Vol. 530 No. 5
97 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development the extent to which bonemeal or bonemeal products are available for animal use or fertiliser throughout the country at present; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4349/01]
I presume that the question relates to meat and bonemeal. The feeding of meat and bonemeal to ruminant animals – cattle, sheep, goats and deer – has been prohibited since 1990. The Deputy will be aware that the feeding of processed animal proteins, including meat and bonemeal, to farmed animals which are kept, fattened or bred for the production of food is prohibited with effect from 1 January 2001 under the provisions of Council Decision 200/766/EC.
Where licences had been issued under the provisions of the Diseases of Animals (Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy) (No.2) Order, 1996, which permitted the purchase and incorporation of mammalian meat and bonemeal into feedingstuffs intended for feeding to non ruminant animals (pigs), licensees were advised that such licenses would cease to have validity as and from 31 December 2000.
The removal of all stocks of mammalian meat and bonemeal and of feedstuffs containing such mammalian meat and bonemeal, which remained on the licensed units on 1 January 2001, has taken place under the supervision of staff of the district office veterinary inspectorate.
No licences to purchase mammalian meat and bonemeal for use in the manufacture of fertilisers or for use as a fertiliser have been issued since the beginning of 1998.
