Vol. 417 No. 7
170 Mr. Cotter asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food if he will give details of the new EC regulations governing the activities of the family butcher; if he will outline, (1) whether these regulations will allow a butcher supply institutions with supplies of processed meat, (2) the cost implications of the new standards and (3) whether grant aid will be available to enable the butcher achieve the new standards, and if he will make a statement on the matter.
As part of the progression to the Single Market EC Directives (91/497/EEC, 91/498/EEC and 5/92/EEC) have been adopted on the production and marketing of, (i) fresh meat viz beef, sheepmeat and pigmeat and (ii) meat products.
The Directives set out standards of construction, equipment and hygiene throughout the Community for slaughterhouses, cutting up plants, cold stores and premises manufacturing meat products. The Directives provide derogations from some of the structural conditions for certain categories of small premises and for premises engaged in a work plan to meet the requirements of the Directives in full. Premises complying with the above provisions, including those qualifying for the derogations, may supply institutions with meat and meat products.
The Directives do not apply to the cutting, preparation and storage of meat or meat products in retail shops or in premises adjacent to sales points, where the preparation and storage are performed solely for the purpose of supplying the consumer directly.
For the premises which come under the Directives the cost implications of the standards set out in the EC Directives would vary depending on the size, throughput and present hygiene and structural standards of each individual premises.
It is not intended to provide grant aid for butchers' premises where these come within the scope of the Directives.
