Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 8 May 1996

Vol. 465 No. 1

Written Answers. - Animal Slaughtering Statistics.

Cecilia Keaveney

Question:

202 Cecilia Keaveney asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry the number of animals slaughtered in each of the months from 1 January, to 14 April 1995; the numbers slaughtered in each of the months from 1 January to 14 April 1996; and the current position in relation to extending the high rate of payment to cover the period from 1 January to 9 June 1996. [9228/96]

Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry (Mr. Yates)

The number of animals slaughtered are as follows:

	1995	1996
January	108,956	105,146
February	110,057	134,324
March	138,198	106,188
1-14 April	76,458	22,026

As regards the extension of the high rate of payment of the deseasonalisation premium, at last week's meeting of the Council of Agriculture Ministers, I raised the issue of compensation for beef producers who had suffered as a result of the current BSE crisis. I suggested that such compensation could best be provided by way of increases in the deseasonalisation and the special beef premia. The Council agreed on the urgency of short-term income support measures for producers and the EU Commission undertook to suggest concrete measures to the Council at its next meeting in May. I will be pursuing this matter further at that meeting.