Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 8 Apr 2003

Vol. 564 No. 5

Written Answers - Bovine Diseases.

Martin Ferris

Question:

117 Mr. Ferris asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food his views on whether the recent dramatic increase in bovine TB in the Six Counties, and the discrepancies between the disease prevention measures in operation in the two jurisdictions, make it a matter of urgency that disease eradication and prevention is carried out on an all-Ireland basis. [9881/03]

Martin Ferris

Question:

118 Mr. Ferris asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food if he will make a statement on the situation regarding the cross border working group on animal health and the status of the report being drawn up by the group regarding animal disease prevention. [9882/03]

Minister for Agriculture and Food (Mr. Walsh)

I propose to take Question Nos. 117 and 118 together.

There are nine policy working groups and a steering group on animal health established under North-South arrangements. The remit of the groups includes TB and brucellosis, TSEs, other animal diseases, veterinary medicines, disease surveillance, animal welfare, import and export of live animals and animal products, animal identification, traceability and cross-Border aspects of fraud.

Since the September 2002 meeting of the North South Ministerial Council, the policy working groups have progressed a number of initiatives towards the development of common animal health policies for the island of Ireland as a whole. This has involved the identification of areas meriting convergence of policies and establishing a timetable for implementation of convergence measures.

Specifically in regard to disease prevention, the disease surveillance group has been tasked with developing and agreeing by the end of this year the priorities within an animal disease surveillance strategy for the island as a whole, linking, where possible, with the disease surveillance strategy in Great Britain. This work is ongoing and takes into account the proposed strategy for enhancing veterinary surveillance in the UK.

The policies on bovine TB in the North and South comply with the requirements of relevant EU directives. However, there are a number of policy differences with regard to testing of inconclusives, wildlife as a reservoir of infection, and valuation and compensation arrangements. The objective is to align the policies in both jurisdictions with a view to developing a common all-island framework for TB and brucellosis control.