Decline in number of BSE cases
The Minister for Agriculture is insisting Ireland's BSE controls are having a positive impact.
Joe Walsh says this year's marked decline in BSE cases, which stand at 150 from last years 272, is evidence the measures put in place are effective.
He also says the action taken to prevent a form of BSE in sheep scrapie, was sufficient to avoid the kind of crisis in the sheep sector which had previously been experienced in the beef sector.
