Trevor Sargent
Ceist:105 Mr. Sargent asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry the acceptable level of aluminium in bovine tissue; and the aluminium levels found in subjects tested to date in the west County Limerick area. [8200/95]
Written Answers. - Bovine Tests.
Trevor Sargent
Ceist:106 Mr. Sargent asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry the reason cattle belonging to a person (details supplied) in County Limerick have not been tested in the last three months at Knocksheen Government Laboratories catering for counties Clare and Limerick. [8201/95]
Trevor Sargent
Ceist:107 Mr. Sargent asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry the views, if any, he has on the seriousness of the cattle deaths which show symptoms similar to the AIDS syndrome in some west Limerick farms; the reason for the delays in testing for aluminium, iodine, dioxins and other toxic elements; and when he expects the results to be available. [8202/95]
Trevor Sargent
Ceist:108 Mr. Sargent asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry if tests were carried out on samples from dead cattle taken from the farm of a person (details supplied) in County Limerick; if samples were sent to Dublin or overseas for testing; the results of those tests; and when the person in question will be informed. [8203/95]
Trevor Sargent
Ceist:109 Mr. Sargent asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry if the Minister of State at his Department has contacted persons (details supplied) in County Limerick as promised in a letter over two months ago. [8204/95]
Trevor Sargent
Ceist:110 Mr. Sargent asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry if he will elaborate on a statement made by the Minister of State at his Department on local radio to the effect that farmers affected by the mysterious deterioration of human and animal health in the farms downwind of several discharge stacks in west Limerick were not cooperating with agencies of his Department; and his views on claims that the package offered would have the effect of destroying the livelihoods of the farmers in question without solving the problem of others affected. [8205/95]
Eoin Ryan
Ceist:113 Mr. E. Ryan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry the date on which the veterinary section of his Department was first alerted to difficulties at farms in the Askeaton area of County Limerick; the steps, if any, his Department will take in dealing with this matter; the involvement, if any, of his Department in calling in the Environment Protection Agency and when this occured; if he will give an account of the issue of compensation for the farmers in question in relation to their surrendering stock for testing; if he will give an account of any other categories of claim that have been made to the Department in relation to this matter; the type and range of tests that are proposed; the estimated time to complete these tests; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8298/95]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 105, 106, 107, 108, 109, 110 and 113 together.
I am very concerned at the fact that animals on a number of farms in the Askeaton area of County Limerick have been dying in large numbers since about 1989. My Department's Regional Laboratory first became involved in investigating this problem in April 1993 following receipt of a number of carcases from a farmer in the area. Since then my Department, together with other State agencies, other bodies and experts, has been seeking to identify the primary causes of the deaths. This work was undertaken by the different bodies and individuals in an unco-ordinated manner and various hypotheses have been advanced as to the factors contributing to the problem. While there was evidence to support some of the conclusions being drawn, there was also conflicting evidence, information gaps, misunderstanding of some findings and insufficient basis for the claims in some reports.
Because of this and concerns at continuing deaths and the failure to establish the reason so many cattle were dying, the Environmental Protection Agency — which had already decided to undertake its investigation — agreed, at my request, in early February 1995 to undertake responsibility for managing and co-ordinating the further necessary investigations.
At a meeting held in Bunratty on 23 February 1995, which was attended by all interested parties, it was agreed to set up four working groups as follows: (a) veterinary-animal health; (b) industrial emissions; (c) soil and plants and (d) human health.
My Department was assigned responsibility for the study on veterinary-animal health and has drawn up a protocol of work aimed at monitoring the biochemical-haematological-pathological-immunological-epidemiological status of animals on or from selected farms. Detailed arrangements for carrying out this work have not yet been finalised with the two selected farmers. The arrangements envisaged involve the removal of part of the herds from the farms and their replacement with other animals and continuous monitoring and testing of fluids and tissues from the animals in various environments. The tests would be carried our at both national and international laboratories. The arrangements also envisage the full or partial depopulation of the herds at current market values and the making of research payments to the farmers. A number of alternative arrangements have been proposed to the farmers but these have not yet been accepted. Efforts are continuing to reach agreement with the farmers so as to enable the full study to get under way as soon as possible. I do not accept that any of the arrangements proposed, which are based on the need to undertake a scientific approach to the investigation, would have the effect of destroying the livelihoods of the farmers in question. The main outstanding unresolved issues include claims for compensation for past losses and assurances in relation to the future.
To date, samples from all the dead cattle received from farms in the Askeaton area have been subjected to postmortem examination in the Regional Veterinary Laboratory in Limerick to ascertain the causes of death and the results have been forwarded to the veterinary practitioners involved. In the case of recent mortalities, the results have also been sent to the owner. Some bone samples were also sent to a United Kingdom laboratory for assay of aluminium and fluorine, the results of which have also been sent to the owner. Further tests are to be arranged by my Department on the carcases received while other tests are being or are to be arranged by,inter alia, the Environmental Protection Agency. The significance of the results of aluminium levels found in some of the animals from this area is currently being assessed.
Contact has been made with the persons of whom details were supplied. It is intended that an equine specialist from the Department's Veterinary Laboratory will visit the farm involved.
Monitoring and investigations under (b), (c) and (d) above are being undertaken by the Environmental Protection Agency, Teagasc and the Mid-Western Health Board. These complement the work to be undertaken by my Department and involve extensive monitoring, sampling, testing, analysis, etc. and the use of a wide range of laboratories in and expertise from both Ireland and abroad.
The overall investigation is to be coordinated by the Environmental Protection Agency through co-operation between the various working groups and all interested parties are to be kept informed of developments. Given the nature of the investigations, it is not possible to give a timescale for their completion.