Questions remain on Ireland's proposed mink cull

The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control established that human-to-mink and mink-to-human transmission of Covid-19 can occur.

The Attorney General has been called in to advise on a recommendation that Ireland’s entire 150,000-plus mink herd be slaughtered.

The Department of Agriculture recommendation last month was made after advice from the Chief Medical Officer, Dr Tony Holohan.

This was after the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) established that human-to-mink and mink-to-human transmission of Covid-19 can occur.

The first Covid-19 infection in a mink and subsequently in a mink farm worker was reported in the Netherlands in April.

But outbreaks, including clusters characterised by a specific mink-related variant of the virus, have since been reported in Denmark, Italy, Spain, Sweden and the United States.

There is a fear the new variant could affect the way humans and animals are infected, and on how people are treated for the virus.

The Irish Examiner has repeatedly asked the Department of Agriculture for updates since last month’s recommended cull.

To date, however, officials have been unable to say how many mink have been culled and when the cull will be complete or if officials will supervise the disposal of carcasses.

It is believed the delay in a full cull may stem from concerns over what power the State has to insist mink farmers cull their animals.

Such concerns in Denmark halted the national cull there.

Prime minister Mette Frederiksen said she ordered a nationwide mink cull on November 4 because the mutant strain was a serious issue “not only for Denmark but the whole world’s handling of coronavirus”.

But about a week after more than 2.5 million mink had been culled, she admitted the cull she authorised was illegal.

It also emerged the corpses of some of the mink buried in mass graves ended up being pushed back up to the surface by gases from their rotting corpses .

This led to reports about the so-called “Zombie Mink”.

A Department of Agriculture spokesperson said: “The department continues to engage with the farmers, the Office of the Attorney General and the Department of Health on the matter.”

Sinn Féin Agriculture Spokesperson Matt Carthy wants more clarity on the issue.

Mr Carthy said: “The agriculture minister needs to make a public statement to just tell people what is going on.

Either this is a serious issue or it isn’t. One way or the other, someone needs to tell us what is going on.”

In response to a parliamentary question from Mr Carthy on December 2, Agriculture Minister Charlie McConalogue confirmed: “farms continue to operate”.

But he insisted they do so subject to “strict biosecurity protocols and animal welfare standards”.