Agriculture Minister says BSE plan is going well

The Minister for Agriculture Joe Walshe insisted the mass slaughter of cattle to rid the country of BSE was progressing well, although he admitted farmers were reacting cautiously to the plan.

The Minister for Agriculture Joe Walshe has insisted the mass slaughter of cattle to rid the country of BSE is progressing well, although he admitted farmers were reacting cautiously to the plan.

Minister Walshe was speaking amid reports of a slow response to the scheme, which is set to cull about 25,000 animals each week.