§ Mr. MAURICE HEALYasked the President of the Board of Agriculture whether his attention has been called to the case of Mr. Jeremiah Lucy, of Cork, who on the morning of the 22nd October shipped thirty-two valuable dairy cows to Cardiff, having been assured by the local port and veterinary officials that the four days' period of quarantine was still in force, only to find when the animals arrived in Cardiff that the period of quarantine had been on the previous evening increased to fourteen days; what steps were taken to apprise the Irish port officers of this change or to warn shippers who were sending off cattle the next morning; whether a special licence was afterwards issued in the case of the shipment referred to; whether, notwithstanding this, the fourteen days' quarantine and a subsequent period of twenty-one days' observation was strictly enforced, with the result that the cattle had to be sold at a sacrifice of more than half their value; and whether any compensation will be made to Mr. Lucy for the loss which he has sustained?
855W
§ Mr. RUNCIMANMy attention has been called to Mr. Lucy's case. The Order of the Board extending the period of quarantine for Irish cattle from four to fourteen days was issued on the 21st ultimo, and was notified on the afternoon of that day to the Irish Department, who informed me that they apprised the portal inspectors in Ireland of the extension by telegram in the evening. I am not aware of the issue of any special licence in the case, but perhaps the hon. Member would address any further inquiry he may wish to make as to what took place in Ireland to my right hon. Friend the Vice-President. I regret that I have no funds at my disposal out of which compensation could be paid.