Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 30 Jun 1998

Vol. 493 No. 3

Written Answers. - Meat Plant Procedures.

Pat Rabbitte

Question:

222 Mr. Rabbitte asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food if the veterinary office of a meat factory (details supplied) in County Tipperary was visited by officials (details supplied) of his Department in March 1998; the signed blank forms, if any, found during the visit; the action, if any, taken as a result; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16114/98]

Pat Rabbitte

Question:

224 Mr. Rabbitte asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food the allegations of irregularities, if any, his Department has received about a meat plant (details supplied) in County Tipperary in November 1997; the inquiries, if any, conducted into these allegations; the outcome of any inquiries; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16116/98]

Minister for Agriculture and Food (Mr. Walsh)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 222 and 224 together.

Investigations were carried out in November 1997 and an audit was carried out in March 1998 at the plant referred to by the Deputy. The outcome of these visits are being finalised. However, no signed blank forms were found during the visits.

Pat Rabbitte

Question:

223 Mr. Rabbitte asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food if it was permissible for a meat plant to slaughter cattle from Northern Ireland in November 1997; the procedures, if any, in place in meat plants for determining the origin of cattle presented for slaughter; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16115/98]

Minister for Agriculture and Food (Mr. Walsh)

The import of bovine animals to the State from the United Kingdom was prohibited with effect from 28 March 1996 by the European Communities (Importation of Bovine Animals and Products Obtained from Bovine Animals from the United Kingdom) Regulations, 1996, SI 87 of 1996. Consequently, it was not permissible in November 1997 for a meat plant here to slaughter cattle from Northern Ireland.

The Abattoirs Act, 1988 (Veterinary Examination) Regulations, 1992, require the occupier of a meat plant to ensure that each bovine animal which is to be slaughtered in the plant can be identified to enable officers of the Department of Agriculture and Food to determine its origin.

Each animal presented for slaughter at a meat plant must bear the correct official ear tag identification and must be accompanied by a valid identity card or movement permit. The operators of approved plants are required to record in respect of each animal, the name and address of the supplier, the official ear tag details and the category-type.

My Department has specific procedures in place at cattle slaughter plants to determine both the origin and health status of animals presented for slaughter. These include the checking of ear tags and accompanying documentation by meat plant staff under the supervision of officers of the Department; physical inspection of the cattle identity card to reconcile the ear tag information on the card with the ear tag affixed to the individual animal; in case of doubt, the ear tag number and herd number data can be and are verified by reference to the national computer data base by entering the information on the PC in the veterinary office; the action taken where the database query shows an anomaly or where, in the view of the veterinary officer in charge, there is cause for doubt or suspicion, depends on the circumstances involved.