Senators will be aware that the profile of scrapie increased dramatically in recent years because of its possible association with BSE. While scrapie is a disease of sheep without any known human health dimension, it is also one of a family of diseases known as transmissible spongiform encephalopathies, TSEs, of which BSE is a member.
While there is no evidence that sheep can be infected with BSE under natural conditions, we do know that sheep injected with BSE material under experimental conditions exhibited clinical symptoms which were almost identical to scrapie. We also know that scientists in Europe are working on the development of differential tests which would distinguish between the scrapie and BSE agents and that such tests, although not yet finally approved by the EU scientific steering committee, are being used to test scrapie positive samples in the United Kingdom for BSE.
Against this background and in the absence of any horizontal measures for dealing with the disease at EU level, the priority accorded in Ireland to dealing with scrapie increased over the past two years. We have adopted a multi-strand policy involving depopulation of infected flocks, active surveillance and a scrapie genotyping experiment with a limited number of flocks.
In relation to genotyping, my Department has been aware for some time that the degree of susceptibility to scrapie appears to be linked to genotype and of the possibility that programmes for breeding for resistance might be used as a strategy against the disease. This issue has been the subject of considerable debate at the EU scientific steering committee, where there was some doubt as to whether genetic resistance simply meant that the resistant animals, though carrying the infective agent, did not exhibit clinical symptoms.
I am pleased to say that from a policy perspective the debate at EU level has now developed with the promulgation of regulations requiring member states to conduct a genetic survey of native pedigree breeds by 1 October 2003, to put voluntary breeding programmes in place for such breeds by 1 January 2004 and allowing, with effect from 1 October 2003, for strategies for dealing with infected flocks ranging from full depopulaton with a prohibition on using the land for sheep for a period of three years, to genotyping and partial depopulation of flocks.
My Department is making arrangements for the provision of a genotyping service for pedigree breeders, in particular. A gene sequencer has been purchased and staff have been engaged to assist with the commissioning of the machine and the verification of the techniques to be used. This process involved the testing of samples and liaison with the laboratory of the Government chemist in the United Kingdom and the Government laboratory in the Netherlands to ensure consistency of results. On the operational side, work is proceeding on the development of appropriate literature, certificates and a database to record applications and results and monitor the movements of animals with resistant genotypes. In this regard also, I am aware that a commercial operator is involved in developing arrangements for the provision of a genotyping service. This is something I welcome and which would be of great assistance to the Department.
We have written to pedigree breed societies to obtain information for a database of pedigree flocks in the country and will shortly be in a position to commence the survey of each pedigree native breed required under the new EU regulations. As well as fulfilling the requirements of the new regulations, this survey will provide a valuable mechanism for validating the operational systems in place and ironing out any logistical problems.
Substantial progress has been made, therefore, in the preparations for a genotyping programme. I will consult the farming community, as I do on a regular basis, and keep farmers and other interested parties, including this House, informed of further progress in the coming weeks. I hope I will soon have progress to report. Although I come from an agricultural background, this is a matter of which I was not keenly aware and which is new to most in the Department. We hear of new diseases on a daily basis. We must undertake the necessary research before we can put in place the operations necessary to deal with them. What we have done heretofore has been successful. We have to protect the reputation of our food industry and, given that we export more than 90%, that is what is most important to all.
