The Deputy is referring to Johne's disease, cases of which have occurred in the national herd over at least the past half-century and which has been a notifiable disease in this country since 1955. The disease is widespread in other EU member states and worldwide. It is a chronic infectious disease of cattle which gives rise to gradual wasting, loss of condition and, in the case of dairy cattle, significant losses in milk yield. It is caused by infection with the bacterium Mycobacterium avium, subspecies paratuberculosis, known as MAP.
Until early 2003, my Department's approach to notified cases of the disease was to slaughter the affected animals and pay compensation. On the basis of an assessment of the number of cases arising and from research data on a test and cull strategy, it became apparent that this approach was not effective in arresting and reversing the increasing prevalence of the disease. Consequently, such an approach has been dispensed with and a strategic review of our approach to tackling the disease was undertaken by my Department. It is clear that nothing less than a fully integrated strategy involving all of the relevant stakeholders and with each playing a defined role will be effective. My Department alone cannot eliminate the disease from the national herd. Accordingly, the strategic review has involved consultation with all the relevant interests. This process has indicated a common recognition of the problem, an acceptance that only a fully integrated and sustained strategy will be effective and a willingness on the part of stakeholders to play active roles in implementing such a strategy. The process also generated a number of very useful proposals of a practical nature.
By virtue of the nature of the disease it will take a number of years of sustained commitment to effectively tackle it. The strategy will therefore involve elements which can be put into effect in the short term and others which will be implemented over a longer period. My Department, in conjunction with other interests, has been working on finalising a number of the short-term elements and will shortly be passing on the relevant information to stakeholders. Once this has been done, it is my intention that all elements of the new national Johne's disease strategy will be quickly drawn together in conjunction with all the stakeholders, announced, promoted vigorously by all concerned and implemented. Apart from any other considerations, the success of the new strategy is important if Irish livestock farmers are to be protected against the significant production and income losses associated with the disease.
As far as any putative public health dimension is concerned, there are concerns in some quarters that MAP may be associated with Crohn's disease in humans. It is most important to accurately reflect the essence of current scientific thinking and research in the matter. While MAP organisms have been recovered from many Crohn's patients, and notwithstanding the fact that the matter has been subject to much research internationally, it is important to recognise that a cause-effect link has not to date been proven and to note that there remains significant divergence in scientific opinion on the matter. It should also be noted that in 2000, the scientific committee on animal health and welfare of the European Commission concluded that there was insufficient evidence to draw any firm conclusion about the suggested link between these two diseases. Furthermore, when consulted by my Department in the matter, the scientific committee of the Food Safety Authority of Ireland advised that there is insufficient evidence to confirm a link between Johne's disease and Crohn's disease. As with all such matters, my Department will continue to monitor further scientific developments and thinking in this area.
