Vol. 165 No. 13
I move:
That pursuant to subsection 2º of section 2 of Article 25 of the Constitution, Seanad Éireann concurs with the Government in a request to the President to sign the Diseases of Animals (Amendment) Bill, 2001, on a date which is earlier than the fifth day after the date on which the Bill shall have been presented to her.
I thank Senators for the expeditious way in which this very tough emergency legislation was put through the House yesterday. Many of the sections have very wide-ranging powers. In one of their amendments, Senators quite sensibly proposed a time limit of 12 months for a review of the legislation. I accepted that provision for a review in 12 months. Senators also tabled several other amendments which we were very pleased to accept in the spirit of consensus.
We are going through an extraordinarily difficult time with foot and mouth disease. The scale and the geographical spread of the disease in Great Britain is frightening. We were very disappointed that a week ago there was a confirmed outbreak just two miles north of the Border. The incubation period in cattle and pigs is maybe two to four days, but in sheep it is 30 days. It will be at least 30 days after the last outbreak in the UK before we can, in any way, reduce our vigilance.
I am pleased to say that in all the inspections of restricted herds – there are approximately 600 but it is purely precautionary – done by veterinary officers, accompanied by a virologist, there have been no symptoms or clinical signs of the disease whatsoever. In all cases where sheep were slaughtered, samples of tissue were taken. Those tissue samples were sent to the international reference laboratory in Surrey. There is a very quick response to those tests – a matter of a number of hours – and, thankfully, they have all been clear. This morning we got the happy news that all the blood samples taken have also been negative. They take much longer to process – about 96 hours. We are keeping our fingers crossed that a virulent virus, such as foot and mouth disease, will be kept out of Ireland.
I had a meeting yesterday with Bríd Rodgers, a former Member of the Seanad, who is Minister for Agriculture in Northern Ireland, and her officials. The Northern Ireland Office and ourselves are working in concert. Ms Rodgers was very pleased to take a copy of this legislation to use as a model for similar legislation which they are bringing in in the North.
I emphasise again that this is emergency legislation. The powers contained in it are far-reaching and in a normal democratic system, one would not rush through legislation such as this in a couple of days. It is not in any way satisfactory. I hope the amendments will be helpful, but particularly the one providing for a review in 12 months. The legislation will be fully reviewed and we will ensure it is a short-term measure.
The Seanad adjourned at 5.50 p.m. until 2.30 p.m. on Wednesday, 21 March 2001.
