I understand that the Deputy is referring to the recent suspected anthrax scares in this country.
At my request a committee under the chairmanship of Professor Bill Hall, Director of the Virus Reference Laboratory, was recently established to prepare an operational plan which would be implemented in the event of a biological attack on this country. The committee agreed that in preparing a plan it will be necessary to identify the level of risk of such an attack and that the plan should reflect the risk identified. The committee considered that as the risk of a primary attack on this country was low a plan should therefore, be prepared to cater for a secondary attack.
While work on the detailed plan is progressing a specific protocol to deal with a suspected anthrax attack was prepared, at my request, in light of the recent anthrax attacks in the United States. I launched this protocol on Wednesday 17 October. Prior to the launch of the protocol I met with members of the committee as well as the gardaí, fire services and Defence Forces. During this meeting the roles of the various bodies were clearly defined and agreed. In addition, I spoke with my counterpart in the UK in order to ensure the absolute safety of our plan. He confirmed that the protocol was similar to that in place in the UK.