Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 25 May 1999

Vol. 505 No. 3

Written Answers. - Abattoir Procedures.

Brian O'Shea

Question:

42 Mr. O'Shea asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food the action, if any, taken arising from the report of the EU inspection mission which found serious deficiencies in March 1998, including the possibility of fraudulent actions, at the AIBP plant in Nenagh, County Tipperary; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13590/99]

Minister for Agriculture and Food (Mr. Walsh)

As I indicated in replies to Questions Nos. 68 of 16 December 1998 and 72 of 24 February 1999, an EU Commission inspection mission to Ireland in March 1998 found certain hygiene related deficiencies concerning the loading bay, handling of seized-detained carcasses and the staining of specified risk material at the plant in question. In addition, deficiencies were found which, in the opinion of the EU inspectors, could allow for the possibility of fraud. However, it was made clear by the EU Commission, at a later meeting in Brussels, that the inspection mission had not found any evidence of actual or attempted fraud.

The Commission presented the reports of the mission at a meeting of the standing veterinary committee in Brussels in July 1998. No evidence of actual or attempted fraud was put forward and no further investigations were planned. The Commission stated that health marking which was also reported to be a problem in other member states would receive particular attention during inspections of establishments.

Arising out of the findings of the mission and its own ongoing review of in-plant veterinary procedures, my Department took a number of steps to further improve controls at all meat plants. These included: revised arrangements in relation to marshalling halls and loading bays in all slaughter plants, including the plant to which the Deputy refers; revised procedures for the detention of carcasses in all slaughter plants; tightened procedures for the identification, handling, segregation, staining and removal of specified risk material in all slaughter and cutting plants; revision of the procedures at local plant level in respect of the evaluation of cattle age for the purpose of facilitating commercial trade.

The EU Commission has been fully appraised of the actions taken by my Department following the inspection.