Vol. 402 No. 6
15 Mr. Gilmore asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food the number of cases of BSE reported in this country so far in 1990; if he has satisfied himself that all possible measures are being taken to prevent the spread of the condition; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Ten cases of BSE have been confirmed this year, by comparison with 15 last year. The decline in that very isolated incidence in a cattle population of seven million is very welcome. There is no comparison between the situations in Ireland and the United Kingdom, where over 20,000 cases have been confirmed in a cattle population of 12 million. I am satisfied that we do not have an indigenous BSE problem and that we are dealing with a spillover from the UK.
A series of stringent precautionary measures have been put in place. Immediately the condition became known in the UK in July 1988 a ban was imposed on the importation of meat and bonemeal from that country. At the same time a prohibition was imposed on the importation of animals from those UK herds in which BSE had been diagnosed; a campaign to alert my Department's veterinary staff and private veterinary practitioners as to the symptoms of the disease was initiated. This included the use of relevant video material obtained from the UK authorities; the veterinary research laboratories of my Department undertook minute examinations of the brains of all cattle referred to them; following confirmation of our first BSE case the disease was made compulsorily notifiable in April 1989. Affected or suspected animals are slaughtered and destroyed. Compensation at market value is paid; the progeny of affected dams have been purchased and are held at the veterinary research laboratory farm at Abbotstown; routine monitoring is carried out at meat plants and suspicious cases are referred for diagnosis; the export of cattle born before July 1988 from the UK to other member states was banned by the EC in July 1989. This was later extended to a total ban on all cattle exports — except for veal calves — from the UK to other member states with effect from March 1990; the use of ruminant material — e.g. meat and bonemeal — in ruminant feedingstuffs has been banned; and restrictions have been placed on the herds in which BSE has occurred.
I am, of course, aware that the restrictions which have been placed on the herds are causing problems. I have devised arrangements whereby my Department will assist the herdowners affected in the voluntary depopulation of their herds and this process is now under way.
Finally, I must emphasise that there is no evidence whatever that BSE is transmissible from animal to animal or that it poses any threat to public health. At the same time, I am conscious that consumers demand, and are entitled to receive, the necessary assurances as to the safety and quality of Irish beef. The measures I have taken are the most stringent possible. I am satisfied that they provide these assurances.
I welcome the information the Minister has given on the reduction in the incidence of BSE. Despite the precautionary measures which have been taken, is the Minister concerned that some cases of BSE are still being reported? Can he offer some explanation why this should continue to be the case? Secondly, in relation to the final part of his reply dealing with the transmission of the disease from animal and animal or from animal to humans, would he inform the House if the Food Safety Advisory Committee, to whom the question of the transmission of the disease from animal to humans was referred, have yet reported and what is the nature of that report?
From the highest level of veterinary and scientific research which has been conducted into this condition, be it in Europe, the United Kingdom, here or anywhere else, the conclusion which has been reached by those scientific experts is that it is not transmissible from animal to animal or from animal to humans. That is their conclusion, not mine. In relation to the declining incidence of the disease here, which was only a mere trickle in any event, the Deputy will be aware that each of the 15 cases reported last year and each of the ten cases reported so far this year, has either been traced to animals directly imported in pedigree herds from Britain, which have been banned long since, or to imported feed which has also been banned. In case there is even a remote risk that it came from a domestic source of ruminant feeding namely meat and bone meal, I have also banned the use of it. Irish consumers, and the people who buy our product, have the best possible guarantees and I hope that very shortly — at least as far as Ireland is concerned — there will be no question about our status.
I concur with the Minister, and everybody concerned is to be congratulated that the incidence of this disease is falling. That is extremely important for Ireland. There is a problem concerning herdowners who have been waiting for compensation under the voluntary buy-out which the Minister referred to. Will the Minister inform the House if those who have been involved with herds that had BSE have been paid or has agreement been reached with his Department? Great financial hardship has been caused to those herdowners. Not only could they not trade but I understand the factories would not deal with them and buy their animals.
I understand arrangements for the voluntary depopulation is proceeding very satisfactorily. My information is that while a number of them have been depopulated, with full co-operation, shortly it will extend to all infected herds. It is because of the importance the Government attach to this issue that they gave me authority to pay considerable grants of money to those herds that have been affected. It has been a considerable success.
Will the Minister give the House an assurance, having regard to the unusually long BSE incubation period, that all possible sources of infection, contamination or transmission have been identified? For example, have feed supplies been investigated by the Department to identify all possible sources of infection?
I am glad to tell the Deputy that as in any matter of veterinary medicine and because of the importance of this to our farmers and the economy generally, we are the most vigilant of all member states. At every possible level we monitor, control and restrict importation.
It is not possible to import any animals since we introduced the ban. It is not possible to import meat and bone meal since we banned it. They are the changed circumstances associated with the disease. Neither is there any possibility of our exporting meat or bone meal though I have to say there was never any evidence that our meat and bone meal was in any way a source of the problem. However, I banned their exportation so it should be clear to all concerned that we have taken the most stringent precautions.
Is the Minister satisfied that of the ten cases this year he has evidence that the source of infection can be traced to sources outside the country? Will he agree that the policy of slaughtering herds where an incidence occurs, is more desirable than the policy presently being pursued? Will he take the opportunity, arising from this question, to clear up the matter concerning statements made in the House by a Government backbencher that head staggers and mad cow disease are the same? That matter needs to be clarified.
I never heard that statement being made.
It is on the record of the House.
The Deputy can take it that the official position of the Government is as I expressed it. I am glad we are not using that term the Deputy referred to.
I was quoting a Government backbencher.
I am aware of that. The Deputy will recall the appeal I made to him some time ago and I am glad he has acceded to that. There is no risk whatsoever of BSE in view of the monitoring and controls we have in place both by my own veterinary officers and by private veterinary surgeons. If there was even a remote trace of something that could look like BSE it would be immediately taken out. We have slaughtered many more animals in the course of the BSE scare than were found to have the disease following laboratory examination. That is an indication of our vigilance in the matter.
Deputies Stagg and Gilmore rose.
Deputy Gilmore for a final brief supplementary.
The Minister did not answer the first part of my question.
The Deputy will have to obey the Chair.
The Minister wanted to answer.
I am calling Deputy Gilmore.
Did the Minister identify the actual source of infection?
Absolutely.
Concerning the question of transmission, about which there is still some public concern as cases of BSE were confirmed in cats it is my understanding that the Food Safety Advisory Council have been asked to re-examine the transmission of the disease between animals and between animals and humans. The committee were to report in the summer and I should like to know have the committee examined that matter and reported and, if so, what is the nature of the report?
I have no evidence from that committee, or from the highest level of veterinary or university research in the matter, that there is any evidence of transmissibility. I am aware that a concentrated programme of huge dosage of the virus was conducted deliberately in the United Kingdom, over a protracted period, into pigs and that after months the pigs showed some traces of BSE. Subject to that I am not aware of any transmissibility.
