Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 30 May 2000

Vol. 520 No. 1

Written Answers. - Abattoir Regulations.

Paul McGrath

Question:

156 Mr. McGrath asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development the number of accredited abattoirs operating here at present; and if he will give the comparative figure for registered abattoirs for each of the past five years. [15378/00]

Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development (Mr. Walsh)

The number of abattoirs operating at the moment, including those approved for export, is 436.

Numbers operating over the past five years are as follows: 1999, 458; 1998, 477; 1997, 476; 1996, 497; 1995, 509.

Paul McGrath

Question:

157 Mr. McGrath asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development the amounts paid by his Department to each local authority to have abattoir regulations implemented in each of the past five years. [15379/00]

Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development (Mr. Walsh)

On 4 December 1996, the Government approved payment of financial assistance to local authorities to assist them in fulfilling their statutory obligations under the Abattoirs Act, 1988 to provide an effective meat inspection and certification service at domestic abattoirs. Following are details of the payments made to local authorities in each of the years 1997, 1998 and 1999.

Payment of assistance towards provision of meat inspection and certification service and ancillary controls in local abattoirs.

County Council	AmountIR£1997	AmountIR£1998	AmountIR£1999
Carlow County Council	18,133	17,600	16,000
Cavan County Council	51,200	51,200	48,000
Clare County Council	46,933	51,200	51,200
Cork Corporation	3,200	2,133	3,200
Cork County Council	204,800	192,000	180,800
Donegal County Council	67,200	59,200	54,400
Dublin Corporation	2,400	3,200	3,200
Galway Corporation	3,200	NIL	NIL
Galway County Council	82,667	79,632	78,400
Kerry County Council	55,467	82,732	83,200
Kildare County Council	35,200	32,000	25,600
Kilkenny County Council	44,800	31,988	25,584
Laois County Council	48,000	49,212	44,800
Leitrim County Council	44,800	44,658	43,200
Limerick County Council	65,600	64,000	57,600
Longford County Council	11,200	20,741	19,200
Louth County Council	22,400	19,200	19,200
Mayo County Council	86,400	96,000	94,400
Meath County Council	36,000	35,550	35,200
Monaghan County Council	24,000	28,800	22,752
North Tipperary CountyCouncil	28,800	26,800	25,600
Offaly County Council	25,600	22,400	22,400
Roscommon County Council	40,800	36,267	51,200
County Council	AmountIR£1997	AmountIR£1998	AmountIR£1999
Sligo County Council	14,933	12,729	12,800
South Dublin County Council	17,600	9,600	9,600
South Tipperary CountyCouncil	81,600	80,000	80,000
Waterford Corporation	3,200	2,844	2,844
Waterford County Council	19,200	19,200	19,200
Westmeath County Council	76,267	76,800	67,200
Wexford County Council	48,000	48,000	44,800
Wicklow County Council	33,600	30,400	25,600

As regards 2000, I have secured Government approval for payment of an increased level of Exchequer funding for local authorities in the context of the service contract arrangements which have been entered into between the local authorities and the Food Safety Authority of Ireland. The total amount of funding available for 2000 is £3.8 million based on the assumption that the requisite staff and services are provided by each local authority and that their obligations under the service contracts are fully discharged. Payments to individual local authorities will be made in the course of this year on foot of properly documented claims.