Vol. 518 No. 6
210 Mr. Hogan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development the reason a sample in respect of an animal reactor under the bovine tuberculosis scheme was not dispatched to his Department's laboratory on schedule; if his attention has been drawn to the inconvenience this action has caused to a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny; if he will rectify this situation for this person; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12567/00]
A cow which was disclosed as a singleton reactor following a tuberculosis test on 14 January 2000 was subsequently removed for slaughter to Ashbourne Meats, Roscrea. Unfortunately, the glands from this animal were not received at my Department's veterinary research laboratory and consequently the analysis normally carried out on singleton reactors could not be undertaken. As a gesture of goodwill, my Department has undertaken to bear the cost of the clearance reactor retest and the herdowner in question has already been advised of this in writing.
