asked the Minister for Health if he will introduce legislation to deal with the operation of slaughterhouses, in view of the proximity of slaughterhouses to residential areas in Dublin city.
365.
Written Answers. - City Slaughterhouses.
364.
asked the Minister for Health if he is aware that the Food Hygiene Regulations 1950 are relied upon to provide standards in city slaughterhouses; and if he has any reform of these regulations under consideration.
I propose to deal with Questions Nos. 364 and 365 together.
Slaughterhouses are licensed by local sanitary authorities and their continued operation in residential districts is a matter for those authorities. The Minister for Agriculture has a supervisory function as regards slaughterhouses. Most slaughterhouses were already in existence and licensed before the introduction of the Food Hygiene Regulations 1950 and all of them are specifically excluded from the requirements of registration under these regulations.
Slaughterhouses are not, however, exempted from the hygiene requirements of the Food Hygiene Regulations and health boards were specifically requested in June last year to ensure that they comply with the requirements of those regulations. Sixteen points of structural and operational hygiene were listed for attention, a survey of all slaughterhouses was made and a planned programme of inspections was introduced.
The dual control situation is not ideal and the suggestion that all controls on the slaughtering of animals should be exercised by veterinary officers employed by the local sanitary authorities is under consideration at present with officers of the Department of Agriculture.