asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries if he will make a statement indicating the progress to date of the brucellosis eradication scheme.

Six counties have already been declared brucellosis free and compulsory eradication measures are in operation in seven other counties.

In the remaining 13 counties, the pre-intensive brucellosis scheme, which is aimed at securing a reduction in the incidence of the disease before compulsory measures are introduced, is in operation. Almost half the estimated number of reactor herds in these counties are participating in this scheme.

Has there been an increase in the incidence of this disease in some of the disease-free counties?

Is the Deputy referring to brucellosis or TB?

TB.

The question asks about brucellosis.

Is the Minister aware of outbreaks in hitherto clear counties?

Of course I am aware of it, but in the eradication of disease generally there will always be outbreaks no matter what the efforts are.

Does the Minister agree that the present outbreaks have raised serious questions——

No, I do not agree. The vets in my Department are not worried about it.

Surely the Minister knows there are outbreaks and he knows why, but nobody seems to be doing anything about it.

I must say I do not understand the purport of the Deputy's question. The Deputy should say what he means.

I mean that there is a dispute going on and that nothing has been done about it in the past 18 months.

The Deputy knows that is not true. Great efforts are being made to resolve the dispute.