Daly concerned at threat of foot and mouth disease

Senator Paul Daly has sounded the alarm bells at Seanad Éireann level, on the danger of a spread of foot and mouth disease, arising from a number of outbreaks on the continent.

Describing it as a matter about which he is becoming more worried by the day, Senator Daly raised the subject in the chamber on Wednesday last, stating that on January 6, there was one case detected in Germany, and since then, there have been cases in Hungary and Slovakia, which had just had its fifth case reported.

“While I welcome the fact that the Minister for agriculture, Deputy Heydon, has urged vigilance within Ireland following the initial outbreaks, we need to go a step further,” said the Kilbeggan man.

Senator Daly suggested that a targeted public awareness campaign be launched. This, he said, should be particularly aimed at people from Ireland who travel to or from the areas where cases have been confirmed.

“Such a campaign would ensure that people would be vigilant and aware of the consequences of possibly having come into contact with animals while in those areas and then visiting farms or coming into contact with animals when they return home,” he said, adding that a danger could come also from people bringing meat back to this country from areas where there are outbreaks.

Senator Daly went on to recall the last outbreak of foot and mouth disease in this country, which was in 2001.

“Many of us here can remember the consequences of that at the time. We do not need or want to go down that road again,” he said, going on to counsel that government take the ‘stitch in time’ approach.

“We need an awareness campaign because many people outside the agricultural or political bubbles are not even aware that there have been cases,” he said.

“The general public, and in particular people who are travelling to and from those areas, need to be made aware in order that they can be cognisant of their movements when they return.”