Vol. 487 No. 3
129 Mr. Aylward asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food if he will arrange for the immediate appointment of extra veterinary surgeons to his Department to deal with the increased workload; and if his attention has been drawn to the fact that factories (details supplied) are finding it increasingly difficult to operate due to the fact that there are no Department vets available to them. [3854/98]
A significant number of abattoirs which were under the control of local authorities have upgraded their facilities to export standard and now come under the supervision of my Department. Some of these plants' slaughtering capacity does not warrant the full-time presence of a veterinary inspector and are supervised by Departmental vets in larger meat plants in that region. I am aware of the pressure these additional plants place on existing resources and every effort is being made to ensure that veterinary staff are maintained at the maximum allowed.
