Vol. 504 No. 7
175 Mr. Connaughton asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food the amount of special dye used to identify specified risk material; if all sup pliers have to use the same concentration of the dye; and the origin and cost of this dye. [12906/99]
Under the provisions of Article 6(1) of the Diseases of Animals (Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy) (Specified Risk Material) Order 1997 (S.I. No. 80 of 1997) the owner or person in charge of a slaughter premises or knackery must ensure that specified risk material is immediately stained by a staining ink or other material approved by the Minister for this purpose. Upon the introduction of the specified risk material policy, the Department of Agriculture and Food issued a notice on staining to all slaughter plants and knackeries directing that a food grade dye Patent Blue V (E131) be used with a 0.5 per cent weight-volume solution of the dye and listed four companies where the dye is available. The cost of the dye is a matter to be determined between the users and suppliers.
