asked the Minister for Agriculture whether regulations for the inspection of bacon factories include provision for ante-and post-mortem veterinary inspection of all pigs slaughtered, the supervision of the processing of bacon and final inspection of same before despatch from the factory; whether he can state if (a) diseased bacon; (b) tainted or slimy bacon, in a condition detrimental to public health, was supplied to the Army from the Monaghan Curing Company; whether a veterinary officer of his Department was in court during the sittings of the recent tribunal but was not called to give evidence; and whether, in view of the assertions made that diseased, tainted and slimy bacon was sold to the Army from this company, he will make a statement on the matter to satisfy the public interest and to vindicate the integrity of the officers of his Department.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Inspection of Bacon Factories.
Regulations made under the Pigs and Bacon Acts, 1935 to 1940, include provision for the ante-and post-mortem veterinary examination of all pigs dealt with at licensed curing and slaughtering premises, for the supervision of the processing of bacon therein and for the veterinary examination of bacon before release for consignment from such premises. I am satisfied that diseased, tainted or slimy bacon in a condition detrimental to public health was not supplied to the Army from the premises of the Monaghan Curing Company. The veterinary examiner assigned to those premises was not present in court during the sittings of the tribunal referred to by the Deputy, nor was he summoned to give evidence in the case. A senior inspector of my Department, who is also a veterinary surgeon and is in charge of the veterinary examiners engaged under the Pigs and Bacon Acts, attended most of the public sittings of the tribunal but was not called on to give evidence. I have no hesitation in stating that the references made during the proceedings of the tribunal to the sale of tainted and stale bacon were, as far as my Department is concerned, quite unsustainable and that the administration of the regulations which are designed to ensure that bacon leaving the factories is sound, wholesome and fit for human consumption is efficiently and conscientiously carried out.