Lack of progress in implementing effective measures has led to a rise in bovine TB, brucellosis and a failure to eradicate BSE, the Irish Veterinary Association has said.
In addition, a new variant of bovine TB, Johnes disease, which scientists believe can be spread by rabbits, has been imported since the Single Market was established.
The disease, which causes animals to scour (a form of diarrhoea) until they die, is spreading through the national herd and could become a real problem in years to come, the association warned yesterday.
Its communications officer, Mr Bill Cashman, said the new variant of the disease was already creating problems in Cork.
The belief that the disease can be carried by rabbits, in the same way as badgers become a "reservoir" for the spread of bovine TB, was of grave concern, Mr Cashman said. It could pose a threat to the attempts to eradicate bovine TB, which have seen the number of cattle slaughtered because they failed the test rise from 32,136 in 1995 to 44,498 last year.
He said brucellosis was almost eliminated in 1989 but by late 1997, because Ireland deregulated control measures, it lost its brucellosis-free status.
A serious risk of human infection in meat factories and on a large number of farms now existed, he said, and last year the Southern Health Board had to issue a public health warning to farmers in the Limerick area.
Mr Cashman said the BSE figures were not falling as promised, but had reached a plateau. While the number of cases was small, most of the problems could have been avoided if scientific advice had been followed, especially in the area of bovine TB and brucellosis.
He said the public good was not well served by the failure of the Government to implement the national beef assurance scheme and the dairy hygiene scheme.
Mr Cashman said the veterinary-certified food assurance scheme addressed the key elements, such as animal health, welfare and drug usage in the context of good farming.
The alternative scenario of repeated scares and consequent damage to the reputation of the farming industry put the cost of the scheme into perspective.