With the permission of the Ceann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 38 and 39 together.
The existing EEC directive on intra-community trade on fresh meat provides for standards of premises used for trade between one member country and another but does not apply to premises concerned only with trade within an individual member country. Only premises registered by my Department may engage in the export trade here and those engaging in the home trade only are supervised by the local authorities. The standards prescribed for our registered export premises are already in line with EEC requirements for trade between member countries.
The Dublin Corporation abattoir will no longer comply with the requirements for registered export premises and, therefore, may not be used for the export trade after 31st January next.