MR. PATRICK O'BRIENI beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland (1) whether a man named Patrick Fogarty, residing in Rathdrum, County Wicklow, was notified by Mr. G. Newsome, veterinary surgeon, Government Inspector, on the 25th January last, that two pigs belonging to him had swine fever; whether it is true 619 that an analysis of the stomachs of the animals showed that they were not affected by swine fever; whether it took the Veterinary Department three weeks to decide what the animals were suffering from; is there any, and, if so, what limit of time for deciding such cases; and, is it intended to compensate Mr. Fogarty for the loss he has been put to in connection with this false report?
§ MR. GERALD BALFOURThe fact is not as stated in the first paragraph. On the 24th January, Fogarty himself notified to the police that one of his pigs had died of supposed swine fever. The veterinary surgeon thereupon visited the place, enforced the usual precautionary measures, and forwarded the viscera of the dead pig to Dublin for analysis. On the 1st February the viscera of a second pig was received. In neither case were any traces of swine fever discovered, and in neither case did the examination occupy more than two days. The owner of the pigs is not entitled to any compensation under the Statute. Compensation is only payable when pigs are slaughtered by direction of the Veterinary Department. In this case the animals died.
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