Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 6 Mar 1990

Vol. 396 No. 6

Written Answers. - Veterinary Inspector Appointments.

Edward Nealon

Question:

129 Mr. Nealon asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food the county councils which have appointed veterinary officers as required by the Abattoirs Act. 1988; the councils which have to date failed to do so; the deadline for the appointments; if he is in communication with the county councils who have not made appointments to date; if he proposes to give assistance to councils where revenue from fees would not meet salaries and cost of the veterinary officers; the situation likely to emerge if county councils, for revenue reasons or otherwise fail to proceed with appointments; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

Edward Nealon

Question:

130 Mr. Nealon asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food if he has received an application from Sligo County Council for funds to enable it to appoint and pay for, through the supplementation of the fees received, a veterinary officer as required under the Abattoirs Act, 1988; if he proposes to make the money required available; and, if not, the way in which he intends to see that the requirements of the Act regarding the appointment of a veterinary officer are enforced.

Minister for Agriculture and Food (Mr. O'Kennedy)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 129 and 130 together.

To date, the following local authorities have appointed veterinary inspectors:— the County Borough Corporations of Cork, Dublin, Galway, Limerick and Waterford and the County Councils of Cork, Dublin, Kerry, Kildare, Tipperary S. R., and Wicklow. It is expected that the remaining 21 county councils will make appointments in the near future. While the authorities concerned were required to make the appointments before 1 March, it was not found possible in practice to adhere to that deadline.

There are no funds at my disposal to assist the local authorities in this matter and Sligo County Council was so informed in response to a request for funding made last December. I would point out that the Abattoirs Act, 1988, provides that any two local authorities may, with my consent, share the services of a veterinary inspector. I have already granted such consent to six authorities and the question of a similar arrangement for seven other authorities is being considered. I do not foresee a situation where any local authority would fail to make an appointment.