Vol. 545 No. 3
24 Mr. Dukes asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development if he will have the special purchase scheme for cows extended beyond 31 December 2001; if he is satisfied with the pricing and payment arrangements under this scheme in slaughtering plants; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30044/01]
57 Mrs. B. Moynihan-Cronin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development the number of animals slaughtered to date under the special purchase scheme; the cost to the Exchequer of this scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30148/01]
I propose to answer Questions Nos. 24 and 57 together.
Some 278,025 animals were slaughtered in Ireland under the European Union purchase for destruction scheme, PFD scheme, which ended on 30 June last. The European Union special purchase scheme, SPS, replaced the PFD scheme and, to date, the carcasses from 152,000 animals have been taken in by my Department under that scheme. As far as beef intervention is concerned, forequarter beef from about 54,000 animals has been taken in so far this year, whilst the full carcass was purchased in the case of a further 2,000 animals.
Expenditure on the PFD scheme, to date, has amounted to £198 million, that is, purchasing costs of £160 million and expenditure on operating costs, to date, of £38 million, of which £97 million will be reimbursed by the EU under the terms of the co-financing arrangements governing that scheme. In the case of the SPS scheme, the total purchase cost of the carcasses taken over by my Department amounts to about £61 million while expenditure, to date, on operating costs, for example, takeover, rendering and storage has been £5.1 million. By virtue of the provisions of the European Union regulation governing the SPS scheme, 70% of the purchase cost of the animals concerned is reimbursed by the European Union.
