Vol. 539 No. 1
16 Mr. Dukes asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development when the outstanding refurbishment works required at the Athlone veterinary laboratory will be carried out; when the staffing deficiencies at the laboratory will be addressed; when the laboratory will be in a position to provide a full range of services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18005/01]
Arrangements are in hand for the filling of the two vacancies that have arisen in the Athlone laboratory. My Department is working closely with the Office of Public Works to ensure outstanding works are dealt with so that the laboratory can again provide a full range of services in the shortest possible time. Athlone is one of a number of regional veterinary laboratories; the others are in Sligo, Kilkenny, Limerick, Cork and in the Central Veterinary Research Laboratory at Abbotstown – Fingal County Council – and provide a service to farmers throughout the country.
The services provided by the laboratories include examination of specimens, for example, blood samples, milk samples, faeces, etc., received by post using the appropriate discipline of biochemistry, microbiology, etc., and postmortem examination of carcasses of farm animals for cause of death, and badgers for evidence of TB. The laboratory at Athlone continues to provide all services except the post-mortem services.
The Athlone laboratory was completely rebuilt in the past few years at a cost of £1.3 million and opened for operation last year. However, on opening a number of difficulties became apparent and the efforts of my Department and the Office of Public Works have since been directed towards overcoming these difficulties and having a detailed snag-list dealt with so that the laboratory can be again made fully functional. As regards staffing levels, two vacancies exist in the regional laboratory in Athlone, for a serological assistant and a laboratory attendant. It is proposed that the serological assistant vacancy will shortly be filled by way of voluntary transfer of a member of staff currently located at another of the Department's laboratories.
The vacancy for laboratory attendant has arisen due to the continued absence of a laboratory attendant on sick leave since last August. As it may be some time before this officer can return to work, it is proposed to recruit a laboratory attendant as quickly as possible and accordingly arrangements have been made to advertise this vacancy.
Will the Minister indicate the date this laboratory will become fully operational? I know there are two elements to this – the building work and the staffing to which the Minister has just referred. Will the Minister indicate why it is only now that action is being taken to recruit a laboratory assistant when the need for this post has been clear to everybody concerned for some time? Will the filling of the serological post by voluntary transfer from another laboratory not simply move the problem to that other laboratory?
I expect the vacancies to be filled in the next couple of weeks. I am not sure of the background to the problem. It was raised by Deputy Penrose last week and has been brought to my attention. It is being sorted out as a matter of urgency. I have a list containing 77 snags. They are all small and detailed snags relating to the building. I have asked the Office of Public Works to sort out the repairs as a matter of urgency. There was £1.3 million spent on this laboratory in the past two years and it is not good enough to have difficulties such as blocked gullies and overflowing sinks. There are some technical problems despite it being a new building, but these will be rectified in the next two weeks, as will the staffing issue.
I am taken aback at the Minister's laid-back attitude. Does he agree it is scandalous that after a major refurbishment programme there is a list of 77 snags, some 1.5 years after the laboratory was due to reopen? Is the Minister taking action with the Office of Public Works to find out who is responsible for these 77 snags and to see if remedial action can be taken?
Seventy seven is a large number.
It is diabolical. Will the Minister indicate if any of the problems with other units of his Department, dependent on a resolution of the problems in Athlone, will be resolved? Will he indicate whether those issues are being resolved or whether the famous 77 snags are being dealt with?
I have a list of the 77 snags if the Deputy wishes to see it.
I do not want to see it; I want the snags dealt with.
Time is running out. We cannot deal with them now.
The Deputy can take it that they will be dealt with. I consider it unsatisfactory—
It is about time the Minister woke up to what is happening.
I did not know about this matter until it was brought to my attention by Deputies Penrose and Dukes.
Will the Minister give way?
Yes.
The time is almost exhausted.
Is the Minister stating, with a smile on his face, that 18 months after the laboratory was to be reopened he has only just discovered the 77 snags?
We must proceed to Question No. 17.
What does he do all week? Does he pay any attention to what is happening?
Order, please. We must proceed to the next question.
This is the value of a parliamentary democracy.
It is sad that the Minister had to wait for Members of Parliament to inform him that there are 77 snags.
The Minister should address Question No. 17.
Deputy Penrose stumbled across the problem before Deputy Dukes.
Will the Minister speed up the system of replying to letters in his Department? Perhaps that question will wipe the smile off his face.
