The Irish Commissioner for Health and Consumer Affairs, Mr David Byrne, has delivered a riposte to attempts by Germany and Spain to blame the European Commission for the latest upsurge in BSE.
Mr Byrne, in a statement at the weekend , reminded the public of both countries that their two governments were the most determined opponents of attempts by the Commission to ban the use of high-risk material from beef in human food and in feed given to ruminants.
"I cannot therefore accept the remarks today by some German politicians that Brussels is to be blamed for BSE in Germany.
"Instead of trying to put the blame for past events elsewhere, I would suggest that those politicians make sure that all the EU-adopted measures to protect consumers against the risks of BSE were being fully implemented." The ban involves prohibition on spinal cord, brain, eyes, tonsils and parts of the intestines, all particularly prone to infection.
Despite attempts going back to 1997 to win approval for the measure, it only won ministerial qualified majority in June, still against the wishes of Spain and Germany, and the Commission remains concerned that member states are not doing enough through inspections to ensure that farmers who use such material in feeding other animals are not allowing, deliberately or otherwise, cross-contamination with feed for cattle.
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