My Department was involved with other public sector bodies in an investigation of animal health and environmental concerns on the farm of the person for whom the Deputy has provided details.
This inter-agency group (IAG) was convened in June 2004 and comprised my Department’s Laboratories, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Teagasc, the Health Services Executive (HSE) and Kilkenny County Council.
Two separate investigations and a review were undertaken.
The first of the investigations was led by my Department’s Veterinary Laboratory Service (VLS). Extensive field and laboratory investigations were undertaken on the farm. Laboratory results were provided to the herdowner on an ongoing basis and supports for a comprehensive herd health programme were also provided. On the conclusion of the VLS investigations and as part of the IAG, the VLS reported its findings in June 2006. This report was provided to the herdowner and his advisors at that time.
Subsequently and on foot of a request by the herdowner and his advisors, University College Dublin’s Centre for Veterinary Epidemiology and Risk Analysis (CVERA) was commissioned to conduct further epidemiological studies of problems on the farm. The CVERA report was completed in August 2009. This was provided to the herdowner and his advisors.
The IAG reviewed the findings of both investigations and published its final report in August 2010. This was also provided to the herdowner and his advisors.
Both investigation reports and the report of the IAG review referred to above, detail all of the comprehensive studies of animal health and environmental health parameters undertaken on this farm and the interpretation of those findings by experts from the agencies involved.
These reports have been in public domain since the conclusion of the investigative process over twelve years ago and remain available for review by anyone who wishes to access them.
