Adjournment Debate. - Sale of Livestock Regulations. – Dáil Éireann (28th Dáil) – Thursday, 10 May 2001

Adjournment Debate. - Sale of Livestock Regulations.

Mr. Crawford

I thank the Ceann Comhairle for allowing me to raise this important matter. I hope the Minister of State will deal with the issues as quickly as possible. I understand from the national farming media that the Department of Agriculture, Food and Rural Development has asked the expert group whether it will allow the sale of cattle from farm to farm. As I also understand the Minister has been involved in a press conference in the past hour or so, perhaps the Minister of State will have more information and advise the House what has happened in the past hour. It is important that, while using all advice available, the Minister makes the decision himself.

Monaghan County Council unanimously passed a resolution calling on the Minister and the expert group on foot and mouth disease to immediately allow for the sale of livestock and, if possible, to consider the reopening of all cattle marts to allow farmers sell cattle which, in many cases, cause serious overstocking and financial problems. This original proposal was made by councillors Pádraig McNally and Patsy Treanor, both members of the main Government party. The extent of the crisis can be appreciated when these councillors felt it necessary to bring this resolution before the county council for discussion.

I understand the Minister has agreed a protocol allowing the importation of horses from the United Kingdom with effect from 4 May. How many people were told about this on or before 4 May? When did it become available through the Department's press office and when did the expert group sanction it? I understand it is not yet on the Department's website. I only received word of it at 4.30 p.m. when I was handed a press release stating that the Minister had agreed a protocol with effect from 4 May. This means people had not been informed by 4.30 p.m. today.

Another crisis has occurred for farmers who wish to move cattle in that staff in the district veterinary offices refuse to handle movement permits for closed herds and pure bred bulls, sheep and pigs. This relates to forms FMD 5 and 7. The dispute has occurred because of a breakdown of communications between the Minister, his Department and staff in district veterinary offices. The staff, especially those in the Border area, have worked all hours, and a little courtesy would have avoided this problem. Instead, a crisis has been caused for many hard-pressed farmers.

I am sure the Minister of State is aware that the farmers affected are those who were bought out because of BSE. They cannot obtain permits to restock, although they have been allowed publicly to buy cattle. Stock bulls needed for suckler herds and others cannot be bought, although the Minister has allowed them to be bought. Farmers with herds closed because of TB or brucellosis are not allowed to move cattle to out-farms or leased or rented land.

I had a phone call on Tuesday from a dairy farmer who had sold cattle to a BSE herd owner. He was a few hours too late in having his herd tests returned, the clampdown had happened. Another farmer, who has 105 cattle on his farm instead of the normal 65 as a result of TB, has rented land and is now grazing his silage land because he is not allowed to get permits.

We have a major crisis. Fine Gael has given the Government all the support it possibly could. The time has come to have this staff crisis – which should be fairly minor matter – sorted out. It will allow sales to begin as quickly as possible and avoid further damage to the national herd.

We are now in mid-May. That there are extra cattle on farms is causing a serious crisis not just in respect of this year's winter feedstuff but next year's too. It is also causing financial problems. I do not have the figures to hand but the early indications suggest a very disappointing level of help given to hard pressed families in the form of social welfare payments. The Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development agreed in this House to assistance but it does not seem to have reached the people who provide the service at grass roots level.

Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and Rural Development (Éamon Ó Cuív)

I thank the Deputy for raising this issue. I begin by providing some background in relation to foot and mouth disease in this State. The news to date is positive. There has been no case of the disease in the South since the first and only case was confirmed on 22 March. My Department's tracing exercise is continuing, albeit that the number of holdings currently under restriction on a precautionary basis has been reduced to about 60. A sample from a single calf in County Tipperary is at present in Pirbright for analysis, but the veterinary advice that I have is that there is no need to be overly concerned about this particular case.

In addition, results received from Pirbright this morning indicate that samples from sheep found in north Leitrim are negative for foot and mouth disease. The outlook for Ireland is positive, and the manner in which restrictions have been lifted in a phased and controlled way in recent times is a reflection of that.

However, Deputies need hardly be reminded that the situation in the United Kingdom remains a serious risk overhang for this country. New cases are still being confirmed each day in Britain. In addition the news from the North of Ireland yesterday about new suspect cases in counties Derry and Antrim is a timely reminder that the virus may still be circulating on this island.

I am acutely aware of the pressures on farmers and I am appreciative of the efforts they have made since 21 February to keep the disease at bay. I am also conscious of the fact that if we relax controls in an indiscriminate manner and if it results in a new foot and mouth disease outbreak in the State, this will result in the renewal of all of the restrictions which have been lifted in recent days.

Nevertheless I recognise the need to balance the continued need for caution with the real needs of farmers on the ground. In this context the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development announced this evening that the expert group had considered the question of farm to farm movements earlier today, that they had made a number of recommendations in this regard and that he had accepted those recommendations.

In essence, farm to farm movements of bovine animals will be allowed, subject to permit, from Monday next, 14 May 2001. The expert group has not recommended lifting the restrictions on sheep movements and it is not anticipated that any progress will be made on this issue for some time yet.

The permitting arrangements will involve an extension of the current farm movement notification system and will include arrangements for the notification of herd numbers, tag numbers, residency requirements and other aspects of the animals to be moved. Permits will be valid for seven days and application forms will be obtainable from district veterinary offices, Teagasc offices and SWS in Bandon. The new arrangements will subsume the pre-existing permitting arrangements for stock bulls, for movements from feedlots and for movements between fragments of the same holding. Veterinary examination immediately prior to movement will no longer be required.

This is the most significant single adjustment to date in the controls in place and I am confident that it will relieve the pressure now building up on farms throughout the country.

I would now like to address the question of the refusal by members of the Civil and Public Services Union, CPSU, in district veterinary offices to deal with queries relating to permits for movement to between fragments of the same holding – foot and mouth disease five – and for movement of stock bulls – foot and mouth disease seven – both of which are issued by Teagasc offices. While this may well result in additional difficulty for those wishing to obtain information about the permitting arrangements, it is still possible to obtain such permits from Teagasc offices. In addition, as I have already indicated, this entire system is being subsumed into the new permitting arrangement for inter farm movement which will operate from next Monday.

Having said that, I deeply regret that the CPSU, whose members have performed such trojan work in helping us get through this crisis, have found it necessary to take this action. I believe that the stance of the union may be based on certain misconceptions, which I feel can be dispelled. I am anxious to do this without delay and a meeting has been arranged with the union involved to try to resolve the issue as a matter of urgency.

It is important that we do everything in a balanced way. Festina lente, hasten slowly, is the best policy. We would regret if an over-relaxation of controls led to another outbreak in this country.

Dáil Éireann díospóireacht - Thursday, 10 May 2001