Vol. 504 No. 6
54 Mr. Connaughton asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food the criteria for the issue of licences to provide artificial insemination; the status existing provisional licence holders have; if other applicants will be licensed in the near future; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12493/99]
To qualify for a cattle artificial insemination field service licence applicants are required, inter alia, to demonstrate adequately to the Department that they are a legal entity within the State and that they comply with the requirements of the Companies Act; that they own/operate an approved semen collection centre or have a satisfactory contract with such a centre; that they have a satisfactory number of staff, including approved AI technicians trained to deliver a quality service and an approved registered veterinarian to supervise the service; that they have satisfactory access on an ongoing and secure basis to sufficient supplies of semen from a range of bulls of the main dairy and beef breeds which have been tested and genetically evaluated; that they have adequate office facilities, technology and administrative arrangements to ensure compliance with all the conditions in the schedule of conditions attached to each licence; that they have the necessary resources and systems to ensure compliance with all of the veterinary and zootechnical requirements of Irish and EU law; and that they are capable of delivering a quality service on a year round basis on a reasonable scale.
Eight organisations have been licensed to provide an AI field service for cattle in 1999. A further two companies have recently been given approval in principle and will be allocated licences later this year provided they satisfy certain essential basic pre-conditions within a reasonable timeframe to be agreed with the companies concerned.
It is not intended to issue any further licences this year. However, anyone interested in providing a service in the year 2000 will be afforded an opportunity to apply for a licence in the autumn.
