Vol. 474 No. 5
83 Mr. J. Walsh asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry the extent to which the Abattoirs Act, 1988 has been implemented; the number of orders that have been made under the Act; the regulations that have been made under the Act; and the number of local authorities that are fully implementing regulations under the Act. [3398/97]
All parts of the Abattoirs Act, 1988, have been implemented. Three ministerial orders and three sets of regulations have been made under the Act as follows:
Abattoirs Act, 1988 (Commencement) Order, 1989 (S.I. No. 150 of 1989)
Abattoirs Act (Section 62 (2)) (Repeal of Bye-Laws) Order, 1989 (S.I. No. 151 of 1989)
Abattoirs Act, 1988 (Commencement) Order, 1992 (S.I. No. 88 of 1992)
Abattoirs Act, 1988 (Abattoirs) Regulations, 1989 (S.I. No. 152 of 1989)
Abattoirs Act, 1988 (Veterinary Examination) Regulations, 1992 (S.I. No. 89 of 1992) and
Abattoirs (Health Mark) Regulations, 1992 (S.I. No. 90 of 1992).
In addition, the European Communities (Knackery) Regulations, 1996 (S.I. No. 396 of 1996) are regarded as implementing Part III of the Abattoirs Act, 1988, which made provision for the control and licensing of knackeries.
All local authorities apart from Longford and Roscommon county councils have appointed full time veterinary officers, part time veterinary inspectors or both. I understand that Longford and Roscommon county councils are currently engaged in the recruitment of the necessary staff to undertake inspection work in abattoirs. I am confident that all local authorities will be providing full meat inspection services shortly.
