asked the Minister for Land and Agriculture whether he is aware that hay from Canada or another foreign country has recently been offered for scale in Dublin; and, if so, whether he will state what precautions were taken to ensure that it was not a source of infection by foot and mouth disease.
CEISTEANNA—QUESTIONS. ORAL ANSWERS. - CANADIAN HAY AS A SOURCE OF INFECTION.
Two consignments, amounting to 178 tons, of hay were recently landed at Dublin from Canada, one of the few countries from which the importation of hay and straw is permitted. The reason why these countries are exempted from the general embargo on hay and straw is that the Department are satisfied that they are entirely free from foot and mouth disease and maintain adequate safeguards against the introduction of the disease for other countries.
Is the Minister in a position to answer whether hay could have been bought from certain districts in Ireland for the Dublin market without going to Canada?
I cannot answer that.