HC Deb 02 March 1897 vol 46 cc1431-2
SIR JOHN LENG (Dundee)

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether he has been informed that extensive purchases of cattle have been made recently in Perth for breeding purposes in Ireland, and what necessity exists for demanding special licences and declarations with regard to such cattle on their importation into Ireland, seeing that Scotland is entirely free from contagious disease, and that no such licences and declarations are required on the importation of Irish cattle into Scotland, England, or Wales?

THE CHIEF SECRETARY FOR IRELAND (Mr. GERALD BALFOUR,) Leeds, Central

It appears that 55 cattle have recently been purchased at sales at Perth for importation into Ireland for breeding purposes; 40 of these were bought for the Congested Districts Board. For years past, in consequence of pleuro-pneumonia in Great Britain, the importation of British cattle into Ireland has been prohibited except with the special consent of the Lord Lieutenant. This consent is invariably given for the importation of cattle required for breeding purposes on satisfactory evidence that the cattle to be imported are free from disease, and that they have not been in any infected district or in contact with any diseased or suspected cattle, or otherwise exposed to infection. Pleuro-pneumonia still exists in Great Britain. More than one outbreak of the disease has occurred in England during the past year. Scotland is at present, so far as is known to the Irish Department, free from pleuro-pneumonia. There is, however, entirely free movement of cattle between England and Scotland, and the Irish Veterinary Department does not consider that the time has yet come for making any change in the existing conditions, which, as experience has shown, can, without difficulty, be complied with by persons desiring to import stock into Ireland. Cattle are not permitted to be exported from Ireland to Great Britain without having first obtained a licence declaring that the animals are free from disease, and this requirement has been in force since the passing of the Contagious Diseases (Animals) Act of 1878, when pleuro-pneumonia was prevalent in Ireland.