A FORMER official of the Irish Veterinary Union has been asked by the Department of Agriculture if he can substantiate a claim that 25 per cent of herds here are infected by angel dust.

Departmental secretary Mr Michael Dowling yesterday told the Dail Public Accounts Committee it had no evidence to suggest that the figure was anything like that. "We think it's in single figures".

Mr Dowling said that Mr Peter Dargan, a former general secretary of the IVU, had been asked to indicate if he or the union had particular evidence to back up what had been said.

About 100 court cases were pending over alleged use of illegal growth promoting substances, but most were held up by the Supreme Court challenge to the constitutionality of part of the regulations under which they were being brought, he said.

Told by Mr Dowling that one of the "quick" tests for the presence of outlawed substances cost about £8 per carcass, Mr John Ellis (FF) suggested it would be better to spend money in a way that would enable us to stand over every carcass leaving the country. Our product needed some sort of extra credibility. He felt consumers would be willing to pay an extra penny a pound to have a guaranteed "clear bill" for every animal slaughtered.