HC Deb 26 March 1914 vol 60 cc535-7
32. Mr. C. BATHURST

asked the Vice-President of the Department of Agriculture (Ireland) what is the present position of Ireland in the matter of foot-and-mouth disease; and whether the source of the recent recrudescence of the disease in county Kildare has been traced?

Mr. T. W. RUSSELL (Vice-President of the Department of Agriculture, Ireland)

Since the appearance of the disease at Naas towards the end of January, the total number of outbreaks confirmed in Ireland up to the present has been fifty, of which three have occurred in county Kildare, thirty-nine in county Cork, and eight in county Tipperary. The latest outbreak in each county was confirmed on 23rd instant. The cause of recrudescence of the disease in county Kildare has not-been ascertained.

Mr. C. BATHURST

Can the right hon. Gentleman say whether there has been any outbreak during the last forty-eight hours?

Mr. RUSSELL

No, Sir; I think not.

33. Mr. DELANY

asked whether the right hon. Gentleman has received a resolution passed by the Mountmellick District Council requesting removal of the restriction on Mountrath district, Queen's County; and can he say, considering that Queen's County has been immune from foot-and-mouth disease for more than thirty years, whether the scheduled area will be so curtailed as to admit of the holding of Rathdowney fair on the 1st April next?

Mr. RUSSELL

The resolution referred to has been received. The limits of the scheduled district were curtailed recently on completion of the tracing of calves distributed from Roscrea that had been obtained in Cork. Since that curtailment the town of Mountrath has been outside the area of restrictions. In the case of Rathdowney, however, the restrictions have force owing to an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease having recently occurred at a place less than fifteen miles away in county Tipperary, and there is no prospect of these restrictions being withdrawn in time to permit of a fair at Rathdowney on 1st April.

Mr. MEEHAN

Is it not a fact that the Department's inspectors did not discover any foot-and-mouth disease in Queen's County after investigation, and will the right hon. Gentleman consider the advisability of the removal of the restrictions in the various districts of Queen's County?

Mr. RUSSELL

Is it not enough to say that no disease has been found?