Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 28 Apr 1992

Vol. 418 No. 7

Written Answers. - Meat Processing Plants and Abattoirs.

Bernard J. Durkan

Question:

321 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food if he will outline, (a) the number of wholetime all-year-round jobs currently provided by the domestic slaughterhouses and abattoirs catering for the home market exclusively, (b) the total number of wholetime all-year-round jobs in the other meat processing plants and (c) whether development funding is equally available to both categories; if he proposes any changes; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

Bernard J. Durkan

Question:

324 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food if he will outline the amount of grant aid, if any, available to assist in the modernisation of small meat processing plants and abattoirs; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

Minister for Agriculture and Food (Mr. Walsh)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 321 and 324 together.

Employment figures for the meat sector as compiled by the Central Statistics Office do not differentiate between plants catering for the domestic market and those catering for other markets.

The latest employment statistics available for the sector relate to June and September 1991 and total 10,600 and 11,500 respectively. It should be noted that employment is subject to seasonal variations.

National grant aid for investment is available only for projects with a substantial export or import saving content and which generate additional employment. FEOGA grant aid is precluded in the case of investment leading to an increase in the national slaughter capacity. It is not intended to provide grant aid for the modernisation of small meat processing plants and abattoirs.

Bernard J. Durkan

Question:

323 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food if he will outline the total number of meat processors currently catering for the export market in the beef, lamb and pigmeat areas; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

Minister for Agriculture and Food (Mr. Walsh)

The number of slaughterhouses currently approved for the export market is as follows: beef cattle and/or sheep, 32; pigs, 6; pigs/sheep/cattle, 6.

In addition 48 processing plants are approved for export of meat products containing beef, sheepmeat and pigmeat.