A report into why horses and cattle in an area of west Limerick mysteriously died or were subject to prolonged illness is expected to point to farming practices rather than industrial pollution as the likely cause.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) report was due to be published this morning.
Since the late 1980s, farmers in the Askeaton and Ballysteen areas have complained of an unusual level of animal health problems.
Many animals were found to have lesions and sores on their bodies. There was a particular high incidence of cattle aborting calves. A number of animals died during the period, and farmers in the region suffered heavy losses.
Today’s report is likely to identify farm issues such as the nutritional value of silage and seed as well as the liming of the land as a "contributory factor" to the unusually high level of animal health problems in the region.
The report fails to come to any definitive conclusion, but it does rule out industrial pollution or any other toxic substance as a likely cause.
The report comes after a six-year investigation by multi-agency task force headed by the EPA. It involved extensive testing and monitoring of animals, soil and vegetation in the region. It also tried to determine if human health was affected.
However, local farmers have described the report’s findings as "outlandish". They accuse the investigation team of never seriously investigating the possibility of the industrial pollution.
Mr Donagh O’Grady of Askeaton and Ballysteen Animal Health Committee said today: "People in the region are furious about report. There’s no way farmers in the region were suddenly unable to farm".
Mr O’Grady said most of the resources of the inquiry were directed at investigating the farmers. "If the same level of resources had been put in to investigating industry in the area I suspect the findings would have been different".
His comments were echoed by IFA Deputy President, Mr John Dillon, who strongly criticised the report, saying that enormous amounts of money had been wasted investigating farmers and not the true causes of the animal health problems in this area of west Limerick.
Mr Dillon said: "Farmers in Askeaton are justifiably angry at this report and its conclusions, which again conveniently scapegoats the farming community while absolving industry of any involvement in devastating animal health problems in the region.
