ANALYSIS of the link between BSE and CJD, which affects humans, had not been sufficiently professional, the former Minister for Agriculture and European Commissioner, Senator Michael O'Kennedy (FF) has claimed.
He told delegates to the British Irish Inter Parliamentary Body yesterday that the British Ministry of Agriculture should have carried out a more stringent scientific analysis and this had caused serious problems in both countries.
But he stressed: "Our status here is absolutely clear and secure.
It would have been much more appropriate that whatever scientific data were available about the possible link between BSE and CJD would have been fully and properly researched on a scientific basis before public statements were made in the House of Commons.
This had given rise to all kinds of apprehension.
British and Irish members of parliament both praised Mr O'Kennedy for the manner in which he had dealt with the BSE threat when, as Minister for Agriculture, he introduced a policy of slaughtering infected herds and banned imported and domestic bonemeal.
He told delegates major elements of the issue were animal health and any possibility or risk of transmission of disease to humans and consumer confidence.
He regretted the necessity to seal the Border with Northern Ireland over this issue.
"There is an entirely different status between our animal health and that in Northern Ireland and I regret that", he said.
Delegates passed a resolution requesting its economic and social affairs committee "to inquire into matters arising from animal health policies in Britain and Ireland".