Vol. 478 No. 4
227 Mr. H. Byrne asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry whether he will rectify the current situation to enable New Ross Port to carry on its traditional business which includes the importation of fish meal from third countries; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11319/97]
228 Mr. H. Byrne asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry if his Department excluded the port of New Ross as a Border Inspection Post port with consequent loss of traditional business to New Ross in implementing European Council Directive 90/675/EEC; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11320/97]
229 Mr. H. Byrne asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry whether the regulations as laid down have been fully complied with at those Border Inspection Post ports nominated by him; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11321/97]
230 Mr. H. Byrne asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry the location and the name of the laboratory used recently to implement the regulation when his Department forced a vessel to discharge at Waterford; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11322/97]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 227, 228, 229 and 230 together.
Under EU Council Directive 90/675/EEC, all animals and animal products including fish-meal being imported into the Community from a third country must be imported through a border inspection post (BIP) at a port or airport which has been approved by the EU Commission. There are seven approved border inspection posts in Ireland; Dublin Port, Cork Port, Waterford Port, Rosslare Harbour, Killybegs — for fish only — Dublin Airport and Shannon Airport. Border inspection posts must be specially equipped and be supervised by an official veterinarian when it is open for the purpose of checking animals and animal products entering the EU. The posts are inspected regularly by officials of the European Commission to ensure that they comply with the requirements of the EU directive.
My Department has carefully considered a request that New Ross Port be designated as a BIP to facilitate direct imports of fishmeal from third countries but concluded that the volume of imports that would be involved would not justify the cost of setting up and staffing a new border inspection post at New Ross, especially since it is situated within 20 miles of an existing approved post. New Ross can continue to receive consignments of fishmeal which have already been checked and cleared at another border inspection post in the EU.
On 10 March last, my Department redirected a vessel from New Ross to Waterford. The vessel was carrying a cargo of fishmeal from Iceland and required to be checked in at a border inspection post in accordance with the EU directive. A sample of the fishmeal was taken by veterinary officers of my Department when the vessel docked later at Waterford. The sample was forwarded to my Department's laboratory at Abbotstown, Castleknock, County Dublin where it was analysed to ensure that the fishmeal did not contain any mammalian meat and bone-meal. This is the normal procedure in such circumstances.
