Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 18 Feb 2003

Vol. 561 No. 4

Written Answers. - Animal, Identification Scheme.

Denis Naughten

Question:

227 Mr. Naughten asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food the number of cattle which have been put through marts and returns made to Bandon for which Bandon has no records; the action he is taking to address this matter; the number of such animals that are refused at meat plants due to the lack of such records; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4365/03]

Minister for Agriculture and Food (Mr. Walsh):

The Deputy is presumably referring to cases where details of bovine animals sold through marts, including a record of the new herdowners, have not been notified to the animal identification and tracing database, CMMS.

There is on going monitoring of the accuracy and comprehensive nature of all information notified to the CMMS database, including data received from marts. Where gaps are identified in data, additional procedures are applied to ensure the accuracy and comprehensive nature of the information provided. Discussions are continuing with the representative trade organisations of all groups providing data, including marts, to address these matters.

Marts are required to notify details of movements through their premises within three working days of the event. This means that the database will not have been updated in respect of any animals, which move either directly from the mart to the meat plant or within a day or two thereafter. Accordingly, the procedures for accepting animals at meat plants provide that, in such cases, the mart stamp and the record of the sale on the passport can be accepted as evidence of new ownership and the slaughter of the animal may proceed. Where the movement through the mart occurred outside the previous four working days, Department staff at the meat plant are also required to notify the details to the relevant division for follow-up with the mart concerned.

In this context, animals would generally only be rejected at meat plants where the passport details are not up to date or there are other reasons that the ownership is called into question.