Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 1 June 2022
233. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will meet with persons (details supplied) who are calling for a public inquiry into the Department of Agriculture investigation into animal health problems on their farm in the mid-1990s. [28322/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department was involved with other State agencies in an investigation of animal health and public health concerns in the Askeaton area of Co. Limerick over 20 years ago.
This Investigation was jointly undertaken by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Department of Agriculture, Food and Rural Development, the Mid-Western Health Board and Teagasc.
Field investigations were undertaken on several farms and data was collected between March 1995 and December 1998. Interim reports were published by the EPA in December 1995, June 1997 and August 1998 and the final report was published by EPA on 06/01/2000 (ISBN 1-84095-067-6).
These reports detail all of the comprehensive studies of animal health, environmental health and human health parameters undertaken over the study period and the interpretation of those findings by experts from the agencies involved.
If any of the persons whose farms were investigated as part of these studies have any specific queries about any aspects of the investigation or any of the findings reported, my Department would be happy to consider those queries and provide whatever further clarification they can at this remove – with the caveat that this investigation concluded over two decades ago and all of the principal investigators from the different agencies involved have retired from public service.
