did not justify further development of the product.
98 Mr. J. Bruton asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development if he will give figures for the volume of antibiotics used for growth promotion purposes and for therapeutic purposes in each of the past 20 years in respect of animals and poultry; and if he is unable to give such figures, if he has satisfied himself with data collection and analysis capacity in this area of importance to human and animal health. [15466/01]
My Department currently does not have available the data requested by the Deputy. My Department is committed to a process, which is already in train, of gathering all available data. Such process necessarily involves the industry and contacts in this regard have already taken place.
