§ Mr. W. NICHOLSONasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland what officials are responsible to the Irish Board of Agriculture for discovering and reporting cases of cattle disease; whether these duties were until lately carried out by the Royal Irish Constabulary; if he can state the 841W number of cases reported by the Royal Irish Constabulary during the last six months; and if there was any case of foot-and-mouth disease reported to the Board?
§ Sir H. GREENWOODOwners or persons in charge of affected animals in Ireland are required to notify the disease to the veterinary inspectors of local authorities, or to the police whose duty it is to report the information without delay to the Department of Agriculture. The Department's veterinary inspectors at the ports also report as to the existence of any suspicious symptoms in the case of an animal which is being exported. The number of cases of cattle disease reported by the Royal Irish Constabulary during the six months ended the 31st January, 1922, was 347, but none of these were cases of foot-and-mouth disease. Seven suspected cases of foot-and-mouth disease were, however, reported during the same period by the veterinary inspectors of local authorities or by the inspectors of the Department of Agriculture, but in none of these cases was the existence of the disease confirmed.