Martin Kenny
Ceist:1083. Deputy Martin Kenny asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his Department’s strategy for containing the mycoplasma bovis disease; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13776/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraTuesday, 21 March 2017
Ceisteanna (1083)
Freagraí scríofa
Mycoplasma bovis has no implications for public health, food safety or international trade. Therefore this infectious disease is not regulated in Ireland or the EU and as such, my Department does not have a specific strategy for containing it.
However my Department is currently developing a “Farmed Animal Health Strategy” (having recently undertaken public consultation on a draft document) and is also developing a long-term strategy for laboratory service delivery (arising from a Strategic Review of Laboratory Services). These strategies address different aspects of the leadership and supports my Department provides in dealing with non-regulated diseases of food-producing animals. In addition my Department provides significant financial and other supports for Animal Health Ireland which has responsibility for developing and promoting control programmes for non-regulated diseases.