asked the Minister for Agriculture if he will indicate the present state of progress of the bovine tuberculosis eradication scheme in County Kerry.

The third round of clearance testing in Kerry is making good progress and should be completed before the end of this year. The results so far indicate that the incidence of the disease has fallen to about 0.7 per cent in cows and 0.3 per cent in stores.

As stated in my reply to a similar question on 11 November, it should be possible to start the fourth—and final —round of testing in the six southern counties, including Kerry, early in 1965 and to attest them well before the end of that year.