§ MR. VINCENT KENNEDYTo ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland if he will state how many outbreaks of swine fever have been reported in Ireland for the six months last past; who was responsible for these reports locally; whether any special investigation took place on foot of reports; and, if so in what percentage, if any, were the reports substantiated.
(Answered by Mr. Bryce.) During the six months ended the 17th instant, 963 reports of supposed outbreaks of swine fever in Ireland were received by the Department of Agriculture. These reports emanated as a rule from the owners of the animals. In all cases the reports were fully investigated by veterinary inspectors acting for the Department. The result was that swine fever was found to exist in sixteen places only, the percentage of actual outbreaks to reports being 1.62.