Vol. 548 No. 4
116 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development the total number of animals destroyed in the beef destruction scheme; the costs involved, including payments to producers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5227/02]
Some 278,025 animals were slaughtered under the EU purchase for destruction scheme, which ended on 30 June last at a total cost, to date, of approximately €265 million that is, payments to producers of €204 million and expenditure on operating costs, to date, of €61million. The PFD scheme was replaced by the special purchase scheme for bovine carcasses, other than steer carcasses, established by Commission Regulation (EC) 690/2001. Under this scheme, up to the end of 2001, some 61,000 tonnes of meat was purchased, equating to approximately 215,000 animals. The purchase cost of this beef was €104 million. Expenditure on operating costs was €12.3 million.
