asked the Minister for Lands and Agriculture if he is aware that a cow, the property of Richard Tuithe, of Edgeworthstown, was prevented on the 7th November, 1927, from being shipped to England under the suspicion of tubercular udder; that this cow was subsequently subjected to the tuberculin test, and her milk also tested by a veterinary surgeon and a certificate of freedom from tuberculosis given; that this cow was again sent to the ship and again returned as "suspected"; and whether he will state what the position of his Department is in this matter.
CEISTEANNA—QUESTIONS. ORAL ANSWERS. - SUSPECTED TUBERCULAR UDDER CASE.
Mr. HOGAN
Owing to the present extreme pressure upon the Veterinary Section of the Department, it has not been possible in the time available to trace the details of the particular case referred to in the question, but I have no reason to doubt that the facts in this case are as stated. The general position is that, as cows suffering from indurated udder are prohibited from landing in Great Britain, the shipment of such cows from this country is not permissible. At present the fact of the induration being non-tubercular does not permit of an exemption being made, but the Department have for some time been making representations in favour of a change in the British regulations in that respect, and I have some hope that fat dry cows suffering from an indurated udder may shortly be allowed to land in Great Britain for slaughter in the landing-places, provided that the induration is certified to be non-tubercular. There is no prospect, however, of a modification of the procedure in regard to store cows.