§ Mr. MallonTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when the last case of maedi visna was confirmed in sheep in Northern Ireland; what information he has on the equivalent information for neighbouring or other counties of the Republic of Ireland; and what plans he has to make Northern Ireland free of maedi visna.
§ Mr. HanleyMaedi visna has never been detected in the indigenous Northern Ireland sheep flock. The disease was last confirmed in imported sheep in 1981 and the infected animals were slaughtered. I understand that maedi visna has not been detected in the Republic of Ireland sheep flock since 1982. A submission seeking recognition of Northern Ireland's claim to freedom from maedi visna was sent recently to the European Commission.