Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 6 April 2004
199 Mr. Hogan asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food when he will finalise a scheme to tackle the problem of sheep scrapie disease; when he will be introducing a compensation programme to remove the infected animals; and the number of animals and flocks notified with the disease. [10677/04]
View answerMy Department has introduced a multidimensional policy, for the control and eradication of scrapie, based in large measure on EU law. This includes: active surveillance for the disease involving 10,000 rapid tests each at slaughterhouses and knackeries in 2004; a survey of genotypes among the main native breeds which was completed last year; measures for dealing with scrapie positive flocks which are in place since 2001 and which, since 1 October 2004, involve genotyping and partial depopulation of infected flocks. In addition, a national genotyping programme designed to increase levels of scrapie resistance in the national flock by facilitating the genotyping of individual animals and promoting a genetic re-configuration of the national flock will be launched in the next few weeks and in parallel with this, a framework for the recognition of scrapie resistance in flocks, in the form of a flock status scheme, is being finalised.
A framework for dealing with scrapie positive flocks has recently been finalised. This framework provides, inter alia, for free genotyping of the flock, retention of suitable genotypes for breeding, a measure of free genotyping for replacement rams, the payment of market value for breeding animals which have to be disposed of following genotyping — net of salvage value where these animals can be sent for human consumption — an additional payment for breeding ewes and the payment of factory value for factory lambs and hoggets. These arrangements are now being applied and all concerned are being notified accordingly. A total of 12 new positive flocks were confirmed with the disease in the first three months of 2004, while in 2003 there were 37 such flocks.
