asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries if any difficulties have arisen in regard to the brucellosis eradication programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
11.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Brucellosis Eradication.
10.
asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries if his attention has been drawn to reports concerning the breakdown of brucellosis vaccine Strain 19; and, if so, if he will make a statement on the implications of this for efforts to eradicate the disease from this country.
I propose, with your permission, a Cheann Comhairle, to take Questions Nos. 10 and 11 together. No major difficulty has arisen in the brucellosis eradication programme. I have seen the reports in question. It is not true that the Brucellosis Eradication Scheme has been jeopardised by doubts about the efficacy of British-made Strain 19 vaccine. In any event during the past year, the contracts for all supplies of this vaccine for use in connection with the Calfhood Vaccination Scheme have been secured by a Swiss Institute.
Strain 19 vaccine has never been regarded as giving full protection to animals against brucellosis and it is not an integral part of the Brucellosis Eradication Scheme proper, which is based on the identification and removal of reactors from herds.
Because of possible interference with diagnostic tests the use of Strain 19 is not permitted in the five counties already in the scheme, and in the rest of the country its use is limited to the vaccination of calves aged three to six months.
Could the Minister say whether it is the Swiss vaccine or the Weighbridge vaccine that has broken down?
I am not aware of a breakdown. As I have already said, the eradication scheme is not jeopardised by the doubts about the British-made Strain 19, which I take it is the other one to which the Deputy refers.
Surely the Minister is aware that an experiment was carried out on this at Abbotstown and that the entire number of cows involved broke down and aborted? I should like to know how long it is since this happened and why it was not reported to the people when it did happen?
That is not exactly what the question is about?
Of course it is.
I have given the answers to the two questions fairly fully and I feel that the Deputy and the House will be satisfied from the information I have given that the whole matter of this vaccine and the brucellosis eradication scheme is all right as it is at the moment.
Is it not a fact that a cloak is being wrapped around something which is extremely important to the country and it is being cloaked because of some Fianna Fáil vested interests?
I am not aware of any such cloak or any such situation, and if the Deputy has some information which apparently I have not got, whether it involves Fianna Fáil or Fine Gael people, I should be very glad if he would let me have it and I will investigate it for him and the people concerned.
Am I right in saying that an experiment was carried out at Abbotstown, that there was a complete breakdown and every cow aborted?
The situation, as I have indicated, is that the vaccine now being supplied under contract is all Swiss Institute vaccine and we have no reason to doubt the usefulness of this vaccine for the counties where the eradication scheme has not yet commenced.
Then the vaccine has not broken down?
No, as far as I am aware.
(Cavan): Deputy Clinton asked if an experiment had been carried out at Abbotstown and the Minister did not answer yes or no.
Question No. 12.
Further arising——
I have called Question No. 12.