asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries the functions to be programmed and expenses to be entered into by his Department in respect of the warble fly eradication scheme in the coming year.
Ceisteanna — Questions. Oral Answers. - Warble Fly Eradication.
27.
Discussions between my Department and the farming and other interests concerned about the organisation of a national dressing campaign for warbles this autumn have not yet concluded. I am not in a position, therefore, to supply the Deputy with the detailed information he seeks, but I may add that a national dressing campaign will be feasible only on the same basis as previous national campaigns, with farmers agreeing to pay the cost of treatment and my Department giving all possible help in the organisation of the scheme.
Would the Minister not consider it more appropriate for the Department to take over ultimate responsibility for directing the scheme instead of merely rendering assistance, as the Minister says in his reply? If he does not do that the buck will be passed all over the place.
This is one of the many matters that have to be settled by discussion between my Department and the farmers' organisations. In general, however, I should like to say that this scheme is aimed particularly at the farmers' own benefit and it is up to the farmers primarily to make it work. Without the farmers' co-operation it cannot work.
Would the Minister not agree——
Question No. 28. Would the Deputy allow questions to continue? He has been allowed three supplementaries on this question.
I wish to put one more supplementary. Would the Minister not agree that unless this is totally eradicated it is not worth while, that the Government must take over ultimate responsibility if this is to be achieved; that it will not be achieved if it is merely left to the farmers?
This is tantamount to saying the farmers are not worthy of trust in carrying out this eradication scheme. I think they are worthy of such trust. They can rely on the absolute co-operation of the Department but primarily it is a matter for themselves. Primarily it is a matter that it would pay any sensible herd owner to pursue. I am sorry, a Cheann Comhairle.
Question No. 28.
(Interruptions.)
28.
asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries if he will state the target date for the eradication of all warble infestation in Irish cattle.
I would refer the Deputy to the replies given by me to questions by him on the subject on the 18th June.
Could the Minister say if it is proposed totally to eradicate warble fly or merely contain it?
The ultimate objective obviously is to eliminate warble fly but as I said to the Deputy on that occasion this will require a constant annual dressing I would think. As indicated in the eradication of bovine tuberculosis or any other epizootic disease you have to keep after it all the time. I do not think there will be any final eradication of warble fly without constant vigilance especially on the part of farmers themselves.
Is the Minister aware that the incidence of warble fly infestation is now as high as it ever was, despite the campaign to date and that it is generally felt among the farming community that compulsory eradication will be the only way to deal with it, that voluntary eradication by the farmers has failed?
I do not think that compulsory eradication at this stage is the way to handle it.
The farmers themselves want that.
The way that I have suggested, the securing of the co-operation of the farming organisations, the farmers themselves and the Department, together making an attack on this problem, is the best way to do it. Of course the Deputy is aware that it will be impossible to sell cattle without certification that the animal has been dressed.