Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 15 May 2001

Vol. 536 No. 2

Written Answers - Abattoir Staff

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

There are currently 96 full-time Department veterinary inspectors employed in the 66 EU export approved abattoirs. A further 288 technical officers are employed by the Department in those premises. In addition to full-time Department staff at these premises, temporary veterinary inspectors are contracted by my Department, drawn from a panel set up for this purpose. Some 748 temporary veterinary inspectors were contracted by my Department at various times last year. Approximately 1.7 million cattle, 3.5 million sheep and three million pigs were slaughtered at these premises in 2000.

Day to day control of the 322 domestic abattoirs is the responsibility of the relevant local authority under the overall control of the Food Safety Authority of Ireland. I am advised by the FSAI that the various local authorities employ 40 full-time veterinary inspectors and up to 160 temporary veterinary inspectors and that approximately 134,000 cattle, 564,000 sheep and 100,000 pigs were slaughtered at domestic abattoirs in 2000.

Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development

(Mr. Walsh): I propose to take Questions Nos. 236 and 237 together.

I am satisfied that the procedures to monitor traceability of cattle presented for slaughter in abattoirs, whether they are large scale export approved premises or smaller domestic abattoirs, are sufficient to ensure the safety of the beef derived from those cattle. All cattle presented for slaughter must be checked against my Department's cattle movement and monitoring system – CMMS – to verify the origin, identity and life history of the animal against the database before the animal proceeds for slaughter. In relation to export approved plants, which are controlled by veterinary officials of my Department, verification of the animal details against the central database is carried out on-line between export factories and the central database. Domestic abattoirs, which are licensed by my Department but are under the day-to-day operational control of the relevant local authority on behalf of the Food Safety Authority of Ireland, are not linked on-line to the central mainframe because of their small size and low throughput. In these cases, the CMMS clearance checks are conducted by the district veterinary offices of my Department based on written notifications of intention to slaughter sent by fax by the abattoirs.

Developments following the outbreak of foot and mouth disease in the UK highlighted the necessity for improved traceability procedures in relation to sheep to be implemented. A new sheep identification system has now been set up and arrangements are being made to have it in operation by early June.

All animals presented for slaughter at export approved or domestic abattoirs are subject toante mortem and post mortem inspection by veterinary officials of my Department or local authority veterinary officials in the case of the latter to establish the welfare and health status of the animals and their fitness for slaughter for human consumption. Animals must pass all ante mortem and postmortem inspections before they can enter the food chain.