Pat Rabbitte
Question:36 Mr. Rabbitte asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food the number of prosecutions arising from the foot and mouth disease outbreak in 2001; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8847/03]
Written Answers - Foot and Mouth Disease.
The Garda Síochána, in conjunction with the special investigation unit of my Department is currently involved in four ongoing investigations into FMD-related illegal activities, including a number of meat plants.
There have been six successful prosecutions to date. One individual was prosecuted for the illegal importation into the State of sheep from the UK and received a ten month prison sentence. Another was prosecuted for obstruction and received a fine of IR£250. Convictions were also obtained in the case of a third person in relation to attempting to obtain ewe premium by false pretences, who received a fine and was bound over to the peace for two years and in the case of a fourth person in relation to a range of offences, including dealing in an illegally imported animal, failure to keep a herd register, false animal passports and tagging offences a fine of €10,000 and four month prison sentence was imposed and is under appeal.
Two other persons were found guilty of assault and of collecting and keeping swill. A fine of €3,250 and three six months suspended jail sentences was imposed against one of the individuals and a fine of €1,500 and five six month suspended jail sentences was imposed against the other individual.
A further six cases have been referred to the DPP, who recommended that charges should be preferred in four of these cases. Two of these cases relate to the illegal importation of sheep from the United Kingdom into the State following the ban on movement after 21 February 2001, and one of these was struck out at Dundalk District Court recently. A number of other cases are still under investigation. In addition, resulting from our findings in the Cooley Peninsula during the FMD crisis, there are 24 ewe premium cases which have been referred to the Garda and subsequently sent to the DPP.
Question No. 37 answered with Question No. 16.