Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 9 Nov 1999

Vol. 510 No. 3

Written Answers. - E.Coli Incidence.

Deirdre Clune

Ceist:

279 Ms Clune asked the Minister for Health and Children the reason Ireland does not have a laboratory for testing the presence of e.coli the plans, if any, he has to provide this; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22588/99]

Minister for Health and Children (Mr. Cowen)

Laboratory testing for the presence of e.coli is carried out in the public health laboratories of the health boards. If verocytotoxin producing e.coli, VTEC, is isolated, confirmatory identification of VTEC is unavailable in Ireland and suspect isolates of VTEC must be sent to the United Kingdom.

In early 1999 the Food Safety Authority of Ireland published its report "The Prevention of e.coli 0157 Infection – A Shared Responsibility". The report provides a framework for the prevention and control of e.coli infection in Ireland. It noted that there is no simple solution to the prevention of VTEC, including e.coli 0157, and highlighted the need to establish a laboratory facility in Ireland to definitively identify strains of VTEC.

The Good Friday Agreement between the Governments of Ireland and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland provides for the establishment of six North-South implementation bodies, including a Food Safety Pro motion Board, FSPB. Among the proposed functions of the FSPB are the surveillance of food-borne diseases, the promotion of scientific co-operation and linkages between laboratories and the development of cost effective facilities for specialised laboratory testing. The FSPB is to have a general remit to develop and sustain a strategy for the island of Ireland for the delivery of specialised laboratory services. This includes conducting an early study of the relative cost effectiveness of available options, preparing cost effective proposals for submission to the North-South Ministerial Council and overseeing the implementation of the strategy once approved.

Following the establishment of the FSPB, I will press for it to address the issue of reference testing for VTEC as a priority.