andMr. Enright asked the Minister for Agriculture if he will introduce legal controls in respect of the private letting of land to ensure that diseased cattle are not placed on rented land in proximity to land occupied by clear herds.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Cattle Disease Regulations.
28.
The disease regulations already provide for very stringent controls on the movement and disposal of identified diseased animals. In addition, the Bovine Diseases (Levies) Act, enables my Department to secure full information about the occupancy, temporary or otherwise, of any land on which animals are being held. I regard the existing legislative provisions as adequate for the purpose envisaged in the Deputies' questions. I am, however, always prepared to consider any additional controls which might be shown to be necessary and workable.
Have the Department made themselves aware of every auction of land in clear areas which would be liable to be availed of by people who might move infected cattle into such areas?
It would be almost impossible to enforce. Lettings of land are private, man-to-man arrangements which do not ever appear in the newspapers. How are we supposed to follow them up.
In the case of Land Commission lettings there are controls but there are no controls in regard to public lettings other than through the Land Commission. Would the Minister not arrange that the same standards would be applied to all lettings? Does he not agree that one of the major reasons for the spread of disease into clear herds is that people take land nearby and put dirty, infected cattle on it and the disease spreads across into the clear area? The Minister should take this matter up immediately with the Animal Health Council.
How are we supposed to get over the problem of private dealings?
The Minister could make much more effort than he is at the moment.
The Land Commission are doing a fair job.
Do the regulations to which the Minister referred cover commonage lands where cattle can inter-mix freely, that is, where one herd may be infected while another is clear? They are a grave problem in disease eradication.
I do not know how to answer that.
Are there any controls in that situation?
Yes, there are.
What are they?
Put down a separate question and I will give the information.
Have the Department received many complaints about this problem, because I received quite a number of complaints about it? Is the Minister aware that this is one of the reasons for the Department's failure in coming to grips with disease eradication? Farmers are bringing clear herds into fields and they are mixing with infected cattle. That is the kernel of the problem.
I want disease eradication to be effected as quickly as possible. I will refer the matter to the animal health section.
Questions Nos. 29, 30 and 31 for written reply.