THE DEPARTMENT of Agriculture is to continue its investigations into mysterious animal health problems on a Kilkenny farm after its latest scientific report failed to explain the cause.
In a statement issued to The Irish Times last night, the department said the report had not identified “any single factor that, on its own, could account for the intermittent negative effects observed on this farm”.
Minister for Agriculture Brendan Smith will now refer the report to “an inter-agency group” involving three Government departments and two State agencies, for their consideration.
The department rejected criticism of the report by farmer Dan Brennan who claimed that the scientists had ignored certain test results and had failed to investigate the role of a brick factory located near the farm.
Mr Brennan, who farms 170 acres in Co Kilkenny, believes chemical pollution is responsible for his herd suffering from stunted growth, low milk yields and high calf mortality. He said trees on his farm had also died.
Yesterday, a spokeswoman for Cement Roadstone Holdings said there was “no evidence to link the Ormonde Brick factory with the specific problems that have been investigated on the farm”. She added that the report’s conclusion “supports the company’s long-held position on this matter” and that the company had “provided full co-operation to all State agencies involved in this process”.
The brick factory, located close to the farm, has existed since 1969. Production was suspended “indefinitely” in December 2008 “ following years of reduced national demand for fired clay brick”.
Meanwhile, deputy leader of the Green Party Mary White said she found the Department of Agriculture’s report “deeply disturbing”.
The TD for Carlow-Kilkenny said: “This report shows Dan Brennan did not cause the problems which have beset his livestock for many years, but does not give any indication what the sources of pollution and contamination are. For this simple reason, the report has failed.”
Ms White is to seek “an urgent meeting” with Mr Smith to ask: “Why are Dan Brennan’s cattle so small? Why are their milk yields so low? Why is the ill-thrift so devastating?”
She said “there should also be accountability within the department” for having spent €500,000 on its investigations to date with “still no conclusion” – a situation she described as “unacceptable”.