Bluetongue - Ireland

On Sat, 1 Mar 2008 15:58:55 -0000, "Pat Gardiner"
wrote:

Pat's Note: Judging by previous reports in this same paper, and quoted here,
the answer to the question posed is -

Defra's vets

Who else?

http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/ne...cle3480505.ece

Imports row over disease outbreak

Saturday, March 01, 2008

Assembly members have questioned why the latest bluetongue emergency
restrictions took so long to impose - and why they will last for less than a
week.
From today imports of female cattle over 12 months old and female sheep over
six months old from bluetongue-infected areas will be banned. The measure
will run until March 6.

The European Commission is now looking at changing its rules on animal
movements following the discovery of bluetongue in north Antrim.
Agriculture Minister Michelle Gildernew had maintained that she had no
powers to ban imports, but Agriculture Committee vice chairman Tom Elliott
has asked why the Republic has been operating more stringent import
restrictions while Ulster farmers have been left exposed to the bluetongue
threat.