NI COMES NEAR END OF FMD CRISIS

THE Agriculture Minister Bríd Rodgers told Assembly members on Tuesday that Northern Ireland was coming to the end of the threat of foot-and-mouth disease.

Speaking to the Assembly Mrs Rodgers said although there had been no further outbreaks of the disease and there were no suspected cases at this time some safeguards had to remain in place due to the continued threat from Great Britain.

Following the European Union decision in June to grant Northern Ireland regional foot-and-mouth disease status, exports of live pigs and certain products from susceptible animals were allowed to resume. Sheep are to be expected to be allowed to be exported from this Sunday, July 1.

Since the outbreak of foot-and-mouth the Department of Agriculture has paid out £7 million in direct compensation to farmers whose sheep and other animals were culled. £0.5 million remains to be allocated.

The plight of the livestock marts still remains an area of concern for the Minister. She said: “My intention is to permit the marts to reopen on a phased basis, and under a suitable disease control regime as soon as it as safe to do so.”

She added that this process should be up and running within the next few weeks.

Mrs Rodgers said that she intends this to be the last statement she makes to the assembly on the disease, unless the situation dictates otherwise: “It is to be hoped that Northern Ireland is now coming towards the end of the foot and mouth disease crisis. In the next six months, as the problems surrounding foot-and-mouth recede, I will concentrate on a recovery plan for the agrifood sector.”

Praising the efforts of all those concerned in preventing the spread of the epidemic, Mrs Rodgers said: “The fact that we escaped the epidemic that occurred in GB was due to a great deal of hard work and sacrifice by everyone in the industry. While we are relaxing our controls in a proportionate way in response to the improvement in our situation, it is important that we continue to adopt the fortress mentality that has served us so well.” (AMcE)