Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 23 September 2014
238. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the measures taken by his Department to ensure that veterinary physicians certifying test certificates for tuberculosis in cattle do not alter a certificate without due cause; the number of alterations of such certificates that were identified by the Department in the years 2011, 2012, 2013 and to date in 2014. [35467/14]
View answerVeterinary practitioners conducting testing under my Department’s TB and Brucellosis Eradication Programme are required to comply with relevant requirements set out in the protocol document (‘ERAD Document ER 4’) and to give a formal written undertaking in this regard each year. In this context, the ER 4 document sets out the following:
- The veterinary practitioner carrying out the Single Intradermal Comparative Tuberculin Test (SICTT) or blood sampling is solely responsible for the accuracy of technique and recording, and is the only person who may certify any aspect of the test/sampling;
- Meticulous recording must, at all times, be clearly demonstrable as the basis for secure Veterinary Certification so as to ensure continued approval to test/sample. The veterinary practitioner’s certifying signature must be clearly legible on all reports (where such are not submitted electronically) or other certifying documents;
- Requests for changes to original certification are only considered when made by the original certifier and where appropriate justification is provided. Form AHCS1 must be used to request a change where the test results are submitted electronically. My Department’s Regional District Veterinary Office (RDVO) requires an explanation and/or evidence of the reason for the original error and/or details for validation of the change in certification. Animals will not be added to, deleted from, or have readings changed on a certified test unless there is documentary evidence to verify that the change in certification is fully supported and this has been accepted by Department veterinary staff.
It will be clear from the foregoing that my Department has the requisite processes in place in regard to the matter at issue.
The number of AHCS1 forms submitted, affecting test certification, over the years 2011 to 2013 for both WTVI’s and PVPS is as follows:
|
YEAR |
AMOUNT |
|
2011 |
1,520 |
|
2012 |
1,393 |
|
2013 |
1,196 |
Figures for 2014 will not be available until year end.
