I propose to take Questions Nos. 21 and 72 together.
I have seen the press report to which the Deputy refers. While it is my general policy — for reasons I am sure the Deputy can appreciate — not to comment on individual investigations involving my Department, I can state that no such investigation has been carried out; neither has my Department been provided with any information which would be the basis of such an investigation.
During the first ten months of 1997, 57 persons were convicted for offences relating to illegal growth promoters, including clenbuterol; the comparable figure for 1996 was 46. These offences were committed some considerable time ago.
Synthetic derivatives of the natural hormone oestradiol have been found to be used in combination with other substances, such as so-called "hormone cocktails", for illegal growth promotion. This is not a new development. The laboratory services available to the State routinely test for derivatives of oestradiol and a variety of anabolic agents in both tissues taken from animals and in medicinal products found during investigations. In addition, the Government laboratories are in contact with their counterparts in other member states with a view to ensuring the most sensitive testing methods are available. These contacts include the community reference laboratories which have overall responsibility for monitoring trends in the area of residue surveillance.
Based on evidence of the extensive residue testing carried out by my Department, there has been a consistent decline in the use of illegal growth promoters of all sorts. In 1993, slightly over 4 per cent of samples tested were positive; this has declined every year since and in 1996 0.29 per cent of samples tested were positive for illegal growth promoters. Preliminary results for the first nine months of 1997 indicate this trend is continuing — of 64,000 samples tested, 24, or 0.03 per cent, have been positive for the presence of illegal growth promoters. No animals or carcases have tested positive for clenbuterol so far in 1997.
I take this opportunity to reiterate my policy in this area that any person involved in abuses in the area of veterinary medicine will be pursued with the full rigours of the law.