Vol. 569 No. 4
173 Mr. Stanton asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food if all specific risk material is being collected, transported, stored and monitored to his satisfaction; if all skips that are used to transport such material are easily identified; the number of persons licensed to carry and to transport such material; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18121/03]
The collection, transport and storage of specified risk material is governed by EU and national legislation. In the case of meat plants under the supervision of my Department, protocols approved by the Department's veterinary inspectorate are in place to ensure the implementation of the required standards. Transport, hauliers involved in transporting SRM to one of the designated SRM rendering plants must be approved under the legislation and must operate under the procedures laid down. This includes the obligation to have their approval number clearly marked on any containers used for SRM haulage.
The number of approved SRM hauliers is currently 197.
