HC Deb 19 July 1912 vol 41 cc689-90
Mr. C. BATHURST

I would like to ask the right hon. Gentleman whether he can give us any information in reference to the recent alarming outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease in Ireland?

Mr. RUSSELL

I do not know that the hon. Gentleman is justified in describing it as an alarming outbreak, because it has been wholly confined to the district of Swords, in the county Dublin. There was an additional case this week, but there has been no other case. We are doing our best to control the disease, but no one knows better than the hon. Gentleman that that is not easily done. Every effort has been made to confine the disease within the single area of Swords, and we have been successful in doing so up to the present moment. I cannot say that the disease is not active there. We had a case on Tuesday, and therefore I am not prepared to say that we are in a position to make any recommendations in regard to facilities from the Dublin district or the district of Meath immediately adjoining Swords, but I wish to impress on the House that while the difficulty in Swords has been very great there has not been a sign of foot-and-mouth disease in any other part of Ireland.

Mr. C. BATHURST

Has not this outbreak to which the right hon. Gentleman refers taken place upon a separate farm wedged between the two farms upon which the previous outbreaks had taken place, and, if that is so, is it not desirable in such a case to have a wholesale slaughter of all the animals in that particular district?

Mr. RUSSELL

The hon. Member is quite correct. The case on Tuesday was on a farm such as he describes, between the two farms which had been previously affected. That is not an unusual thing in these outbreaks. I am afraid almost to say how many animals we have slaughtered since the disease broke out. We have been slaughtering almost continuously.

Mr. SHEEHY

In reference to Meath, may I ask why a portion of it has been included in the Order, seeing that there is no sign of disease there?

Mr. RUSSELL

There is no actual disease in Meath, but the part included is within 10 or 12 miles of Swords, and it was impossible to avoid including that part in the Order.