§ 73. Mr. DELANYasked the Vice-President of the Department of Agriculture 200 (Ireland) on what grounds the district of Clonaslee, Queen's County, has been scheduled; whether he is aware that no case of foot-and-mouth disease has occurred in Queen's County for the past thirty years; and can he say, considering that Clonaslee is 16 miles from Birr and 30 miles from Templemore, when the restrictions placed on the district will be removed?
§ Mr. T. W. RUSSELL (Vice-President of the Department of Agriculture, Ireland)The distribution recently from Birr of a number of calves that had been obtained at Cork, where various outbreaks of foot-and-mouth disease subsequently occurred, rendered it desirable to schedule an area of approximately 15 miles radius round Birr pending further investigations. The electoral division of Clonaslee and contiguous electoral divisions of Queen's County came within the scope of the restrictions thus imposed. These restrictions were, however, withdrawn on 20th instant, when the calves in question had been located and found healthy.
§ 74. Mr. C. BATHURSTasked if any further outbreaks of foot-and-mouth disease have occurred in Ireland since last Wednesday; if so, how many, and where have they occurred; and how many areas there are now in Ireland scheduled as infected?
§ Mr. RUSSELLSince 18th instant, inclusive, outbreaks of foot-and-mouth disease have been confirmed at the following five places, namely, at Ballinrahan and at Ballynahina in the county Cork, at Ballinlough Road in Cork City, at Roskeen, and at Kilmanagh in the county Tipperary. Two separate areas are at present scheduled. One of these extends around and comprises the infected region in county Cork. The other embraces the infected parts of county Tipperary, and extends also into Kilkenny, Waterford, Wexford, Clare, Limerick, King's County, Queen's County and Carlow. A considerable share of the latter area is, however, subject to restrictions only on account of the distribution therein of calves that had come from Cork. Completion of the tracing of these calves, and the finding of the animals healthy may result in reduction of the area to 15 miles round the places where the disease has actually appeared. I am sorry to add that to-day I have received information that a case of disease has been confirmed at Ballysax, county Kildare.
§ Mr. FFRENCHMay I ask the Vice-President of the Board of Agriculture (Ireland) a question of which I have given him private notice: Is he aware that the last consignment of calves supposed to be infected with foot-and-mouth disease arrived in the county of Wexford on the 27th of February, and that they were traced to New Ross on the 11th of March? Is he also aware that every single one of the calves has been traced, and that there is no appearance whatever of foot-and-mouth disease in the county? Under these circumstances is it fair to the people of Wexford to continue the present embargo, and will the right hon. Gentleman be good enough to see that the embargo is removed?
§ Mr. RUSSELLI am not quite certain that the facts have been accurately stated by my hon. Friend, but I am able to say that the district is almost ready for the removal of the embargo?