Vol. 496 No. 5
95 Mr. McGrath asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food the moneys paid by his Department each year to local authorities to enable them implement the Abattoirs Act, 1988; if he has satisfied himself that there is uniformity in the implementation of this Act; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23321/98]
The Abattoirs Act, 1988, provides, inter alia, for the annual licensing of abattoirs serving the domestic market by the Minister for Agriculture and Food and for the supervision of the day to day operations, including ante and post mortem examinations, by the local authority veterinary services.
Abattoirs are required to comply with the standards laid down in the Abattoirs Act, 1988 and the (Abattoirs) Regulations, 1989, as amended, in relation to construction, operation and facilities necessary to obtain an abattoir licence. Consultation takes place with the local authority prior to the granting or renewal of a licence to ensure the applicant's compliance with the Act and Regulations made thereunder.
Notwithstanding the statutory position, my Department secured Government approval in December 1996 to assist local authorities in implementing their functions under the Abattoirs Act. In respect of 1997 a total of £1.4 million was paid to the local authorities who had confirmed that they fulfilled the necessary criteria, which are, of course, uniform for all local authorities. A similar level of financial assistance is being made available to local authorities for 1998 on the same basis.
